Not a Paid Endorsement

I guess we all have to say stuff like that these days.

I didn't buy these things and the company didn't send it to me. An owner sent them along with the pills to put inside and the dog to put the whole thing inside.

Over the phone, I was surprised to hear that they were having trouble getting their dog to take his thyroid pills. Funny, they usually just love those little liver flavored thyroid pills. I found out why he was so reluctant to take his pills; these were the regular old, not good tasting, human thyroid pills. They are also so tiny, you would never be able to tell if you got them down or just lost them on the floor.

These pill pockets have been a god send. I am really impressed. I have always used peanut butter on my dogs, but this seems even easier. I will have to check the price, though. Could get expensive if your dog takes them every day. Though I did figure out that you only need to use half of each to get the pill down.

I couldn't get Buddy the dachshund to take his pill at all yesterday and even with all my experience, I couldn't get his mouth open for a stuff it down technique. I decided to borrow one of these pockets and that pill went straight down. I think I am sold. I might just keep some in stock. Definitely beats that empty feeling in your stomach as you are considering prying open a doberman's mouth each morning.

Ha, Ha, Ha - I Solved One Problem and Made Myself a Whole New One

I decided to try again and see if I could come up with a mix of dogs that would play together without any growling.

Tessie, Booker and Rocko on one side. So far so good.
The newbies and the shitzus on my side. Looking good.
Tippy and Tank and Booker, staying in their runs for now. (Much barking out of complaints)


The newbies, Butch, Bella, and Chumbs, seem to be getting used to the place. Bella has stopped giving herself a wedgie and was actually wagging her tail. Buddy, the antisocial dachshund, came out into the play yard for the first time all weekend. I even saw him wag his tail. Rambo and Dorie plus Butch and Bella seem to be a hit. They are having a great time. I get to stop being in Referee mode for the first time in days and get the poop scooped. It really needed to get done.

The play yard is clean, the dogs are having fun, except the guys that haven't had their turn outside yet. Time to switch. Okay, maybe too much fun because I can't get any of the 5 into thier runs. The newbies were easy to put in last night, they were pretty freaked out and ready to go anywhere that had less dogs. Not today. Trying to get 3 dogs, all that don't want to be in, into one run is nothing short of chaos. Especially, when one of them is a lab puppy. (you can't steer puppies)

I finally caught the shitzus and then I got Chumbs in, then grabbed the puppy and Bella just walked in like, "Gee, all you had to do was ask."

I Hate Weekends Like This

I just don't get why the dogs aren't getting along this time. They really should be a good match for each other, but that just doesn't seem to be the case. As of last night, everyone is getting to play only with themselves. Play time is taking twice as long and no one is having any fun - including me.

Tippy can't play with any little dogs, his owner warned me that he will "go after" anything smaller than himself. Good to know, and nice that I didn't have to figure it out on my own.

I was planning on Booker and Tip wearing each other out. They play okay for awhile then suddenly Tippy turns on the aggression and Booker looks worried. I haven't come up with a technique to stop this behavior and I never saw it on The Dog Whisperer. My only choice is separation.

But Ziggy showed up and I figured three in a dog pile should spread the energy out. Nope, Tippy and Booker teamed up on poor Zig. Ziggy gives up and heads for his kennel. We had a bit of peace and fun after that as Lucinda and Booker were whipping around the play yard.

But now the bad behavior has spread. Rocko is tormenting the new guys. Tippy can't be with anyone other than his brother Tank. And Booker has become as aggressive in his play as Tippy, so he is soloing also. Booker and Tessie are barking non stop at each other, so they also have to be separated.

I am actually having to let each dog out alone, like all the other kennels do.


I am starting to dread playtime.

Another Game of BB Fetch

Turns out that Tippy plays fetch very much the same way as BB does. That is that I throw and they keep the ball. It really does limit the time we get to play fetch unless I can find another tennis ball to throw.

Note the paw pinning the ball to the ground.

Not Exactly Living Up to Their Names

This is Rambo. Not really as scary as his name.

This reminded me of White Fang. A few years ago, I had just had a weekend of dogs not getting along and I look at the calendar for the next weekend and there is a White Fang scheduled to come.

Geez, the last thing I need is another bruiser of a dog.

White Fang, turned out to be small, white, and fluffy and clearly a threat to no one.

