Boys! PLEASE!

Stop overestimating the inherent value of your own urine.

No one wants it as much as you think they do.

I have two pee-ers here this weekend, Smokey and Sparky.
One big, one little, same volume of pee.

Smokey keeps peeing to his right and hitting Tessie's kennel.
Sparky will pee to either side and is nailing both Smokey and Cleo.

If they just would pee on just each other, I would consider it justice. But why do they need to include the girls.

Walls, I need some, walls. Maybe someday. Meanwhile, got to hose down the kennel, today.

I haven't had to vacuum up spilled Cheerios in about 7 years.

First, because we haven't had a toddler in the house in that many years.

Second, because I have Labradors, the floor cleaning system of the dog world.

Miss you even more, 'Nertia, as I have to waste all these wonderful doggie treats the baby is launching off the high chair.

More than ten years ago, with the first baby in the house, 'Nertia claimed that precious space under the high chair for herself. She was already doing a decent job at training this baby to feed her right off the tray, when we lost her.

My other Lab was born with a thorough "child avoidance" sense. She only patrols after the high chair has been vacated. Her eye sight is now so bad, she is really missing out on all the delicacies that are hitting my dining room rug.

Dog Heaven

I have said this one before.

I do believe there is a dog heaven. Where all the squirrels are slow, the tennis balls taste like Filet Mignon, and everyone gets their own couch.

If we are really good humans, I believe we get to visit our dogs there.


And if you are extra special, they will even let you up on the couch.



One of my dogs died last week. My husband asked if there was anything I wanted to bury with her. I had the funnest image come into my head. Our couch in an enormous hole in the ground with my dog in her usual spot with a pillow under her head. To be on the couch was just never enough, she also had to have a pillow.

A Rose By Any Other Name May Smell as Sweet, But Dogs Tend Not to Come When Called By The Wrong Name

I have a bad case of being my own mother lately. My big sister left for college when I was 10 years old and my mom has been calling me by her name ever since. I noticed that I, too, have been calling the baby by her big sister's name, but now it has spread to the dogs.

Poor Booker, I just kept calling him Ziggy. Ziggy was the dog in than kennel before Booker. Now, I try to justify it with the facts that Ziggy and Booker are really pretty much the same dog, personality wise. When trying to stop myself from using Ziggy, I managed to come up with Blocker. He is also big and black like Booker, but I think that was just my feeble attempt to yank a name out of my head that was even somewhat close to what I needed.

Chance has been Rascal for at least half of his stay. Cleo, however, has gotten her name back. Last stay, I called her Chloe all week.

Found a Dog

Well, I did everything I could. Last night, I called the police and had the Helper Police keep an eye out for her. I also attempted to look for her at her house and at her Aunt's house.

This morning I called the Animal Shelter and notified them to call me on any 'found' dog calls.

My next move was to call Barter Bar on Monday so that pretty much everyone in the county would know about Sugar. I wasn't as worried about coyotes or cats getting her as someone finding her and deciding to keep her.

After that, all I get to do is worry. And we all know how good I am at that.

As I wasn't sleeping last night, I was telling myself the she is not wandering around. She may have wandered away from me, but once it was dark, she probably is hunkered down somewhere waiting for morning.

I think I might I have been right about that and not just trying to talk myself into some sleep.

Sugar was found in the parking lot of the building across Main Street from her house. Gee, I almost parked there last night. Her Aunt thinks that since she has been scolded so many times for being in Main Street that she was headed home but afraid to cross the last road.

Yeah, all's well that ends well.

Lost a Dog

Just not what you want to realize just as you are putting the dogs to bed and it is getting to be full dark.

She is just the littlest thing and cute as a button sitting in her dog bed. At dinner, I had just been thinking that I needed to get a picture of her sitting there.

I am just in shock and so upset. As you can imagine, the owners are even more upset. The lady that owners her drove home last night to look for her. Her daughter, who was also out of town, drove back from Wendover to start the search and her actual plans were to head out to Elko today.


After talking to the owner, I got her home address and I tried there for the dog, no luck.
That was about 10pm and at 1:20am, they called and asked me to check their daughter's house as well. Yup, that was me wandering around 4th Avenue in my PJs.

I have contacted Price Dispatch and they let the Helper Police know. I have been trying to call the radio stations, but it is Saturday, crazy early, and there just aren't any real people there.

I don't know what else to try.

If you see a dog so small it could be a kitten...Sugar is a teacup poodle, all black, only 5 months old, won't come if called, no more than 8 inches tall and about 2-3 pounds. Call me, she is missed.

Two Tobits!

I have had 2 Buddies, at the same time. And two Roxies, both Boxers at the same time. And more than one Harley, but two Tobits, that was really unexpected.

The kids liked the grandparent's dog's name so much they used it on their dog.

I understand it is from the Bible.

Just Not Goofy's MO

Goofy might 'love' me, but he usually isn't that big on dogs. He doesn't play with the other dogs, he doesn't really react to them either. He usual interaction is to latch onto a small dog and follow it around endlessly while barking at it.

Yes, Goofy does often cross that fine line between 'love' and 'stalking'.

For the most part, the little dogs just completely ignore Goofy. They do end up with a Goofy spit covered back but otherwise not put out by Goofy's attention.

For the first time, Goofy has attached himself to a big dog, Shilo. Goofy has never picked on someone his own size before.


And is he ever attached. I have also never seen him so focused. So focused that I was able to comb out all of his underfur off his rear end without him even noticing me.

Maybe just too big.

I noticed the other day that Cai has scraped up his back. He must be doing it as he goes in and out his dog door. I tried sanding off some rough spots, but in the end, I just covered the plastic trim with duct tape. I wish I had thought of it sooner.

Really, I thought I bought the perfect doors for the kennel. Then, again, I also thought my dogs were big dogs. I have had to rethink my definitions of both 'big' and 'little' as applied to dogs.

If I ever get to build a new kennel, the doors will be higher and lower. I have a couple of logs that I put under the doors to make ramps for the little bits, so I think closer to the ground is important. And I have more than one of the extra large variety of dogs, so taller is essential.

Everyone is having fun, including me!

Since the girls that were not getting along went home, things have been running pretty smoothly. I have the big guys on one side of the play yard and the little bits on my side.

Maki hasn't completely gotten over being the "little" dog in the pile when playing with Cai, but Diesel is completely unfazed by the size difference. He is just happy whenever a dog will keep playing with him.

I tried and tried to get the money shot of them leaping up at each other, but no luck.

I even got Pug to come out and play with Tiger. Pug had been acting like she was old and pitiful for the first 3 days. Now, I think she was just being wise and staying away from all the craziness over the weekend. She is practically a puppy again, playing with Tiger. Missed the pictures, of course.

Silent Night?!!

Tuesday night was like everyother night before it. I close all the dog doors and then I give a bedtime biscuit to each of the dogs, either one of mine or one their parents sent.

Then I say "Good Night!" to each of them by name.

And when I am about to leave and turn off the lights, I say, "Night, Night doggies! Be good doggies and don't bark, I will see you in the morning!" Then I step out and close the door.

Been saying the same thing for just shy of 7 years now.

When I stepped out that door on Tuesday, I was met with something that hasn't been heard around the kennel in weeks - SILENCE.

It was really lovely.

I know it won't last, there is a Beagle in there, but it was both nice and surprising.