Traditions...

The day before Easter.  And it seems appropriate that a Polish Lowland Sheepdog 

should tell you about a Polish Easter tradition - at least one that my human practiced when she was growing up.  When my human was a kid, the day before Easter, the family would take a basket to church to be blessed - with food to be eaten on Easter Day. The food included Polish sausage, ham, bread, eggs and butter - in the shape of a lamb.  The butter lamb was a common thing in Buffalo where she grew up, and you could easily buy one at Easter time in any grocery store.  Which leads me to the story of our entertainment last night....

The priest at our church is Polish.  So my human mentioned to him the practice of blessing baskets - and he agreed he would happily do that for my human and her sister.  Great.  They can easily get the sausage, ham, eggs and bread at the market, but let's just say that butter lambs are not exactly a common sight in Nova Scotia.  So last night, my human and her sister decided to make a butter lamb.  First, they sequestered us canines in the front hall - as the thought of dog hair flying around while they were sculpting butter was not all that appealing.  I'm not sure why.  But we watched through the French door, and noted that wine was used during the production.  AND there was a LOT of laughter.  They cut the butter and attached two pieces to form a head and body with a stick.   And then they began carving the lamb. The only problem was the fact that the lamb had a stick coming out of his head, which they could not remove.  They strategized ways to perform neurosurgery, and were finally successful at cutting the stick without decapitating the lamb. At the end they stepped back to look at their work.  Yup, it was an animal.  For sure.  BUT, he bears a striking resemblance to a Picard.  And more than one person mentioned that when they posted his photos on-line.  I think it's the ears.  And you can't blame my human - her sister was in charge of the ears. But they didn't dare try to change him - or the ears would fall off.  

Next year, I vote that they make sausage too.  Now THAT I want to be involved with.  Would that not be a dog's dream come true?  I also am curious to see if WE get to share in the basket this year too?   We better - we're family and we believe in tradions too.  Especially if they involve food...

Have a good one! Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 3

Van Gogh

March 30.  And on this day in 1987, Vincent van Gogh’s painting of “Sunflowers “ sold for a record breaking $37.9 million or 22.5 million pounds.  That’s a LOT of dog biscuits!!!! Vincent painted some amazing stuff, but like some artists, had a rather troubled life.  Like the cement bunny that the FG knocked over last year, Vincent lost an ear too.  But Vincent didn’t lose his because of a Picard. ( By the way, the ear repair that my human did last year still appears to be holding up.  The heavy hare wasn’t moved inside this winter- but his ear is still standing.  For now.)  Anyway, Vincent painted just a few dogs in his life but they didn’t really figure prominently in his art.  And some say if he had owned a dog, he might have been a happier guy.  I couldn’t actually find any evidence that Vincent owned a dog - yet I found the following quote which is attributed to him.  I’m a bit doubtful- but hey, I found it on the internet- so it must be true.  Just kidding!!! Still, the quote is good- and if someone else wrote it, I’ll make a correction.  Dogs can’t be sued for copyright infringement, can they?!  I’ll be starting a crowd funding page for bail money...

Today is Good Friday- and it is also the start of Passover.  Two important religious holidays.  Whether you celebrate one or the other - or something different- I believe that the message behind many religions is the same...there is someone who watches over us and who loves us  - and rather simply, we should BE GOOD to one another.  

And that includes NOT making canines wear rabbit ears.  Hint hint. 

Have a good one.  Peace, paws up... and be good.

Seizure-free days:2

Stuff and dog clubs

Time for some fun news for a change.  For those humans who use Google maps, you know how convenient it can be to find a place where you are going.  And the street views option can be extra helpful to see what a particular location looks like.  But did you know that in Japan, there is a dog's eye level street view?  At least in one area -Odate City, in the prefecture of Akita.  Which is understandably the home of the Akita dog breed.  It seems they strapped some cameras on some Akitas - so they could provide a view of the city, from a dog's perspective.  Here is a video showing what they did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMf57MAgoS0

I want Nova Scotia Tourism to hire me to go around and give a dog's eye view of famous landmarks here!  I'll work for biscuits!

My human was looking at one of those sites that lists all kinds of dog breeds according to their attributes.  Like "the 10 Quietest Dog breeds" (PONs did not make that list - Golden Retriver did.  My human has friends with Goldens - and trust me - it's not silent when you pull up to their door); "10 breeds that don't mind the snow" (we weren't on that list either- but go figure, the Alaskan Malamute made the list- surprsie.);  "The smartest breeds" (another list we didn't make- but of COURSE, the Border Collie did - and so did something called a Jindo.  I'm not on the smart list so I had to look it up.  It comes from South Korea);  "10 breeds with the longest life spans" (which included small breeds like Pomeranian, chihuahua, yorkie, toy poodle and the not so small Australian shepherd?),  "10 breeds hardest to train" ( we didn't make this list -surprise, surprise! - but Bassett Hound, Chow-chow, Afghan,  Pekingese, Pug, Basenji, Bloodhound, Mastiff, Dalmation and Beagle did!),  and "10 breeds that don't stink" (which included the Dalmation, the Basenji and the Beagle - so although they won't listen to you, they smell good.  Phew).  But my favorite category - the "5 most dramatic dog breeds."  I'm not kidding.  Now if anyone has seen Einstein on a grooming table, you would be CERTAIN that PONs could make this list.  But no - it was Dachshund, Pug, Beagle, Chihuaua, and Bassett Hound.   A dramatic Bassett Hound?  Who knew?

Personally, I think these lists are a bunch of hooey.  Who makes these things up anyway? 

I'm starting my own lists.

• Breed most likely to crash through a door to get to food:  PON.
• Breed most likely mistaken for a cross between a wolfhound and a coyote: Picard.
• Breeds most likely to demonstrate hearing loss when they are running to their neighbor's house in search of other dogs:  PON and Picard. 
• Breed most likely to stare at his food dish like it is some kind of alien from outer space: Picard.
• Breed most likely to stare at the Picard staring at his food dish - and wishing he could get in the room with him: PON 

As I said, these lists are far from scientific.  And SOMETIMES they MAY have some truth to them, but the novice dog owner may not know that these lists are sometimes pretty sketchy.  If you want to REALLY find out about the attributes of a particular breed, look on the web for a breed's club.  I THINK there is at LEAST one club for each breed out there - and those sites usually have THE best info about a breed.  For example - here is a PON club:

http://www.aplsa.org/

And two Picard Clubs:

http://www.bergerpicardclubcanada.com/
https://picards.us/

I'm not sure that an average pet owner would necessarily know that these clubs even exist.  And the clubs are NOT just designed for people who show their dogs.  If you care about your breed - and want to share info with others who have the breed - they are a great resource.

So that's MY plug for today.  Now excuse me while I go and stare at a Picard. Who is staring at his food dish....

Have a good one. Pecae and paws up!
Seizure-free days: 1

A good day. Until the end.