I also have a teacup poodle named Spike.

Maybe they will grow into their names?

Not Exactly Traveling Light

These guys are much smaller than the size of their combined 'stuff'.

I have to laugh at the owners sometimes, they are worried about how their dogs are "very spoiled." Like they are the only ones. People who are worried about leaving their dogs tend to over do..the toys, the bedding, or the food. On a rare occasion, I get too much of all three.

Rarely, does the over packing last more than a couple of stays. As soon as the humans are more comfortable with the dogs hanging with me - the less stuff, the less fluff, and the less extensive the food supply.

Rambo and Dory, here, take the record for the most toys. Their kennel looks like a Petsmart threw up in it. Much in the same way, my living room looks like Toys-R-US barfed all over it.

Things are getting worse with Smokey

My attempts to save my own hide and caused her to be even more aggressive in demanding my love and attention. She has no taken to chomping down on my arm to get me to stay. Lucky for me it has been cold enough to wear a jean jacket.

I still can't get her to interact with the other dogs. She has Boudins mounting her and she still is only focused on me.

Two more days of this...ugh. She is not having a good time and I am getting quite the assortment of bruises. So ready for this long weekend to be over.

Something is Up...

With Amica and Teenso. Teenso won't go in the kennel unless she is the first one in the kennel. I am having enough problems with dogs going into the wrong kennels. I don't need the hassle of having to get them to load up in order.

Can One Actually Be Loved to Death?

This will be the weekend to test the theory. Smokey, all 100+ pounds of her, loves me. And it has definitely crossed that fine line between love and stalking.

She is all over me, rubbing up against me, jumping on me, covering me with slobber. She shows absolutely no interest in the other dogs, just me. I am trying all my dog whisperer tricks of pushing her with my thighs like another dog would do to move her. I have tried turning my back on her, which is supposed to mean 'I don't want to play' in dog body language. All that got me was a big strafe down my back. Earlier, I was able to hold her off for awhile by carrying around the pooper scooper and the pan.

Tonight, I just gave up and saved myself. I stuck her and the other big dogs on one side of the gate and hung out with the little dogs.

Eeekkk! Snake!

I managed to get scared brainless by the same snake, twice. I mean once is to be expected, but when you know he is there and you are actively looking for him, to be jumping and squealing like a little girl for a second time is just embarrassing. Sorry, didn't have the camera with me for a picture.

I was headed down for the lunch time playtime and was carrying two buckets of hot water. I was about to step onto the concrete step of my kennel when it moved. There was a 5' gopher snake lying in the grass against the concrete. He started moving about as fast I was jumping and squealing. He headed under the peach tree and I opened the door and headed for the safety of the kennel building.

After carefully checking on my way back out the door, I let Tessie out for her playtime. I quickly went around the corner to make sure the snake hadn't headed into the play yard. I couldn't see him, so I figured he was still in the deep grass under the peach tree.

So, playtime is over and I am headed back into the kennel. I need to clean a couple of runs. I now know there is a snake and I am looking for the snake. Not until he moved again did I see him. He was curled up on the concrete right next to the door. More jumping and squealing from me, more fleeing from him. I think he will be finding a new warm spot to sun in.

I do hope he gets back to work on the mouse population. I spotted a mouse in my kitchen this morning. We got the house sealed up good about 5 years ago, so this is the first mouse in ages. This is a bad sign for the mice to be looking for winter homes this early. Long, cold winter ahead of us? I definitely see mouse traps in my future.

The Fires are Giving Us Some Beautiful Sights

We had an orange moon last night, too bad it was just past half full. Should be even better tonight. And this morning, I was treated to a red sun rise. Can't say that I have seen that before.

I have hit the wall.

I can no longer recognize my doggies. I think I know dogs that have never been here or I know I have never seen dogs that I have babysat before.

Somewhere about the 6 year mark, the dogs have all started to run together.

Sad, really, I pride myself on knowing my wards.

Maybe it is just a third kid thing. Like my mom, I can't get my own kid's names right anymore.

Ugh!

Got my facebook link to show up, finally.

Couldn't just paste back in my old version of my blog, the software said it wasn't compiled right.

So, back to old color scheme.

Oh, well, that was ugly

I think I need to check out that "webpage design for dummies" book, again.

I hate that green backgound on the side, but I can't get rid of it at the top. I can't move the picture to the left to save my life, and I have no idea how to get the text where I want it.

