Well, call me Impressed!

Max just out smarted BB out of a tennis ball!

Max has a very bad habit. He eats rocks when he gets bored. I know this from past visits to the ranch. I was a bit worried about this visit. After the first weekend most of the other dogs would be going home. This would leave Max with only his sister, Pepper, and his cousin, BB, to play with. I had to find something to keep Max busy with or it would be back to the rocks. And as bad as eating rocks sounds, it is the pooping rocks that you have to worry about.

Fetch, yeah! Max plays fetch and he even brings the ball back. Max returning the ball means a somewhat risky venture into to removing it from his mouth, but with my winter gloves on, I am willing to go for it. This was working out really well. Much running, much returning, and no rock eating. So far, so good. Some new dogs arrived on Wednesday and they decided to join the game of fetch. Not so good. The new Max also likes fetch and also returns the ball. Only getting the ball back from the new Max doesn't include prying it out of his teeth. He just dropped it at my feet. That was all BB needed to swoop in and steal the ball.

As we all know, fetch is a game of limit iterations with BB. One to be exact, because once she gets the ball, she can't give the ball back.

Well, along with liking tennis balls, BB also likes apples. We happen to have quite the collection of apples on the ground this year and for most of this stay BB has been carrying around apples and not tennis balls. I thought I was only one who noticed this. Turns out Max was aware of BB's new favorite.

When the new Max, I hate when I have more than one dog with the same name, dropped the ball and BB took off with it, Max went a got and apple. He dropped it about 3 feet from BB and then walked away. I immediately thought he was trying to trick BB, but I couldn't believe it. I mean, really, are dogs that sneaky? Max is and it did work. BB zeroed in on that apple, leaving the tennis ball behind. Max whipped over got the ball and brought it back to me.

We were back on for a game of fetch.

Now, I am a bit worried about when they will be able to out smart me.

Space Station!

I just saw the Space Station go by! It was sparkling yellow star that just happen to float across the sky. It started in the West, which is hidden by a magnificent big tree that my neighbors own. I spotted it moving through that tree and then it head over the bluff north of my house. That is where it just faded away. It must be at the wrong angle to reflect sunlight back to me at that point. I was thrilled. I am still such a nerd.

I was at a friend's stuffing myself and not really watching the BYU-U of U game when someone mentioned that the station would be visible. Suddenly, heading home to take the dogs out before dinner was something to look forward too.

I got out early and it is really cold out. I was pacing around in a very dark play yard trying to guess where this thing would show up. Not the best thing to be doing for your shoes, pacing around in a very dark play yard full of really big dogs. Yup, that's me the Human Dog Poop Magnet.

A post a day?

I can't even remember to take my vitamins that often!

This is National Blog Month! Who knew? A friend of mine has challenged me to try for the post a day thing. Okay, doggies get out there and be cute and funny.

No, Really I am Just Fine All By Myself

You don't have to include me in your playtime, my feelings will not be hurt. The rest of me will be hurt if you don't take this wrestling match to somewhere other than between my knees.


The only one missing from these shots is Max. He is a small and white Westie. Picture the mix, one tiny white blur mixed with three large caramel colored dogs. I can't believe I missed that photo.

When Good Dogs Have Bad Names

Cujo! Really, that face belongs to a Cujo?!

"My dog can't fly."

"Honey, no one's dog can fly.", that is what I thought when I started to laugh. (I am truly easy to amuse when running on very little sleep.)

So, she said it again, "My dog can't fly."

Clearly, one of us was not getting the picture because she kept saying it and I kept laughing.

Finally, she laughed and explained that due to Hurricane Ike, her dog would not be flown, via an airplane, into the Salt Lake Airport. He was schedule to stop over in Houston but all the in coming flights had been canceled. Instead of leaving their dog stuck for days in baggage handling, they opted to have him stay a bit longer and arrive next week. So, he will finally land in Salt Lake sometime after they close on their new house and I won't get to babysit him.

Gee, I can't tell you how disappointed I am. I was really looking forward to meeting a dog named Kitty.

Ouch! The Flying Leap of Love Crosses the Line into Corporal Punishment

It was bad enough with Indie and Cole jumping up on me at every opportunity. They are pretty small and I was mostly worried about my shins and calves being destroyed. Then came Kodi and his sister, Hannah. They are the big kids this week and they are all about getting me to join in their fun. Turns out their definition of fun includes starting their nails at my shoulder blades and working their way down.