Yesterday was a landmark day.  It was HUGE.  My human went back to work.  But that wasn't the remarkable part.  She went to work....and left all three of us free in the house.  The FG was NOT left in his pony-sized crate.  My human has been leaving us free together for an hour or two here and there - but this is the first time she left us all free while she went to work.  

She was able to keep an eye on us via Big Brother - and at one point she replayed the tape and saw the FG adding some decorative touches to the carpet in the dining room.  You know the one- the carpet that she bought last year to replace the one with the holes, designed by the FG.  This carpet can also be used as an outdoor carpet.  Now before you have visions of that fake green indoor outdoor carpet stuff - let me remind you that this is more like sisal - with a pattern.  And it HAS survived for what must be over a year now.  Anyway, yesterday he did decide to chew the backside of it - which was rather thoughtful as you can't see it from the right side.  But other than that, the household was peaceful and quiet.  We traded sleeping spots throughout the day, and rotated guard duties.  And when my human came home - well the sound of all three of us barking like mad would keep away any intruders. It actually sounds like a LOT more than three dogs.

I don't think my human is quite ready to disassemble the pony sized crate just yet - although it will almost double the size of the room when she does take it down.  OK - it doesn't take up half the room - but I'm not kidding when I say it is pony-sized.  It is so big, it does NOT fit through a doorway.  It has to be disassembled to move it to another room.  So my human WILL be happy to see it moved back to the garage - with the collection of other dog crates in various sizes.  We could outfit anything from a chihuahua to a Great Dane.  We could start our own zoo.  Actually, we already have a zoo,  don't we?

It's a short work week for my human - thank goodness.  It is an adjustment going back to work.  But just today and tomorrow and then she is off again.  And we will keep her busy.  But hopefully she has no plans for resurrecting those bunny ears....

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 0. Back to square one.  Again.  Which happened right after I finished my blog...My human was so excited that we could all be together during the day and she was starting to feel a bit more confident about me and my seizure control.  Now she’s worried again - and not sure how the FG would react if I had a seizure when we were alone.  Einstein doesn’t pay any attention- but the FG barks and gets curious.  She doesn’t want to see either of us get hurt if I have a seizure.  So ...maybe the FG will be sequestered in the hall.  For a while anyway.  Darn.  This is just not fair....

Rotating badness

The day before yesterday, my human took the FG up to the baseball field for a run.  And he was well behaved - and responding pretty consistently to the whistle.  So yesterday, she decided she would take a chance.  She took him up to the golf course.  She put him on a long line.  And with bated breath, she let him run FREE.  She had taken the fetch toys with her - and she was shocked when he actually brought them back.  Well, within 5 feet of her.  And guess what?! She never even had to use the whistle!  He ran around, and repeatedly came back to her.  There was no disappearing act.  No running away in a "chase me"game.  He was, dare I say this, well behaved.  They came home, and my human was thrilled.  FINALLY.  She had three well behaved dogs.  She has been taking Einstein and me down to the lake each day off leash and we have been the picture of well behaved dogs.  And when we went to the course last week with Jackson, again we were good dogs. My human was smiling and thinking just how wonderful we all were.  It didn't last long....

My human and her sister have been busy emptying her mother's apartment.  Right now our house and her sister's house look like a cross between a crowded furniture store and an episode of the TV show Hoarders.  I'm sure it will all be settled and organized.  Some day.  They have been at this for days.  So yesterday, after our walks and breakfast, she announced that she was again going to her mother's place.  And she did something in her haste to get moving.  She let Einstein and me out for a quick pee - on our own.  Mind you, she was standing in the doorway.  I'm not exactly sure whose idea it was to take off, but suffice to say, she watched in dismay as BOTH of us took off up the driveway, and disappeared into the woods.  All the shouting of "TREATS" didn't make a difference.  We were on a mission to go to the neighbor's house and to visit with their Lab, Hudson.  Even though he wasn't outside.  My human figured that was our destination - so she threw on her coat and raced up the driveway and down the road.  She started walking down the neighbor's driveway and spotted us heading the opposite direction - back toward our house.  So she raced home in a panic because although we were headed for home, she had left the garage door open.  The garage.  Where the dog food is stored.  Sure enough, as she was running down the driveway, she could hear the banging of bins as someone was attempting to knock down the food storage container.  She shouted and Einstein raced out of the garage. He didn't want to be caught.  In the meantime, I was jumping and throwing myself at the bin in an attempt to make it fall over - so I could feast on the food.   My human ran in, grabbed me by the collar, and marched me into the house.  Einstein snuck in behind me.  

So.  There you have it.  JUST when you THINK we might all be good - well, we prefer to keep things interesting.  I actually like to call it "rotating badness." We are rarely ALL bad at the same time.  And to think we could ALL be good at the same time just doesn't make sense.  Never a dull moment.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 15

The moral of the story.

March 26. And on this day in 1484 ( just a few years before my human was born) William Caxton, the guy who is said to have introduced the printing press in England, is said to have printed the first English translation of Aesop’s Fables. Most of us are familiar with the fables, written by a storyteller in ancient  Greece, which have a moral at the end. The classic story is the Totrtoise and the Hare - which tells us that " Slow but steady wins the race."  There are a number of fables that include dogs - but one that comes to mind is the dog and his reflection.  The dog was carrying a bone or piece of meat and he saw his reflection in a river.  He thought the reflection was another dog, so in an ettempt to get the bone from that dog, he growled and snapped at the other dog.  As a result, he dropped his bone into the river - never to be seen.  And the moral?  It is very foolish to be greedy.  So really, I SJOULD share my food bowl with Einstein or the FG.  Hmmmm.  That's a tough one.  I'm a PON.  And I'm ALWAYS starving.  Besides, they have their own bowls.   OK.  OK.  How about I share some of our chew toys.  Actually I DO share that.   So I'm not THAT greedy after all.

And speaking of chewing, my human heard about this "stuff" that can keep us dogs from chewing furniture, rugs, etc.  It's SUPER potent and is actually made for horses to keep them from chewing things and themselves.  The main ingredient is pepper.  So she got this stuff.  Just to have on hand.  None of us have been chewing a LOT, but every now and then, a table leg looks tasty.  And I also do like to pick at the carpet in the hall - where the FG gets his meals.  You see, he sometimes drops food on the floor, and minuscule, microscopic pieces are left in the carpet.  You literally cannot see them,  but I pick at it JUST in case.  So yesterday, my human sprayed that carpet.  The stuff is so strong she had to open the front door and air out the room.  She was coughing and everything.  It is VERY peppery.  So she waits a while until the stuff is out of the air, and let's me in the room.  She quickly hears the rip rip sound.  She looks at me and I'm making a funny face and licking my lips.  "Great" she thinks "it works."  She's all proud of herself for finding a solution to my picking.  But 10 minutes later, I'm back in there, picking away.   More money well spent.  I bet I would like Mexican cuisine.  The moral of the story?  Never underestimate the appetite of a PON.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 14

Good things come....