Maybe I will just go back to the old version for now.

Wish me luck!

I am going to try to reset my template settings on this blog.


A couple of years after I started, they came up with much easier ways to change how your blog looks; without you having to be a expert in HTML. I was going nuts trying to figure out why I couldn't put a facebook link on my blog. I figured it out. I need to be on the new and easier system.

I have no idea what the page is going to look like after this.

One of My Better Ideas

I don't remember coming up with it, but putting a gate and dividing the play yard was really a great idea.

This week I had 4 little bits and 2 big and wild things. So, big on one side, little on the other. I hung out with the littles.

I could claim that I was just worried about Zig and Ike running over the little guys as they wrestled with complete abandon, but you all know, I was saving myself from a hit and run just as much.

Ike thinks I need to be included in the play. "Really, my feeling are not hurt, I am just fine doing nothing." Ike doesn't like my excuses and doesn't take 'No' for an answer. Zig went home just before dinner last night. Ike with no one to play with was going to be a very bad thing. I lucked out Ike's parent's train was on time. Yeah! for everyone.

So few dogs and no combination that will work, ugh!

The Back to School slowdown has hit the kennel. I even had two morning with no dogs to get to sleep in all the way to 7am. The baby decided to get up at 6:30 on one of them.

This weekend the kennel is half empty, yet it is going to be more work than normal. I can't get these dogs to get along.

Booker just wants to play, but Chance is afraid of him and reacting aggressively. So, that combo is out. Chance's sister Jasmine, the weiner dog, hates everyone and can't be allowed out with anyone but her brother. Poor little Lucy, new to all of this, is completed freaked out and staying in her run, for now. That leaves Scooter and Harley. Scooter is a Westie and not neutered. He thinks he is in charge and all of my attempts to disavow him of this idea have not worked. He might be playing with Booker, but it looks and sounds like a fulblow assault accompanied with a wagging tail. Talk about mixed messages.

So, poor Booker who can play with anybody, actually can't. It will be just him and me and a tennis ball this weekend. I will stick with just family groups for the rest. That means two separate playtimes for each playtime. Very few dogs, less money, and more work...this weekend is just not working for me. At least they are mostly just here for the weekend.

Empty House

This the first time in years that I have come downstairs and not had a dog to let out.

We had to put our other dog down. This one was even harder to do. She was still getting around, but it was obvious that the pain meds weren't really working.

What is making this so much harder is that I have 3 older dogs in the kennel this weekend. They are gimping around and one keeps falling off her legs, just like my dogs. It is breaking my heart.


I was thinking that if wasn't for our new baby, this house would be very empty when school started next month. I haven't been home alone since 1995.

And before you ask...not looking for a dog right now.

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.

A Perfect Storm of Dogs

Really, I can't come up with a worse combination of dogs than the one I have now. If you have any desire to lose your hearing, feel free to stop by, the barking is nothing less than spectacular.

I have Tessie and until yesterday I had Jinx. Neither of these dogs comes with an OFF switch. Jinx barks all the time and when Tessie is not barking, she is jumping straight up and down. Which of course, just makes all the other dogs bark.

Tessie's barking has been a problem from day one. The only time she stops barking at the dogs that are playing is when I throw a toy for her. She doesn't bring them back so I try to load up and keep throwing them. Her constant barking at dogs that are wrestling is like a circle of people yelling, "Fight! Fight!", it just isn't going to lead to anything good.

But Tessie comes here all the time and frankly me and most of the dogs are just plain used to her.

Well this weekend, between Tessie's leaping and Jinx's yipping was Keisha, barking right along with them. Then the Glitter Twins showed up, Jasmine and Jake. Two yellow labs that no one wants to play with because just one of them is too much playing. Tessie's constant motion has the puppies in a frenzy and Keisha is revving up right along with them.

If you watch the Dog Whisperer, he always talks about the 'energy' level of the dogs. Let's just say that this much barking and jumping, the energy level in the kennel is at 11. And high energy in dogs is, frankly, unstable. So I have a full kennel of fur covered nitro...one wrong touch and this place is going to blow.