I was trying to document this horrible doggie sitter abuse by holding the camera over my head. Guess what I learned...it hurts more when it is the shoulder down on the front. What I won't suffer for a good picture.

All of this has me hoping for cold weather so that I can wear my heavy canvas coat and save my own hide. In the mean time I am using my tennis racket as a defensive weapon.

Heading for Higher Ground

Buttons seems to have the right idea. If he can look the big dogs in the eye, maybe he can keep them from chasing him around.

Thank God For The NO SHOW!

Wow, I never said that before. 'No Shows' are usually greeted with much more colorful language. But, this weekend I have an extra set of dogs, so having someone blow me off was a good thing.

I was having a heck of a time with 'No Shows' a couple of years ago. It was just driving me mad. My husband suggested that I start taking credit card numbers, just like hotel do. No one forgets to cancel a hotel reservation anymore. That would work up until someone figured out that I don't have a credit card machine. Instead, I starting making a point of taking phone numbers and to call and confirm everyone's reservations. I try to do this on the Monday of each week for that weekend's guests. Let's not talk about all the times that the calls made on Thursday or not at all.

Yesterday, I was waiting, impatiently, for someone who was supposed to arrive 'Before 10am' as I had to take my baby to a 10am doctor's appointment. I gave up at 9:45 and headed into Price. I was waiting for the call on my cell to tell me they got to my place and I was gone, but that never happened. I got home to no new dogs and they ever did show up yesterday. (This has to be the one reservation in months that got written down without a phone number.)

Gee, I wonder what Thurday, before 10am that they are really going to show up for?

The Super Balls of the Dog World

Big and Bouncy just met with Big and Bouncy. Smokey vs Max.

It is like they are made out of rubber the way they ricochet around the play yard. No, maybe more like Flubber - the more they bounce, the MORE they bounce.

DUCK and COVER! Save yourself! They aren't big on steering.

NEWBIES!

I have a couple of brand new clients this week, Cole and Indie.

Being the new kid is always a little stressful around here. When you are the new dog, everyone wants to meet you, right away, and all at once. No cocktail party ever had the intensity of greeting that the play yard can muster up. That is a lot of butt sniffing for any dog to endure. Cole had it evener harder than usual. First, whenever a dog arrives they are always the new kid to the rest of the group, even if they have been here eleventy billion times. Cole was not only the new kid, this was his first visit to the ranch plus the first time he had ever been boarded, any where. Tough day for the little guy.

What made it worse was that he got stuck as the new kid from Sunday to Tuesday night. Everyone else is here for the long haul and it wasn't until Tuesday after dinner that someone else, Indie, got to take the title of new kid.

Cole very much enjoyed passing the title on and joined in the group in an overly enthusiastic welcome to Indie.

Now that the meet and greet sniffing is over, the newbies have banded together and are having a blast.

Missed Opportunity

I was psyched about having Pepper, Max and Amica here for the holiday weekend. Three standard poodles; one black, two gray. It was going to be a blur of curls.

Amica's mom had to cancel her trip due to the birth of a new great grand baby. Best reason ever to have to cancel a vacation.

I guess it was just as well. I can't find the charger for the digital camera.

It's ALIVE!

I was right the computer was dying. Since, for once, I did backup all of my data, it wasn't the hard drive that failed. It was dust clogging up the fan on the CPU and the copmuter shut down to save itself.

We were on the right track when we opened up the box and started vacuuming. Only when we pulled the big chip off, we bent some pins stuffing it back in. Maybe I have forgotten everything I ever knew when I worked as a computer nerd way back when in Chicago.

There is some good from all of this. One, I got a lot more done around the house without blogs to read and write. Two, we didn't bounce any checks - my checkbook is an excel spread sheet. Three, we found a great computer guy in town. Call me for his name and number when your computer goes belly up.

And Still More Pictures to Sort Through

I have made it as far as April 11th, 2007 and I have gotten the blog folder down to 5.97GB from 6.6.

Well, it is a start.

I was wrong yesterday. I really don't remember as many names as I thought. Nor do I take the same picture of the same dog.

Those noses are not the same. One is Molly, who is currently with me, and the other, I have NO IDEA. I may have to go and read my old blogs.

My Computer Acts Like It Is Going To Die Any Day Now

So I decided to take my own advice and BACKUP my files.