Yesterday, my human came out of her bedroom and was met with a "wonderful sight" - in her eyes anyway.  She opened the door and there were the three of us, waiting for her to come out.  That wasn't all that interesting,  What WAS interesting, was the fact that I was all comfy cozy - practically resting right on top of the FG.  Moments like this are remarkable, because there was a point that my human never thought she would see us relaxing so closely together.  As you may recall, when the FG arrived, I was less than overjoyed to see him.  And really, it was shortly after his arrival that my seizures began. My human started thinking that the change in routine and the stress I was feeling was just the catalyst that triggered the neurological patterns in my brain to begin misfiring. 

It has taken over a year for me to truly accept the FG - and the fact that he is not going back where he came from! I am totally tolerant of him - even at 4AM when he begins squeaking and barking at me, doing play bows in an attempt to get me to play with him.  Remember how we even shared a stick last week when we went to the baseball field together?  Now admittedly, I don't TRY and play with him - but then, I really don't try to play with Einstein either.  When we went for our walk with Jackson the other day, it was Einstein who chased Jack around - I was much happier following the humans - because they had treats.  And I guess I've probably always been this way - it's not that I dislike other dogs - I'm happy to see them and greet them, but that's enough for me. So getting used to Mr Sociable - the FG - has been a long process. But I dare say we are "good" - and I'll even sleep in his crate if the door is open - and he's not in there.  I draw the line at overly comfy cozy.  That would really be a bit much.

So seeing us like we were yesterday, really makes my human happy.  And she has begun leaving us alone - all three of us - with the FG out of his crate, more and more often.  She was concerned about me having a seizure- and not knowing what the FG would do - and it still is a consideration.  But given that I don't typically have seizures ( when I have them) in the middle of the day, she is feeling more comfortable in leaving us all together.  And so far - so good.  

So I guess that old saying, used by a ketchup company is true - "good things come to those who wait."  And in our household, this is very good indeed!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 13

Dog news.

So what's new in the world of dogs? Here's an interesting story.  We know that we canines have amazing olfactory abilities.  We can sniff out drugs, bombs, cadavers and even cancers.  But the latest use of our nasal sense has to do with our ability to sniff out antiquities!  Yes, dogs are being trained to detect artefacts - which may be illegally traded.  Check this out:

http://youtu.be/zbHDQUpJau8

Meanwhile, here in Canada, a couple is involved in a legal battle over the  custody of their dog - and have taken it to the highest court in the province of Newfoundland.  In previous legal battles, dogs have been labelled as "property" - to be divided like one would do with personal belongings. And two judges in an appeal agreed with this ruling.  However, one judge disagreed and says that ownership of a dog is much more complicated than say a piece of furniture. The bond that people have with dogs, and the feeling of loss when one loses a dog is much more different than one would feel with some inanimate object.  Yay for that judge! It will be interesting to see how this case plays out.

And lastly, United Airlines is saying they got it wrong when a flight attendant told a family to put their dog in an overhead compartment on the plane, sadly resulting in the dog's death.  OK.  So the airline was at fault.  But hello?  Who puts their dog in an overhead compartment?   I think my human would be walking off the plane before she one put one of us up there!  Mind you, we wouldn't actually fit.  But still - it seems to me the owners have SOME responsibility as well.  Just my opinion.  

Time to go for our walks.  And the FG can go goose hunting.  There have been two geese who arrived at the golf course last week.  I have to tell you that geese and golf courses don't REALLY go together.  Those big birds can make a BIG mess.  But it looks like the course could hire the FG to keep the geese off the course.  When they see him coming - even from a distance, they take off. It's not like he has been up close and personal with them - but they seem to detect that he would like VERY much to herd them.  Or do something with them.  Einstein and I haven't seen them yet - because we go out after the FG, and he has already scared them away.  Maybe we can go first today...mind you, I would rather eat the goose poop than chase them.  Almost as good as dryer lint.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 12

Lint. And snow.

Well who knew that the dogs in this household are not the only dogs in the world who find dryer lint delectable.   SEVERAL blog readers indicated that their PONs are closet lint lovers.  I didn't hear from any Picard owners or other breeds for that matter, but I can't imagine that JUST PONs are fuzz aficionados.  I DO recall that Paxton was a dog hair and dust bunny fan, but, come to think of it, I don't recall him munching on the dryer lint.

Now while this may seem humorous, there is a darker side to our fabric fondness.  Too much of a fuzzy feast COULD lead to an obstruction- which would NOT be fun.  In addition, if you use dryer sheets or fabric softener, the chemicals in those products can be toxic - so they are no laughing matter.  My human doesn't use those products - so we enjoy organic, an naturel lint.  We also do not (luckily) swallow the wad whole, but rather we chew and enjoy our lint - so we have been lucky NOT to have an obstruction.  Admittedly, we do have some rather stringy, colourful poop. 

So, did you hear about the assault case?   Somebody beat up the groundhog.  Yesterday we had, what my human predicts, hopefully will be the LAST snow for the season.  Her sister was over, and could not drive her car up our luge run driveway.  A first for this year. The problem was that we had snow, which turned to freezing rain.  And then rain.  If you ever wanted to see two pathetic looking PONs, take them out in WET heavy, slushy snow.  Einstein trudged along to the lake, and only moved quickly as we were headed for home. The FG didn't care about the wet snow dropping off the branches.  He doesn't mind any kind of weather. He's tough.  

Time to get my human moving.  She hasn't had nearly enough exercise in the past few months- so we are setting her up with a new fitness routine. And it happens to involve even MORE walks for us!  Aren't we thoughtful?

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 11

Perfect behaviour. Almost.

Yesterday we let my human sleep in until 6:15.  She has a few days off from work as part of her leave time.  She got up and we suggested we go for a good long walk.  She took the FG first and got a text from Jackson's human asking if we wanted to join him for a walk. It's been a long time since we have had walks with our Labrador buddy from down the road.  My human agreed - and off Einstein and I went to the golf course to meet our bud.  There was much butt sniffing and wagging of tails.  We were let off leash - and GUESS WHAT?!  We behaved.  Yup.  We didn't take off, stayed within a good proximity, didn't follow any scent trails into the woods.  There were a few moments when my human thought I might be eating goose poop (as they have been spotted in the area), but besides that, we were GOOD.  My human chuckled that it only took us 6 and 8 years respectively to reach this good behaviour state.  We even posed for a few photos.

So the moral of the story? Good things come to those who wait. Now we just need to wait another 5 years with the FG... Mind  you, we were good on the walk, but then we DID have a little incident with SOMEONE opening the door to the laundry room, knocking over a garbage can and again eating a HUGE fistful sized wad of dryer lint.  OK.  So maybe our prefect behaviour isn't all that perfect after all.  But isn't that what keeps things interesting? 

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 10

The funeral.

Well yesterday my human and her sister celebrated the life of their mother.  And despite the sadness of the event, it truly was a celebration.  They were overwhelmed by the people who came to the funeral - people from work, people from church, friends from outside work, people who lived in the same apartment as their mother and even "dog people."  Yup - people that my human has the pleasure of knowing through the wonderful world of dogs.  They were touched by people who came who didn't even know their mother all that well - but who were inspired by her smile and positive attitude. The priest did a great job and even said a prayer in Polish.  Not that my human understood it - too bad Einstein and I hadn't been there - we could have translated.