When I first let the dogs out into the play yard, the energy is at its highest and worst. Sometimes they shoot out of their gate like madmen. Diesel had a problem with this. He has calmed down since, but at first I would let him out, lock him on the far side of the play yard and let him run it off for 5 or 10 minutes before letting him in with the other dogs. If I just let him out into a crowd he would being playing but at such an intensity that to the other dogs, it would be an attack.

So, the trick to defusing this situation is first, who can play with who, and second, in what order can you let them out.

I have all these nutty dogs and some of them are of the extra large variety. I have to say that I am mostly focused on Cai, the Irish Wolfhound and on Maki, the Mastidor (Mastif-Labrador). Maki is clearly not used to being the SMALL dog in the pile. Maki was really getting picked on fir a while. Keisha on one side, Cai on the other, when Jinx darts in a bites her on the ankle. Now, Maki doesn't even see Jinx, who is the size of a pound of butter. He thinks Keisha did it and growls at her. "Break it up, break it up, everyone back in their own rooms". First things first, Jinx is not coming out anymore.

I was thinking that the puppies, who are a perfect match for Maki might also do well with Cai. Everything just might work out. Nope.

Let out Cai, let Bella out but not Jinx, let out Keisha, get the tennis racket to defend myself, let out the puppies and Maki, let out Tessie last as she HAS to go in everyone kennel if she is let out sooner.

I am so worried about the big and bouncy, that I total missed the girls working themselves into a tizzy. Of all the dogs, it was Keisha and Tessie that went at it. Looked bad, sounded worse, no marks on either of them.

Okay lets try again.

Let out Cai, let Bella out but not Jinx, get the tennis racket to defend myself, let out Jake and leave Jasmine in the kennel obsessing over Tessie, let out Maki and try to keep her off me, let out Tessie last. Stuff them all on the other side while trying to keep Jake and Maki off me.

Latch the divider gate for the play yard and let out Keisha and Jasmine.

Spend playtime throwing balls to get Tessie to stop barking and fencing with a tennis racket to defend my personal space from Keisha and Jasmine.

I just keep asking myself...so, when are they all going home?

Eeekkk! Bees!

Really big and fuzzy and just plane weird because they are so darn big, bees.

They seem to love the Locust tree I planted last year. When I bought this half dead, barely a stick of tree, on sale last year, I had NO idea what I was getting. First, it has grown like crazy. The trunk is already more than 2 inches across. Second, who knew about the wild purple flowers? Last year, I got them in the spring and again in the fall. I am getting my shady play yard back, finally. After losing that huge peach tree, we were all baking in the sun out there.

Both the BIGGEST and the LITTLEST!

Cai and Jinx, marvel at the shear range of dogdom.

This weeks visitors

Littlest to Biggest

Jinx



Jinx's BIG sister, Bella



Tessie, who never lets me get a picture of her.



Ellie-Belly, she no longer requires a belly rub to get back into her kennel.



BB, doesn't she look mean in this picture.



Shadow, who just might be afraid of his own shadow.



Cai, short for Mordecai, short for nothing else. He is the biggest dog, ever, at The Ranch!

Action Figures!

LIVE ACTION!

Cast of Characters

Buddy



Emma



Roxie



Teesha



Dexter

I missed the photo and the joke.

Maybe I am only firing on a couple of my pistons because it took me until the dogs had been here for more than a day to get the pun of their names. Arrow and Bo. I wrote it on the calendar and didn't notice it. Arrow and Bo. I wrote it on their paperwork. Arrow and Bo. I called them by the names. I finally reversed it as I was trying to get them to go in for dinner, Bo! Arrow!

Bow and Arrow, too funny. Funnier since I was so oblivious. I love a good pun, I adore funny dog names, I love to laugh at how stupid I can be some days!

Arrow got her name from the picture arrowhead marking on her forehead. I missed the photo for all of you. Maybe next time they come.

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.

Harley, Harley, Harley...

There seems to be an excess of Harley's this month. I had 2 this past weekend and will have another one this coming weekend. Buddy is a really popular name, Coco is another. Sadie and Maggie for the girls, but Harley seems to be the most popular dog name of all.

Whenever, I finally finish typing in all of my client info into the new database, I will have an actually name count for you. I hit 429 dogs and over 300 owners, at the time the computer died. I have to get back into typing in 20 dogs a day and finish the last foot or so of papers on my office floor. Oh, yeah and then pickup this year's papers out of the kennel.

Oh, yeah, this has been really encouraging....

