Sorry That I Forgot the Camera, Again!

First, there was Maggie trying to mount Rocky. Now, having a girl mount a boy is not really that unusual. It is more of a dominance play than anything sexual. But, in this case, we have a 120+ black lab trying to mount and equally over weight pug. I had to say to myself,"Girl, where are you going with that?!"

I knew where Rocky was going with it; happily back in his own run.

Then the boys got into it. Booker had Lucky on him, Shane mounted Lucky, and Muffin decided to join in. A four dog, dog train is really quite rare. Now, if Maggie had only tried to do to Muffin that she had tried to do to Rocky AND I had my camera...I know that $10,000 would be mine.

Big, Dumb, and Happy - My Favorite Breed of Dog

I do I ever have a load of them.

Booker, Smokey, Muffin, Lucky...they have been at it for days. I try not to freeze as I dodge their endless wrestling match. Usually, I know that playtime is winding down when the wrestling and running stop and everyone starts to just wander around on their own. Not this group, there is no stopping or even slowing for them. I am frozen through and risking shattering on impact as I have to get into the middle of the dog pile to get anyone back into a kennel.

Smokey went home and has since been replaced with Maggie and Shane. Maggie is a bit too old to handle the kids and has made that perfectly clear. She even got through to Booker to leave her alone, but Shane is putting on his puppy suit and joining in, big time.

It is both nice and odd to see Muffin playing. He has always been a bit of a loner. I think the thyroid supplements have done him a world of good.

Action Figures!

LIVE ACTION!

Yet Another Cold and Wet Memorial Day Weekend

I am equally shocked and pleasantly surprised when we get nice weather for Memorial Day or Halloween.

But it is still a good day at the Ranch, as Butch finally has someone to play with. Lucky and he are a pretty good match, I only wish that Ziggy hadn't cancelled out. Luck and Butch are getting plenty dirty, wet and worn out, but three in a dog pile is something to watch.

I will stick the camera in my coat and try to get some footage.

Until Lucky showed up this morning, Butch had been trying to play with everyone else. Teesha seems to want to play for about 30 seconds and then she seems to want to take a chunk out of Butch. Butch is unaware of this change in mood. Butch wants to play with Roxie, the boxer, but she seems to have a sore leg. She would have been a good playmate, but she started holding her back leg up just last night. I am trying to determine if it is the leg or the paw, but she is still mobile enough not to let me have a good look. Emma, the white lab, is too old for this stuff and is sticking to playing with Dexter, the cocker spanial. Dexter is avioding both Lucky and Butch as too big and bouncey for him to play with. And little Buddy, the dachshuad, never plays with anyone but his brother Ziggy and they just had a big fight and are spending some time apart. Another talk with the owners over that one, coming up.

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.

Lucky is Not Liking My New Rule

I declared a 'No Paws On Me' rule awhile back. I am still trying to pull a Dog Whisperer. If I want to have peace and harmony in the kennel, I have to be the pack leader.

I have been walking the dog that think they are in charge on a lease to change their minds. That has worked pretty well with most dogs, no real effect on Millie last week. The other thing I decide to do was not tolerate any dominating of me. Thus, the 'No Paws On Me' rule.

This is particularly upsetting to Lucky who likes to be petted while he is up on his hind legs with his fore paws on your chest. I think I was giving him a complex telling him to get down. So yesterday, I called him over, I had him sit and then I ordered him 'Up' and then I gave him a big rub down. He seems to be back to his old self and I am back to having to throw an endless number of slobber covered, mud caked balls.

And I am very happy about that.

I still think this is a good rule, I get to keep my position of authority, my coat is staying a bit cleaner, and I don't have nearly the number of bruises that I usually sport.

I Felt Like Hercules Fighting the Hydra

I think I have my metaphor right. Every time he cut off one of the Hydra's 6 heads another 6 would grow to replace it.

When Bo went home a little early yesterday, I thought, "Great, no more non-stop petting."

I could not have been more wrong. I actually had it pretty good over the weekend having to pet Bo ALL the time and Harley just MOST of the time. Two hands, two dogs works.

After Bo left, Flip and Yanni also went home. So the dinnertime play time, was going to be pleasant and easy - just Lucky, Murphy, and Harley - this should be fun. Oh no, it seems that they were all just waiting their turns. Lucky doesn't want to play ball. (Clearly a sentence I thought I would never write.) He just wants to be loved on. So does Murphy and he is particularly demanding. He pushes against me and shoves the other dogs away. But I am trying to hold my footing and pet both Murphy and Lucky at the same time, when Harley strolls over and want part of the action.

It is not humanly possible to pet three dogs at the same time and make them all happy. So I abdicated and went to scoop poop.