After the funeral and reception, they came back to the house, drank wine and told stories.  And they ate some leftover sweets from the reception.  Later that evening, after everyone was gone and we dogs had had some good long walks, my human settled down in the DFZ to just relax. And the phone rang, so she went to answer. It was Joanie, who was driving back to her home 2.5 hours away.   She had come down just for the funeral.  THANK GOODNESS she called - at least from my human's point of view.  Because my human went to answer the phone and immediately noticed the refrigerator door open.  And yours truly was inside, surveying the contents.  Including the leftover reception sweets. My human shouted "Hey - get out of there!!!" And pulled me out.  My human had taken my medication out of the fridge just about 15 minutes earlier, and she figured she did not shut the door properly .  I was SO taken aback by this miraculous turn of events, that instead of grabbing food- like I attempt to do do when I get into the garage where the dog food is stored, I stood there mesmerized.  I mean I was suspended.  It was like standing in front of a slot machine with all kinds of matching numbers or cherries or something. I didn't know what to do.  And it happened so quickly that Einstein didn't even have a chance to cash in - heaven knows he would have been right in there if he realized my good luck.  But no.  Joanie called.  Thanks Joanie.  I'll remember that.

My human wants to thank all of the many people who sent messages of sympathy and support.  And of course, those who came to the funeral. She got to thinking that through this blog, we have been able to share a tiny bit of her mother with people all over the world. And there is a strange comfort in knowing that - that her mother's life extended beyond the family and friends in her immediate circle. She was a very special lady and the last time she was here at the house - just a few weeks again, she said to my human - "you know, they really ARE good dogs."  She loved us.  And the feeling was mutual...And you know what?  I think she opened that fridge door...so we could partake in the celebration too....

Peace and paws up.  

Seizure-free days: 9

Spring...

Today is my human's mother's funeral.  A day of sadness - but also a day to celebrate her life.  And how appropriate that it is also the first day of Spring. A new beginning.  

I don't have time to write much today - but I hope you will enjoy some photos to get you in the Spring spirit.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 8

Rollaholic

The other night, my human came home after a long day of attending to her mother's affairs.  She was tired and she had a headache.  So after she walked us, and fed us she announced that she was going to take a nap.  And she did.  She finally woke up at 10 PM feeling much better - but suddenly looked at us and announced " all of you need a brushing."  The dreaded words.  It's not like we had not been brushed lately - but well, I guess it was a few weeks.  And cottonball Einstein was REALLY in need of a full make - over.  So he was first to go into the garage aka grooming torture salon.  He moaned and groaned while my human brushed off a garbage bag of hair.  It was quite the wrestling match accompanied by the torturous sound effects.  When he wasn't eating treats.  She then sprayed him with this new fancy rinseless shampoo and he was also dried.  He looked and smelled a LOT BETTER.  I  was next - but I wasn't so bad off - and I rarely complain.  The FG should have been last - but when my human emerged from the torture salon and saw that it was 12:30 AM, she figured the FG could wait until the next day.  And he did get his chance the next morning, although the process is MUCH quicker.  And less painful for him AND my human.

Since that fateful evening, though, Einstein is doing payback every chance he gets.  He insists on rolling continuously on any patch of snow that he can find.  He hits the ground, rolls and rolls. And he completely messes up his coat. I swear he is doing it on purpose. Honestly, he hasn't done this behaviour all winter.  Well not this much anyway.  The snow isn't even all that soft and fluffy - it's actually rather hard and icy - but he drops and rolls.  Repeatedly.  My human just watches and shakes her head.  He's a rollaholic.  

Never a dull moment.  Ever. 

Have a good on. Peace and up!

Seizure -fee days: 7

Friends...

My human has a friend - Joanie - who I believe I have talked about before.  She is the one that the FG gave a bloody nose at Christmas time.  During the annual wine drinking/junk food eating evening.  Anyway, despite the fact that coming to our house CAN be dangerous, Joanie still does - whenever she is in town.  And she was in town this week, and asked my human if there was anything she could do to help out during this challenging time.  Joanie even suggested that she and my human take all three of us dogs out for a walk together.  Yes, the woman is a glutton for punishment.  And my human, in her dizzy state, thought that would be a good idea.  She actually thought it would be good to take all of us to that fenced baseball diamond just down the road a few km.  So Joanie arrived - put on her armour, and my human loaded up the vehicle. First she had to get the FG in the crate. Which was FINE but then he screamed like he was being murdered when he realized that Einstein and I were also coming - and we were stuck in the rear of the vehicle behind his crate.  My human wedged us in, shut the hatch door and Joanie got in the passenger seat.  At which point my human realized she didn't have her phone so she went back in the house to get it.  It was at that point that I squeezed myself between the FG's crate and the driver's seat in an attempt to drive myself.  And I was stuck.  So my human came, somehow dislodged me, and put me again in the back of the vehicle.  While the FG screamed more.  Ah.  good times.  And we hadn't even left the garage.

When we got to the baseball field, my human pulled up close to the gate.  And she explained to Joanie that she should grab one PON and my human would grab the other.  Joanie opened a side door and my human opened the hatch - simultaneously- and each of them grabbed a PON.  They then led us into the field and let us loose.  Then my human went back to the vehicle to get the FG out of the crate - and got him and let him loose.  I should mention that they did this at the crack of dawn so as not to be there with other dogs.  Yes, Joanie is a very good friend.

We all proceeded to explore the field.  Peeing and sniffing like crazy.  My human got a couple of sticks to toss - and the FG and I reterived while Einstein rolled on various patches of snow.  The FG tries hard to play with us - jumping and running.  Here is a shot that Joanie captured of one of his jumping moments. 

 Joanie and my human came to the conclusion that he RARELY has four feet on the ground.  He and Einstein DID chase around a bit.  Actually it was Einstein who was basically trying to kill him.  Not really.  But he certainly gave the FG a couple of good runs. And here is a rare shot captured by Joanie of the FG and I sharing a stick. 

 This lasted for all of 8.4 seconds and then I gave it to him.  I was MUCH more interested in the treats my human had in her pocket.

And just as the joyful trio was starting to wear down, a car pulled up.  My human didn't notice until she saw the gate opening and a large yellow Lab entering the field with his human.  "Uh oh" she said as she gestured to Joanie.  But before she could grab us, the Three Stooges Welcome Wagon bounded over to the unsuspecting Retriever. And surrounded him.  The FG was in his glory because now, MAYBE someone would play with him.  There was lots of spinning and butt sniffing and then, in a rather rude welcome gesture, Einstein decided that this dog needed to know that HE was the king of our pack.  So he tried to mount the Lab. The Lab wanted nothing of Einstein's advances, and growled.  Well, Mr. Sociable growled back.  And it was at THAT point that my human magically swept in from a distance of about 10 feet and grabbed Einstein by the collar. "Party is over" she said.  In the meantime, I was hanging off her pocket trying to get the yummy treats. I didn't care about the Lab.  