Not a Conversation I Want to Have

This Sunday, I am going to get to tell an owner that their dogs are welcome here. This is not something I enjoy saying, but I cannot tolerate any aggressive dogs.

I know I will tell the owners and I know the dogs won't be back because I control those things. This isn't maximum security and I can't put other people's kids at risk.

I have been separating these two dogs from the other dogs. They get a whole play area to themselves. They play pretty rough with each other, but at least they are getting some exercise and aren't spending the entire playtime fence fighting the other dogs at the gate. They have been doing that with their neighbors in the kennel. I put dogs next to them that won't take the bait and fight back.

Until yesterday, this was going to be a pretty simple conversation. I would just ask the owners not to bring them again. Now, I have to tell them that I truly believe that one of the dogs will eventually injure if not kill their other dog. This is where I lose control of the conversation. This is when owners become deaf and can't hear me. No one wants to hear criticism of their kids, and I think it is worse to hear bad stuff about your dogs. When an owner does listen to my advice and sees the problem, I stop worrying. I am hoping that these owners are realists.

What happen yesterday? I was putting the big group of dogs away first.

See, I could never get the big group of dogs that all get along to go to the far side of the play yard. Someone would always stay behind and I would have to put them back in their kennel to let the two aggressive dogs out. This meant that one dog got too short of a play time AND had to put up with the two idiots fence fighting at his kennel. So, I switched it around. Two trouble makers get the big play area and 9 dogs share the small side.

So, small side dogs go in first. As I was trying to sort that group out, I heard the other two growling. They play very rough and growl quite a bit when playing so I wasn't actually alarmed. Then I hear a more distinctive growl and out of the corner of my eye I see the puppy shaking something in her mouth. It is gray and fluffy and I freaked. I really thought that one of the smaller dogs had somehow squashed through the gate and gotten in with this monster. Not that we have anything small and gray at this time. It was a large, ratty, knotted rope that I hate because BB gets it and hits me with it. My heart was beating so fast. Not the aerobic exercise I want to get, but it did make me much more attentive to these two playing.

The younger and smaller one is very aggressive over toys. The tugs of war are play on oneside of the toys and just plain war on the other. I also noticed that the puppy is food aggressive to the older and bigger dog. The puppy is a smaller breed and will never be as big as she sister, but the size of her aggression doesn't have those limits.

Not looking forward to it, but it is a conversation that must be had.

Last Day for My Poodles!

Well, they are not really MY poodles, but they are here quite a bit and for long stays. Now that they are going back home to their REAL owner, I am not going to get to see them.

See, Grandpa and Grandma have been babysitting the grand dogs during a divorce. They head back to Dad this weekend.

No more ricocheting around the kennel, two fluffy projectiles, as I try to make it to the dog door and remove it. No more Fetch with Max. He brings the ball back and lets me take it out of his mouth each time. You do have to throw to where Max decides to run to, or he can't find the ball, but that is a small price to pay for a dog that does all the work in a game of Fetch.

I wish I had the camera last night. They were both staring at me with dog biscuits hanging half way out of their mouths. It would have been a lovely portrait.

At least, I get to keep BB.

Bad Case of Blog Neglect

I really have been just awful with keeping up with this blog. I was hoping to get back into it after I finally finished the taxes. Alas, this is not going to happen.

I finally started working on the database for the Ranch. I have is set up and am spending all of my precious nap time trying to get all the info typed in. In the end, I hope that the regulars won't have to fill out paperwork anymore. I will print it out for them.

The pile of papers stemming back into 2000, was about 4' tall. I have already entered 420 dogs. And that is only 2008, 2007, and 2006. I have this year's and about 2' of old stuff to go through. I am dying to find out what the grand total of dogs is going to be.

On top of that project, I am going to go for a Small Business Administration loan for a new building. I am working on the plans, and notes already. I hope to get them out to some contractors in about a week. Then, I can crank out the financials the bank needs. So no blogging for awhile. But if this works, no having to say "Sorry, we are full" all the time.

If anyone has a contractor they can recommend or names that I should avoid (I know one of those already) let me know.

I Hate Spring!

And no it is not because the temperature just decided to head back into winter.

This happens every Spring and every Spring it catches me off guard. When am I going to remember and be prepared for this! Once again I find myself pacing around the play yard asking the dogs, "Have you all lost your furry little minds!?"