So, I cleaned up My Documents and put all the loose files in the folders they belonged in. Then I did the same for My Pictures. Yikes, I can't back up My Pictures because it is over 10 GB. The backup DVD only holds 4.4 gigabytes.

Man, that is a lot of pictures.

Oh gee! 6.6 GB of those picture are in the 'blog' folder.

Man, that is a lot of DOG pictures.


I believe some editing will be required. And as I start cleaning out 3 years of dog photos, I have learned a few facts. One, I take far too many pictures of dog's butts, dog backs, and dog legs. Two, that I have a preponderance of photos that show only the ground. Three, that I can still recognize and name dogs going back to 2005. Wow. And finally, and something I didn't know. I keep taking the same photo of the same dog - over and over again.

Carry Not Fetch

Frisbee Dog!

I finally got a frisbee dog! I was stoked when I spotted the frisbee in Phanny possessions. Finally, a Frisbee Dog.


Nope.

She is more into Carry, than Catch.

Phanton, Really, That's Your Name?

When I read 'Phantom' on the calendar, I pictured a really big, really black dog. Actually, no, the first thing I pictured was a guy in a skin tight purple suit that lived in a skull shaped cave.

What I got was this tiny little thing. Isn't she just the cutest? I really had a hard time with the name it just didn't fit. Just yesterday, my husband tells me, "By the way, did I tell you that her family calls her Fanny?"

"Well, no you didn't."

And I like that name SO much better. Phanny it is from now on!

I need more photos...I'll try to get them on the next playtime!

I'd Like My Usual Room, Please!

I try to put dogs in the same kennels each time they come. It doesn't always work out, but for the most part dogs have a 'usual room'. I thought that it made them feel more secure that they had a room of their own here. Maybe a bit too secure.

Last time Buddy was here, the first kennel wasn't open for him to have his regular room. So I stuffed him in two doors down without giving it any thought. When I tried to grab his collar and steer him away from kennel number 1 to kennel number 3, he made a pass at taking a chunk out of my hand. I wouldn't have been more surprised if he had stood on his hind legs and did a River Dance. This is the calmest, nicest dog in the world. Okay, so he is serious about his room, but otherwise really nice.

Needless to say, BB got kicked out of kennel number 1 when Buddy showed up yesterday. See, I can be taught.

Lacks Impusle Control

Diesel should come with that as a warning label. He was fine here a couple of weeks ago when he had a equally young, dumb and energetic dog, Terry, to play with. On one hand, they did look like they were killing each other. On the other hand, they did thoroughly wear each other out.

I don't always luck out and get a matched set like that. Diesel came again this week and I had no one for him to wrestle with; little dogs and old dogs.

Not only does Diesel not take 'NO!' for an answer to "Play with me!", he doesn't even realize that the other dogs don't want to play with him. When Pug, the pug, was threatening to take a chunk out of him, Diesel still thought it was great fun.

Well, at least, he has a good time - no matter what.

Over Thinking the Problem

2 am - 1 pm

This is what was written on the dog's medicine bottle. Honest to God, the first time I saw that I thought, "You want me to give this dog a pill at 2 AM! I am so not doing that!"

It took about 15 minutes for me to translate, correctly, that the dog gets two pills in the morning and one at night. Oh, yeah, I can handle that.

Sometimes I just trying to make my life harder than it needs to be.

I Almosted Didn't See You There!

Talk about camouflage, if my dog hadn't gone gray, I never would have spotted her. I guess she is tired of sharing the couch with the new baby and had staked a new claim in the living room.

Notice that is not good enough to just be on the furniture, you have to have a pillow as well.

And you people think your dogs are spoiled!

Keeping an Eye on the Competition

Today's Salt Lake Tribune had a article about a new luxury pet hotel. I am headed up past Point of the Mountain, tomorrow, so maybe I will go and see this pet palace for myself.

They are offering personal TV's, phone booths so you can chat with your dog, supervised playtime, special treats and a vet on site.

I thought about installing a TV down in the kennel, that way I could deduct my cable bill. I don't let you chat with your dog, but I am happy to chat endlessly with you about your dog. I would love a vet on site, but we will all have to settle for my panicked phone calls to Dr. Thayn.