Somehow my human managed to leash me and Einstein while poor Joanie was left to corrale the FG.  The Lab's owner said, "What kind of dog is HE?" My human heard the question and it's at moments like that when she has to decide what to say.  If he's NOT behaving, she says he is a wolfhound coyote cross.  If he IS behaving, she says Picard. Just kidding.  Sort of.  Anyway, yesterday he was a Picard.

Joanie managed to drag him to the car, and they got him loaded on board. We PONs had already been fired in the back.

After the FG was in his crate and the two humans were in their seats, they looked at each other, smiled and shook their heads. But no bloody noses, broken bones or lost dogs - so it was chalked up to a successful outing.  

This outing would have been REALLY hard without Joanie.  But she didn't mind, at all because, to quote Dionne Warwick "that's what friends are for...."

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 6

Four letter word

Four letter words can refer to those words in the English language that are considered profane.  They can be thought of as " bad words."  Well, I have a new word to add to the list.  Something disgusting and having no positive  redeeming qualities.   The word?  TICK.  And believe it or not, although the winter is not officially over, GUESS what we found ON MY HEAD the other day?  A tick!!!

It happened earlier in the week, before we had our most recent snowfall.  Truth be told, we have had a very mild winter this year, with very little snow.  So befor our most recent storm, my human was taking us regularly around on the trail down to the lake.  I can be off leash and so can Einstein - but the FG continues to remain in bondage until his recall is perfected even more.  

Anyway, I like to explore areas off the trail.  But I stay within sight.  

So my human was getting ready to go to the hospital.  She had taken all of us out, and went to get food for our breakfast.  Our bowls were full and as she turned around to put our bowls down, she noticed something on the top of my head.  She felt it and recoiled.  Yup - a big TICK.  My human had heard that they can live all winter - and sure enough - here was proof.  She let me eat my breakfast and then whisked me into the garage - aka surgical suite for tick removal.  She found her trusty surgical supplies - including a tick withdrawal tool and some ointment for my head.  She plucked the offending freeloader off my noggin, put some ointment on the spot and tossed the tick into the bathtub.  My human then removed me from the table, and let me go back into the house.  Her next step was to put the tick in a bag and then smash it to smithereens with a rock.  He was no longer a threat to any animal or human in this household.  She also examined the rest of the crew for any other vagabonds.  Luckily, there were no more. 

So let this be a warning to other Nova Scotian dogs.  Ticks are out there already, waiting for a lift and a free meal.  Check your dogs regularly - or consider a tick preventative for your canine kids.  My human is afraid to give me anything as she worries about putting more drugs in my system.  She also has not given anything to Einstein or the FG - because she hears all kinds of horror stories about the medications for ticks.  And remember, I can't use any spray containing rosemary as it is a trigger for seizures in some dogs.  WHAT  a conundrum.  We may end up wearing body suits that pretty much cover us from head to toe.  I'm not sure,  though, how we will pee or poop. 

Have a good tick-free day. Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Wonder if he could drive the ticks out of Nova Scotia!

Peace and paws up.

Seizure- free days: 5

Why the FG is the way he is....

To begin, my human wants to thank all of you who posted messages of support and understanding during this terribly difficult time.  She was overwhelmed by the notes and comments - many of which made her cry.  But there is also a sense of happiness in knowing that we have been able to share a snapshot of who her mother was - with people all over the world.  It really is an amazing thing - and we are grateful for our many "friends" connected in this cyber world.  It provides such a feeling of comfort. 

Life has not yet returned to the "new normal" because my human is running around taking care of preparations for the funeral. While her mother was organized and prepared and had prearranged everything, they still had to meet with the funeral director. He apparently reminded my human of a snake oil salesman.  She and her sister admitted the guy provided some welcome comic relief.  I wish I had been there to straighten him out.

Then they got to meet with the priest.  Two cool things about him - he's Polish, AND he has a dog.  A German Shepherd. Who apparently sniffed my human's pockets for treats.  I think she would be a good friend for the FG.  Or. Einstein.  Those guys are more sociable with other dogs than I am.  I mean, I'm fine , but given a choice between playing with another dog or following a human who has treats - well I'm all about those treats.  Anyway, while they were meeting with the priest and his dog, my human's sister decided to demonstrate her limited use of Polish.  Seems what she THOUGHT she was saying all these years is not exactly correct, and her slight mispronunciation resulted in what was close to inappropriate language. Great.  And she said it to the priest.

Meanwhile back here at the ranch, we have noticed in the past couple of weeks, that the FG has now assumed a serious role as watch dog.  If he hears something, or something is out of place he now barks. He is very observant and from what my human recently read, Picards are hard-wired to SEC, or Sudden Environmamtal Change. It's apparently a real thing - and it's the awareness of something odd in their surroundings - like a garbage can or a flying leaf.  The article said they have this trait to help them survive as droving dogs.  That's also why they REALLY are sensitive and sensory seeking.  They like to nudge humans with their noses and they like to stay close to their humans. That sure is true of the FG.  He is like GLUE with my human.  If he could crawl inside her, he would.  We PONs are a bit more independent.  At least the PONs in this house.  We want to know where my human is, but we don't HAVE to be on her lap. Or sitting on her feet.  Apparently the clumsy or bumbling behaviour we also see in the FG is actually a form of tactile sensation in dogs aware of SEC.  Who knew?  We always thought he was just a klutz. When he was a puppy, my human initially wondered if there was something wrong with him - he was like Bambi on ice.  Now he HAS become more coordinated as he gets older, but one still never quite knows what direction his feet may be going. He certainly provides much entertainment.  And we now know that he is a "typical" Picard.  And all this time, Einstein and I just thought his elevator didn't go all the way to the top, or should I say, his treat jar was only have full.

Time to head out for walks with my human.   You will be happy to know we have been behaving.  Well, as much as we can anyway.

Have a good one.

Peace and paws up.

Seizure -free days: 4

The Christmas wish...

 

It is with a heavy heart and slow paws that I write this blog today.  For 1252 posts we have shared our lives with you - through good times, funny times and hard times - like my seizures and the death of Paxton.  But nothing we have  shared is as difficult to write about as our news today.  My human's mother -  who was just short of 89 years old, has passed away.  And we can feel how shattered my human is feeling.  

It’s funny – but when my human was a kid, her mother wasn’t REALLY crazy about dogs.  I mean she liked them – but didn’t really want one - I think she KNEW who would be the one looking after a dog.  My human brought a stray dog home, and befriended every dog in the neighborhood – and BEGGED for a dog starting at age 5 in her letter to Santa.  My human’s father liked dogs very much and wanted one for years too – but it wasn’t until my human was in high school that her mother gave in – and they got an Irish Setter - Mickey.  He was crazy.   Crazier than me.  And that’s saying a LOT.  He LOVED to hunt.  My human’s father didn’t hunt – but neighbors would borrow Mickey for hunting.  He didn’t have any formal hunting training – he just KNEW what to do.    He was quite the dog.