Wish me luck this morning, I am going to need it. That or I have to grow a third arm in the next 5 minutes.

And Then Came Murphy...

Who was actually willing to play with the other dogs.

I thought I had found my solution. With the arrival of a new dog, there is alway lots of meets and greets and the dogs find that endlessly entertaining. After exchanging smells with the new kid, everyone seemed to be able to find something to occupy them.

Yanni was now busy trying to hump Murphy, so Harley was happy being left alone. Flip and Lucky were still happy chasing balls. With Murphy, Izzy now had a new dog to try to get to play with.

That first playtime went better than any other one this weekend.

These Boys Just Can't Get It Together

They are driving me crazy, they cannot figure out how to play together and together they are having a lousy time at the ranch this weekend.













First is Bo, he is old and not socialized. He doesn't want any dog to smell him nor does he want to smell them. He just wants me to pet him nonstop until another dog comes up to me and then he growls at them. This got old two days ago. Today, he decided to try to interact with another dog. he tried to mount Harley - wrong move on the wrong dog, so much for improving his social graces.













Then there is Harley, he is old but usually playful. This time he is only getting the attention of Yanni who is small and annoying. Yanni only wants mount Harley. Of this Harley has only a limited tolerance. The fact that Harley doesn't want this, and that he has sitches across is back so Yanni is actually hurting him, is complete lost on Yanni. Yannis also oblivoius to the fact that a ticked off Harley can eat him in one bite.













Next is Lucky and Flip, they just want to play ball. They are even willing to bring it back to some where in the general vicinity of me. Great, we will play ball, we will pet Bo and Harley between throws and all will be good.














Nope, I forgot about Izzy. He just wants to run and wrestle. To have a decent game of 'run and wrestle', you need two dogs or more. Izzy doesn't have a partner. So he has taken to stealing the ball from Flip and Lucky or to just harass them as they bring the ball back. I don't think he realizes that interfering with Lucky and a tennis ball is a capital offense in Lucky's eyes.

So I have spent my days throwing dust and spit covered balls, keeping Yanni off Harley's back, kept Bo from even trying to get on Harley's back and trying to keep Izzy from losing his mind from lack of quality play time. I am so tired.

Leo now has some competition over the tennis ball!

I was a bit worried that when Sadie arrived I would have fights over the tennis ball. Leo has been showing a bit too much aggression. He has been bullying the other dogs like he does his little sister. I found that as long as he was shagging down tennis balls he would leave the other dogs alone.

I have taken him on a couple of leased walks just to point out to him that he is no higher in the ranks than any other dog and that seemed to have helped.

But, I have Sadie coming and she might be even a bit more obsessed with tennis balls than Leo. She is also faster and better than Leo in retrieval of balls. This could get ugly, but I am relying on the shear number of tennis and racquet balls I have to throw. Leo it turns out can't let a ball go when there is another dog that can and will get it. So I had my solution, Leo gets the first ball and keeps it in his mouth. He still chases after anything thrown but he can't beat Sadie to it and with a ball in his mouth he can't get mad about it either. So we had a great game of fetch every time they were out for the past few days.

My arm is getting sore and my glove is a muddy mess.

We even had Gunda join in and she is giving Sadie a run for her money. Those two really race for the ball but they have no problem with who returns it. That is the sign of a good dog.

I have Lucky arriving on Saturday. And he is more obsessed with tennis balls than Sadie and he might even be faster. This should be a interesting weekend. I'd better patrol the outside of the kennel for all the racquet balls that have gotten away. There should be 9 not 1 of them. I am going to need more ammo.

Everybody loves those little blue raquetballs.

Lucky in particular loves and carries one with him, always.

This is BB waiting to Lucky to release the ball so she can steal it. Amica is just taking advantage of BB's focus on Lucky.

This is what happens if I get my hands of the little blue orb. If Amica gets it, she will drop it and I will attempt to get it before BB or Lucky gets it. If I fail or one of them gets it first, the game slows down considerably.

Now it is Lucky's turn to watch the ball and not have it.

My problem is that this is only ball I can find in the kennel. I will have to walk around the outside of the fence and see if all the other racquetballs have just escaped.

So, this is why I can't find any tennis balls in the play yard

Lucky not only likes to chases balls, he likes to keep them too.

Keep them to himself, I see.

The blue racquetballs may has escaped through the fence, but the tennis balls have all been rounded up and hidden under The Boys' blankets.

Say Hello to The Boys!

This is Teddy, Lucky and Jake. They belong to a lady that I used to work with way back when I was trying to sell real estate. (emphasis on the 'trying' part)

When Teddy was a puppy he used to hang out at our office. He could fit in your cupped hands when he first showed up. Shitzus are really not my favorite breed of dogs, but they are one of the cutest puppies.