I am dying to see the facilities, but I can tell you that my dogs probably never will. As a rule, I balk at paying more for my dog's lodging than my own. Basic dog care starts at $29 and 'suite' for your dog is $39. They also charge for extra playtime $9, and $3 for an 'ice cream' snack. They also charge $2 for administering pet medicine. Gee, here I am cramming pills down a Doberman's throat for nothing.

Oh NO! Someone Else I Have to Share MY Couch With!

One Good Looking Beagle

Copper is just as loud as Scooter, but he really has the prettiest markings I have ever seen on a Beagle.

I see how his owners got the name, he is really more of a shiny copper than orange or brown. He also is sporting the blackest black and the whitest white markings. Well, he will until he hangs out in my play yard for much longer - that will turn any dog into a dusty shade of beige.

I really like his extra white marking down his neck and back, another 'never seen that before'.

Maybe he isn't all Beagle...his wheel base does seem a bit too long and his legs are spotted. His voice , however, is ALL Beagle.

Remind me to never have two Beagles at the kennel at the same time.

Oh, That Explains It

I have often looked at Kaizon and asked the age old question that plagues the dog world, "What are you made up of?"

His owners cleared up the mystery when they pointed at X, a pug, and said that was half of Kaizon. The other half is Heeler. It seemed so obvious once I looked at X and Kaizon. Kaizon got the fur, the markings and the color of a pug with a pointy nose and pointy ears of a Heeler.

Ike and What's-His-Name?

I haven't completely lost my mind, just my memory. The Lab puppy is Ike. The Great Pyrenees is the one I can't come up with a name for. I will have to dig out the old calendar pages - this is driving me nuts. He is the only Great Pyrenees that we have.

And Ike tried to wear him out. I think he succeeded.

And This is Why You Have to Blog on a Timely Basis

Cute dog pictures dumped onto my computer on June 23. I no longer have any idea what the dogs names are.

Everything Just Seems So Much Easier...

Now that my knees both point in the same direction. (Let's just agree that pregnancy is meant for the young.)


The kennel has returned to it original location. Sometime in March, it started sneaking further and further away from the house. By June, I had a 5 mile hike out to the dogs.

Someone turned the thermostat down. Summer is some how about 20 degrees cooler.

And surprise, I have feet again. The dogs will be so happy. I can't tell you how many toes I stepped on in the past 3 months.

Just Because We Can Never Have A Dull Moment

As most of you have seen, I was hugely pregnant last week when my doctor told me that nothing was progressing. That would be baby doctor speak for "Yes, honey, you are looking at spending July the size of a whale."

I had just come to accept my fate of a couple, three week more of waddling and sweating, when my water broke at 8pm that night.

I was damp but not in pain so I was herding the kids and their bags out to the car when my son announced, "Mom, there is a dog out of the kennel!"

Oh, that can't be one of mine - it has to be one of Helper's Roaming Dogs, right?

Nope, it was Endo. Turns out that Endo can both open a gate latch and climb a 6 foot fence. Talented dog, I must say. Forunately for me, he is an escaper and not a run away-er. He just waited by the gate for me to let him back in. I tucked him in, chained his gate extra-closed and we all headed off to the hospital.

Baby showed up at 1 am that night. Yup, born on the Fourth of July!

We do love our birthday holidays around here.

Yawn-ICA

Yeah, that would be me. I just was picking up my messages and when replaying to catch a phone number I finally registered that I had been addressed as "Yawn-ica".

Yup, that would be me.

Hey, It Wasn't Me that Kicked That Poodle!

I had Teenso up on my lap yesterday afternoon, or what is left of my lap, anyway. She seemed a little put out by the lack of accommodations, but she was making the best of it. That is until the baby kicked, Teenso shot me a dirt looked and jumped down in a huff.

There is some really weird stuff out on the net

I have to admit that I spend far more time reading other people's blogs than working on my own. Especially lately. Having something to occupy my mind while my over-sized and over-tired body takes a break, has led to a number of new blogs for me to read.

This was posted to a blog named 'SnipSnip' and I think it is about the oddest thing I have seen in a long time.

If you would like to visit the rest of the hair-zoo, try here. Mouse over each girl and click for a bigger image.

After All the Rain, Comes All the Running

I Have Never Seen a Black Boxer

Isn't he just the cutest.

Some Dogs Just Know How to Have Fun

Yawning Dogs!

I think Sonny was yawning more than me, and that is really saying something.