After Mickey there was a Golden Retriever named Midas.  My human wasn’t living at home any more – but she convinced her mother that her father NEEDED another dog after Mickey went to the Rainbow Bridge.  And her mother quickly agreed. Midas lived to a ripe old age of 13 or maybe 14…

Anyway, over the years, my human’s mother had come to love, or at least tolerate, all of my human’s dogs – and there have been quite a few.  And her mother was even a dog sitter on numerous occasions.  When she came to visit us, she shared her empty yoghurt container with us – AND she was the one who began sharing pieces of her banana each morning - a tradition that we still carry on daily.  She learned how to NOT get her fingers chewed off by Frodo when giving out treats.  AND she knew how to make us sit and stay when giving out treats.  

Last April, my human's mother was diagnosed with something called Pancreatic Cancer.  Cancer is a nasty thing and Pancreatic Cancer is particularly nasty.  And in her case, treatment was not an option.  When she was diagnosed, the doctors said she had a few months to live.  But they didn't know my human's mother.  Now I think I understand why my human can be as stubborn as she is.  I know where she got it.  

Her mother did NOT let the diagnosis or prognosis bring her down.  In addition, she had my human and her sister acting as a cheering squad, or maybe actually they were like drill sargeants - who believed that she was not going to die of cancer, but live with it - and live as long as possible doing things she liked to do.  My human and her sister were with her mother almost every day since her diagnosis.  Yup - almost every day.  And they ate out, went to movies, shopped  and we even went with them on a road trip last June.  And at least once a week she would come to our house and have a short visit with us.  And we were careful not to jump on her while she walked with her walker.  Even the FG was courteous!

If you go back to read my Christmas time blog, you will see that I had a special "ask" or wish from Santa.  But I couldn't write about it in our blog.  I really didn't write about anything related to my human's mother's cancer journey.  Why?  Because she read my blog on Facebook each day and the last thing she would want to read  about was her battle with he big C.  She learned to use an iPhone and iPad in her 80's and loved the technology.  

So what was that special Christmas wish?  That my human's mother would live to see and enjoy Christmas.  And that she did.  Our wish was granted - and it seems Santa - who actually works for the "Big Guy" - even threw in 2 1/2 extra months after that. 

But in the past week, things changed very rapidly.  Very rapidly.  My human and her sister were so lucky to be with their Mom as she left her banana distribution duties and went to meet an Irish Setter and Golden Retriever at the Rainbow Bridge.  And her husband of 50 years.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers and good wishes.  My human's mother holds a HUGE compartment in her heart - and any time my human is feeling sad, she can pull open that compartment and pull out some good memories.  Just like a special giant treat jar.  

We promise to take extra good care of my human in the days ahead. 

Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 3

Signing off. Bye for now...

Dear blog readers...

My human is going through a major life event right now and she needs to focus all of her attention on it.  I will tell you all about it when I can, but it involves a family member.  I can feel her stress - and it’s likely what triggered my seizure.  I’m her stress barometer.

Please keep all of us in your thoughts- and a prayer or two or three or a hundred wouldn’t hurt.

I will send a post when I can but for the next few days I will probably be off the radar.  But let me sign off with a few quotes and photos. Thanks for your understanding - and I hope you’ll come back when I’m back on-line.

Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 1

Crufts finale

Well the last day of Crufts was yesterday. The Gundogs were judged and the group winners were:

1.  Pointer

2.  Cocker spaniel

3.  Flat coated retriever 

4.  Irish Setter

And the big winner.....the Best in Show dog for 2018 was the Whippet!  Reserve Best in Show ( kind of like runner up in a beauty pageant) was the Pointer.  So the odds makers were right - a dog from the Gundog group and a dog from the Hound group. I still liked the Border Collie. But no offense to the winner.

And no dog show would be complete without some crazies from an animal rights group. They disrupted the presentations at the end of the show.  Where were some good Police dogs when you need them?  Anyway - it still was a wonderful show - and did I mention a PON placed in the group?!

And in a sad but happy event at Crufts, Mary Ray performed her last performance in canine freestyle after more than 20 years.  Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/dXyIOpDVbUc

Have a good one!

Peace and paws up.

Seizure-free days: 0.  Back to square one I’m afraid...

Crufts Day 3

So yesterday was Day 3 at Crufts.  And here are the group winners for Saturday...

Toy Group:
1.  Papillon  or Butterfly dog
2.  Griffon Bruxellois or Brussels Griffon
3.  English Toy Terrier (black and tan) (Isn't there a drink called a Black and Tan?  Not that I would know..)
4.  Pomeranian or Pom (not to be confused with PON)

Utility Group
1.  Akita
2.  Standard Poodle
3.  Miniature Poodle
4.  Toy Poodle  
Seems like a lot of poodles in that line-up!   Talk about grooming overload.

Today will be the last day and the Grand Finale - Best in Show.  My money is on the Border Collie.   My human looked at some betting sites on-line and the best odds appear to be on the winner of the Gundog group - which hasn't even been selected as I write this.   That bet is currently tied with the winner of the Hound Group - which would be the Whippet.  I'm still going for the Border Collie.  Have to support my comrades in the Herding group.

And if you thought yesterday's video was funny - look who is back this year!  It's Olly! He became an internet sensation last year with his antics on the agility course, and he was back again this year.  Hope his human didn't spend a LOT of money on training.  If so, I hope she can get a refund.  But Olly continues to have fun!   This article shows the video from last year - and the new one for this year.
https://www.joe.ie/amp/life-style/jack-russell-crufts-olly-618913

I can't write more today because I lost an hour of sleep last night.  I hope you remembered to set your clock ahead - or you'll be running late today.

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


 

Crufts Day 2

In my excitement to report that a PON placed in the Group at Crufts, I forgot to report other information.  Like the other group winners!  In the Pastoral Group, besides the PON ( did I mention that a PON placed?!). Can you tell I was very excited about that?  Anyway, the Group 1 placement went to the Border Collie ( sure to be a crowd favorite when it comes to Best in Show). Group 2 in Pastoral went to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, third place went to the Smooth Collie and 4th place went to the PON, Hero!

In the Working Group, 1st place went to a Newfoundland, 2nd was the Doberman, 3rd was the Boxer and 4th was the Alaskan Malamute.

In the Terrier Group , 1st was the Scottish terrier , 2nd was the Irish terrier, 3rd was the Jack Russell terrier, and 4th was the Manchester terrier.

In the Hound Group we had in 1st the Whippet,  2nd was the Afghan, 3rd was the Wire-haired Dachshund and 4 th was the Irish Wolfhound.  

I think (besides the PON placing in the group), my favorite video so far was this one.  I could see the FG doing this!!!  

https://youtu.be/6XffsPEWPcM

My human said it’s great to see the videos on-line - but she misses seeing the “real thing.”  And of course, the shopping.  So to make herself feel a bit better, she bought some dog things on-line.  Great.  It’s grooming stuff.  Not exactly the kinds of shopping I would do.  I’ll give you my product reviews, once she tries them out- hopefully on Einstein and the FG first!