And the answer is YES they have.

It is Spring and the dogs have all had the volume turned up on their aggression. I have dogs threatening to dismember each other that would normally have a grand ole time together. Ugh, I hate Spring. Big or little, male or female - it doesn't matter. There has been more growling and snapping in the past week than in the past 6 months.

I had a policeman tell me there are more dog bites in the Spring than in the rest of the year. I believe him. I am the one that was completely terrorized by a Shitzu this weekend. She was very small and very mad and was not going to let me open her door. I persisted, I just couldn't leave her stuck inside all day. I used the tennis racket technique I got off the Dog Whisper, and kept her at bay while I pulled the door. I had to laugh at myself later. My heart was beating so hard and I was so scared of such a little dog.

Everything is funny as long as you make it back out of the run with everything intact.

Poor Biscuit

She spent a long weekend with me, completely freaked out.

This is her second stay and I have made no progress on winning her over.

Her owner tells me that she hasn't been the same since her sister dog, Allie, died.

She is completely adorable and I would love to love on her, but she won't come near me. She won't even come out anymore.


She does have one of the oddest habits I have never seen before in a dog - storing her blanket in her dishes. Each morning, I would fish her blanket out of her water dish. I couldn't figure out how or why it was in there every day until Monday morning. Just as she finished her breakfast, there was all this noise coming from her kennel. I head over only to watch her finish tucking her bright green blanket nicely and completely into her food dish. It stayed there until she got picked up that evening.

I guess I should have stopped messing with her interior design efforts.

Driving me to Drink?

We had Whiskey and Midori here for the weekend, but Tequila canceled out.

I also have a Bourbon, a Kahlua, and now two Boozers.

I, too, almost went this route. Years ago I said that if I ever had 3 Labradors, a black, a brown and a yellow, I would name them Guinness, Harper, and Bud.

Happy to Come! Happy to Go! That is what we like to see at the Ranch!

I love that dogs run down to the kennel, dragging their owners the whole long way.

I love to see how excited they are to see their owner's again, no matter how short the stay was.

Today, I am just going to be so happy to see them all go home. Just as happy as I was to see them all arrive. They have been a fun and happy group, a bit barky, but that is just to be expected. It is just that the level of physical abuse heaped on me has passed 'beyond the call of duty' and into the realm of 'cruel and unusual punishment'. Ugh.

I explained about Maki and her fist of steel. I can't keep this dog off me to save my own life. Not for lack of trying, mind you. I can't get out of petting her. So I try to keep her paws off me as best I can. Unfortunately, she leans into me when I pet her. Maki has a unique ability to shove my kneecaps off the front of my legs. Ouch.

Then there is Blue. He tries to sneak in a petting or two when I am working on Maki. Blue is a bit mouthy - he tends to put his teeth on my hands. That is a no-no in my book. So he has been getting the Dog Whisperer - tisshhh and a touch. This is actually working on him.

Midori, Midori, Midori...speed and stealth are her weapons. She can nail me with a flying leap of love and be gone before I have ever even see her. What is really unfortunate is that she has an uncanny knack for landing her leap directly on my bruise. Double Ouch!

Diesel usually only hits me on his way out of his kennel. I try to let other dogs out first so he will focus his "shot out of the gate" energy on someone who can take it. It doesn't always work.

The others, Whiskey and Sadie, have not come in direct contact with me all weekend.

Knock Down, Killed and Eaten!

I make jokes about that all the time. Knock Down, Killed and Eaten! is going to be my obituary. All in fun, until Sunday when I actual thought it was going to happen.

Dogs bite. That is just a fact. They bite other dogs, they bite people. They bite for good reasons, bad reasons, and sometimes no reason at all.

I have been bitten 5 times in 6+ years.
A Rottweiler on the thumb
Something small and fuzzy that I can't remember on the back of my hand.
A Teacup Poodle on my lip, ouch.
A Pomeranian through a work glove and my finger nail, bigger ouch.
And now a Boxer on my forearm.

Statistically speaking, verses the shear number of dogs that stay here, not too bad.

The first and the fourth, I got breaking up a dog fight. Not really unexpected.