Have a good one!

Peace and paws up!

Seizure- free days: 12

A snow day...and Crufts Day 1

So yesterday was the day for the Herding group judging at Crufts. Or as they call it in the UK, the Pastoral group.   Luckily, someone was kind enough to record and post the judging of the PONs - thanks to Mary for posting the video on-line. There were 50 PONs entered - and it was fun to see some of my Facebook friends running around the ring.  Congrats to ALL the winners - whether you went home with a ribbon or not.  Just being there is SO cool. 

I couldn't find much about the Picards entered.  It seems that they fall into a category called "AV Imported Register Pastoral breeds."  Maybe because they are more rare in the UK?   I'm still trying to find out how many were entered.  And I have no idea how to find a video of them.  When I look at the results for that category, I can't even tell what BREED is the winner.   But - Mary also posted some photos and video from the Discover Dogs booth with the Picards!  Which was lovely!  Thanks again to Mary!

So the PONs and Picards (I think) were judged and the best in Breed was chosen.  But the BIG news was when it came to the Group judging. A PON got a Group 4 - which is HUGE.  REALLY HUGE. Out of 32 different breeds, to get one of the Top 4 placements is a MAJOR accomplishment!  Big congrats to a nice PON boy appropriately named Hero! 

Meanwhile,  while people looked to be having a splendid time at Crufts, we were here having a snowstorm.  My human decided to work from home until the plow guy would come.  So much for getting much done, though - the power went out before 8AM.  So here we were, snowed in with no lights.  OR wifi.  We of course, didn't care that it was snowing and there were gale force winds.  We wanted out.  So my human got dressed and took us out in the storm.  We all got back, but were bored.  So Einsein decided to bark while the FG played bowl hockey with a metal food dish.  I just sat and stared at my human.  So much for a peaceful morning.  But not to worry.  She's pretty smart sometimes...She went into the treat stash and had a huge handful.  And we all practically jumped over backwards.  We were spinning and barking and jumping.  So to restore peace, what did she do?  She tricked us.  "Let's do some fun training" she said.  "And let's start with.....sit stays."   So she lines us all up, shows us the tasty treats and says "STAY".  She sets the timer on her phone and proceeds to do work in the kitchen.  Putting dishes away. Straightening up.  Ding.  The alarm goes off.  And we each get a treat.  And she does it AGAIN.  This time she sets the timer LONGER.  Seriously?  THIS is not what we planned.  Ding.  Another treat.  This time we get to do DOWN STAYS.  Whoopeee ding dong.    But nobody wants to move because we want the treats.  And she sets the timer even LONGER.  I think we did this for about 4 hours.  OK - 4 hours in "dog time."  More like 15 minutes in human time.  After that, we had calmed down so everybody was ready for our usual daytime naps which we would do if she was at work.  Oops - I mean on rotating guard duty.

We hear more snow is forecast for the weekend.  So much  for tulips and butterflies.  Where can I find that Groundhog....

Have a good one.

Peace and paws up!
Seizure-free days: 11

Picard behavior

I want to know more about the behavior of Picards.  So I've been doing some reading.  And from what I can tell, Picards are general all-purpose farm dogs who not only moved flocks, but they also patrolled the perimeter of fields while flocks grazed - to keep an eye out for predators.  And that patrol work is something that my human has really started to notice with the FG.  I mean he also chases leaves with a great deal of zest and commitment, but his "observational behavior" is also very interesting.

The last week or so my human has been taking him up to the golf course at the end of our road for his morning walk.  And when he's not jumping around like a frog on hot pavement when the wind blows, he's listening.  Every now and then he just stops.  And listens.  But the funny part is the near the end of the walk.  As they are getting closer to home, they approach  the parking lot of the course.  And there is a large wall of boulders around part of the lot, where he walks.  So the first day, he went over and stood with two feet on a boulder, surveying the lot and the course in the distance.  And he just STOOD there.  Keep in mind that this is early in the morning, and  there are actually not many golfers at this time of the year.  So my human snapped the photo of him, and waited for what seemed like minutes until he was ready to move.  The next day, he pulled her to go and do it again.  And he stood and surveyed.  And the next day.  And the next.  And no - she is NOT enticing him to do this.   She actually has to coax him some mornings to move along. 

I wonder if this is part of his herding/guarding instinct.  And it's funny - he has started to attempt jumping up onto OTHER rocks in the last day or two as well.  He would do it the odd time before - but lately he is enjoying his eagle-eye view a LOT.  My human has to watch him - because he likes to leap OFF those boulders too if she doesn't grab him.  The Flying Picard.  That’s all we need...

Anyway, we are having snow today.  So it looks like our walks may be a bit shorter.  The reason we are having snow is because my human was bragging about what a GREAT winter we have had.  So it's HER fault!  But the good news is - the end of winter isn't THAT far away. Maybe instead of boulder jumping today, I can get that Picard to jump up on the counter where the treat jar is.  Gotta keep him busy...

Have a good one.
Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 10

My first PONcast

Well, well, well.   My human had discovered a new app.  And here was her first attempt at recording me....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN5movkLSpU

After she did that - she had this IDEA.  She felt it was time to spice up my blog.  So once a week, I will be using the app to provide you with some wisdom - some of which has been taken from my old blogs.  Quotes, suggestions, and some new ideas too.... I'm calling it my PONcast.  Get it?  Podcast...PONcast.  OK it’s corny but I like it.

Some PONcasts may be just a short sentence - and some may be a bit longer.  I hope you will find them entertaining...
 
Here's my first official blog PONcast....It was so long (not really) it had to be recorded in 4 parts...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCygNrlpEa8&index=1&list=PL9G-XPdtTut9JBDRsffCfjl2pjqv20DHC

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days:9

Dentist Day

According to the crazy calendar, Today is Dentist’s Day.  A day to think about those healthcare professionals who take care of our teeth.  According to some info that I found, veterinary dentistry has been recognized as a specialty field for over 20 years.  Just as in humans, good oral health is important in us dogs. I read a statistic that said by the age of 4, 80% of dogs may show signs of periodontal disease.  Signs include gingivitis, bad breath, difficulty or a reluctance to eat, extra drooling or even nasal discharge or sneezing.  If you see these signs, we should definitely be seen by a veterinary dentist or at least our regular veterinarian.  While we dogs do not tend to get cavities, like humans do, periodontal disease can ultimately result in other kinds of health problems from the spread of bacteria to our hearts, liver, kidneys or lungs.

Besides a cleaning by a dentist or veterinarian, there are ways you can practice good oral hygiene at home. Regular brushing is one way.  It’s advisable to start doing it when we are puppies, so we get used to it.  There are even toothpastes designed for us dogs.

Another way to keep teeth clean is by chewing bones or synthetic bones designed to be tough.  As long as we don’t swallow big pieces.  Also be careful that our chew options are not TOO hard - which can result in broken teeth.  Like Einstein’s broken canine tooth.  If you feed prepared foods, dry kibble is better than soft food.  

Today, canine dentistry can include everything from crowns to braces.  Braces are not typically used for cosmetic purposes - but rather because a dogs crooked teeth are causing a problem resulting in pain or difficulties eating.

By the time my human’s first dog Barney, the multi-breed terrier cross went to the Rainbow Bridge at 17.5, my human thinks he only had about 6 teeth left ( out of our normal 42!). He needed LOTS of dental work over the years - and that seems to be the case with certain dogs.  The good news - “The Biter’s” bite was not quite as threatening as he got on in years!  

So smile and give a wag to a Dentist today. 

Have a good one!

Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 8

Dog news

So some news from the world of dogs.  In the past, I have talked about Snuppy.  The first dog to be cloned.  And the fact that anyone could have their dog cloned - if they had the cash - with the reported costs ranging from $50,000-$100,000.  And there are no doubt people who have done it.  But for the first time (that I know of anyway) someone in the spotlight has done it.  It seems Barbara Streisand has cloned her Coton de Tulear, Samantha, who died last year at the age of 14.  The cloning actually resulted in 4 puppies, one of which died.  She gave one puppy to a friend and kept two.  She also has another Coton who is a distant relative to Samantha.  Now while the new Samanthas may look like the original Samantha, there is no guarantee that their personalities will be exactly the same.  Right now, Barbara says she is waiting to see what that will be like as they get older.

While my human adores us, she says she is not planning to clone any of us.  She says the world can only take one Viktor the PON.  No kidding.

In other news, Alina Zagitova, a gold medal figure skater from Russia is getting a gift from Japan.  It seems the young woman trained in Japan, and while she was there, she fell in love with Akitas. The 15 year old had asked her parents if she could get one if she did well in the Games.  And so, a group that is dedicated to preserving the breed in Japan, has offered her one.  Pretty nice reward for doing well.  While the breed is said to be loyal and devoted to family, they are also said to be stubborn.  Sounds familiar.  It also sounds like you need a really good vacuum cleaner if you are owned by one.  Let's hope Alina is prepared...

And lastly, this week people will be flocking to Birmingham, England for one of THE best dog events in the WORLD. March 8-11 is the Crufts dog show. There will be a total of 21,032 dogs competing this year - representing 49 countries.  I see that, of course, most of the dogs are from the UK, with an entry of 17,409.  The next highest entry is from France with an entry of 462. Poland has an entry of 117, and 37 dogs are coming from the US.  Canada has 8 dogs entered.  We'll be watching the proceedings on-line - with the groups being judged on the following days: 

Thursday: Working and Pastoral groups

Friday: Terrier and Hound groups

Saturday:  Tility and Toy groups

Sunday:  Gundog group

Keep in mind that this is just the conformation part of Crufts.  There is also obedience, agility and rally and demonstrations of everything you can think of with dogs - freestyle, scent work, drill team, retrieving - you name it.  And I won't begin to talk about the SHOPPING.  My human is going through Crufts withdrawal - she has been a few times and had hoped to go again this year, but the stars didn't quite align.  Maybe next year!

So that's the latest in dog news.  Have a good one!

Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 7

Namesake

Today is March 4 and according to the crazy calendar, it is something called Namesake Day.  I guess it's a day to look at where your name comes from - or others  who share the same name.  My name, in Latin, means the conqueror, or the winner.  Perfect.  That's me.  I'm the boss.  Or I like to think I am.  I found a number of famous ViCtors (with a "c") - from a  basketball player to a football player to an actor to a poet and a singer.  My human's grandfather was also named Victor.  I found a guy who spells his name like mine who was the first Russian to cross Greenland on skis.  Good for him. And I know of a famous ViKtor who is a young man who travels the world and writes about his adventures - including several months in Antarctica.  His family owns a Picard - so that's how I got to know him. Check out his You Tube channel and his Facebook page and his website called Gone Venturing http://goneventuring.com/.   My human says THAT Viktor has a MUCH more exciting life that I do.  I think if he came to spend a week with us, he would experience the scariest adventure of his life.  

 The name Frodo seems to have some Germanic origin from "frod" which means wise.  The most famous Frodo was Frodo Baggins,  a hero character in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.  Frodo definitely is the wise guy around here.  And Elroy?  It doesn't have Germanic or Latin roots.  Elroy is just Elroy. There aren't a lot of famous Elroys - just some football hall of fame player from 1968 - Elroy Crazylegs Hirsch.  And the other famous Elroy - the son in the cartoon the Jetsons.  Somehow it seems appropriate that Elroy would share the name of a cartoon character and a guy who was also called Crazylegs.  Really.

I've talked before about the fact that most dogs have numerous names.  I mean besides our "registered" name if we are purebreds.  My personal favourite for me is Trino.  Short for Viktorino.  And I actually answer to it.  Einstein actually answers to Doe.  And Fro.  And the FG?  Baby Schmaby.  His responsiveness varies.  Mind you, it's the same when you actually call him Elroy.

In the past I have talked about various Crayola Crayon names, that would make good dog names.  So let's take a look at dog names - selected to go with the profession of their humans.  How about these...

Librarian: Booker

Airline pilot:  Jet

Doctor:  Emdee

Musician:  Treble

Plumber:  Piper

Carpenter:  Woody

Race car driver:  Zoom

Teacher:  Coach

Chef:  Zest

Magician:  Trixie

Drummer:   Boomer

Lawyer:   Justice

Speech- Language Pathologist:  Talker

Sailor:  Skipper

Chicken farmer:  Cooper

Audiologist:  Whisper

Personally, I think ALL of us dogs are responsive to one name in particular.  TREATS.   Call me that and I'll come every time!

Have a good one! 

Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 6

OK

What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day

March 3.  And according to the crazy calendar, today is something called "What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day".  And no.  I did not make this up.   But just think about this concept.  IF I had opposable thumbs,  I would be able to open the door to the garage.  The garage. Where the dog food is stored.  I would be able to enter and OPEN the dog food bag.  No more ripping it open with my teeth.  Which certainly works - but can be messy.  Mind you, the mess is only for about 3.6 seconds because I  can QUICKLY clean up any kibble that gets spilled.  

If I had opposable thunbs, I could open the REFRIGERATOR.   Honestly, an open fridge door to a dog is like winning the lottery to a human.  Heaven.

With opposable thumbs I could also throw and retreive the fetch toy all by myself.  That could be a bit boring, though, I suppose.  Maybe I could throw it for the FG.  

I could attach my harness and leash on my own.  Or pretend to.

I could easily remove offensive Dollar Store holiday attire.  Not that I don't already mange to shake my head when forced to wear those offensive head bands.  But still it would be easier.

Yes.  Life could be SO interesting with opposable thumbs.  And  if it were true, my human would REALLY be celebrating the other holiday today.  National Mulled Wine Day.  Actually, she doesn't even need us to have opposable thumbs to celebrate that.

Have a good one. 

Peace and paws up!

Seizure-free days: 5