The second and third were out of the blue, stroke of lightning kind of bites. The dog is frightened, lunges out. They are fast and over just as fast. The dog was afraid, he made me stop and now it is over. These kinds of bites can come from any dog, no matter how well behaved. Freak a dog out, and he will chomp on you once and be done with it. Most of the time, the chomp is just a snap - no contact. Often, it will be more of a warning shot over the bow. Most dogs will lunge and snap to miss just to warn you off.

The fifth was a dog declaring his territory with the intent to really hurt me. We had trouble with this dog from the moment he arrived on Friday. He and his daughter were just fine when Mom and Dad were still here, but shortly after when my dog sitter went to let them out, he lunged at her hand on the gate. She called me and I told her, 'If you don't feel comfortable, don't let them out."

Maybe I should have taken my own advice.

When I got home on Saturday, I let all the other dogs out for dinnertime play. When I went in, I made a point of feeding these two dogs last. That basically lowers their status in the pack. I found them to be both very submissive when I went in to feed them. And even quite lovey. They were all over my hands, licking my gloves. I thought that their 'time-out' had mellowed them.

So, I went back out and let just those two have some playtime. The female came out, no problem. She came up to me for some petting and went on to explore the play yard. The male would not come out of his run. This is a first for me. He stood in his outside run with the gate wide open and was barking at me, defending his territory. I have never seen any dog be that defensive about the kennel space. Most dogs don't even care if other dogs go into their runs.

I just let him alone. I did my usual with a skittish dog, no eye contact, no direct movement toward them. He did eventually come out, but would always run back in. I was thinking that made them easy to put away. And that night they were.

Sunday breakfast, he is pretty much over the territorial stand in the run and is out with his daughter. He eventually goes back in on his own, but I can't get the female to go in. I am not really up for grabbing a shoving this female in. So, I am trying to get her to approach the kennel by petting the male. This works after awhile and they are both back in. No sign of aggression this time, at all. Just defiance of going in, but that is a pretty typical response to the end of playtime. I was actually thinking that she might be afraid of the male and that is what is holding up her going in.

Sunday lunch, I take my camera down to get a picture of this dog barking out an open gate, but he never does it. Everything is fine until I try to put them away. He is already in and the female is running around anywhere but in. I try to tempt her over with loving on the male, again. This is going well until he gives out one of his 'This is MINE' barks. I pull my hands away before I even finish the thought process. Good thing, he was going for me, big time. He wasn't going for a warning shot over the bow either, he was aiming to maim.

I was backing away and realizing that I had to control him or he would get me, all at the same time. I grabbed for his collar, and landed the grab. Thank, God! I started dragging him back to his run and as I shoved him in, he turned and bit down on my left arm. I just kept shutting the gate and he had to let go as it closed.

My husband heard the commotion and ran down to help me out. We got the female into a different kennel and called it good. We put everyone else away, fed the puppies their lunch, and I called the owners to ask them if someone could pick up their dogs. They said they would come home and get them. I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear that. Most people can't come home early and I would have been stuck with a dog I couldn't let out or dare to even feed or water.

All of this happened before I would even look at my arm. I find that the adrenaline can carry you pretty far, until you see the blood. Don't look, that's my advice, if you need to get something done before you freak out. Turns out that my arm only has a very nasty bruise. I feel that I should write a letter thanking the Lands End company for my winter coat. It saved my arm. Had this been summer, that dog would have taken the meat off the bone.

Once again, never a dull moment at the Ranch

Maki, Maki, Maki

If loving you was just much less painful.

Maki is my one and only Mastidore - half Mastiff, half Lab.

So she is big, her paws are huge.
She is playful, that is the lab.
She is determined and a bit pushy, that is the Mastiff.
And she is the most confident and secure dog on the planet.

Let me explain.

When not running and wrestling with all the other dogs, Maki wants loving. She will demand it by jumping up on me, or just putting her paw on me. Getting a love tap from Maki is comparable to being hit by a velvet covered brick. I keeping putting her paws down while I launch into 'ear nuggies', 'collar scratchings' and her favorite 'rub the fuzzy butt'. (You can win over any dogs with these three maneuvers.) But this is never enough for Maki, all petting sessions end in her stretched out on the ground awaiting a tummy rub. I am a bit hesitant to drop to the ground with this many big and bouncy dogs just waiting to include me in the wrestling. But not Maki. As I start in, all the other dogs show up. Sniffing and smelling, even stepping over Maki. It takes a very secure dog to stay in the most vulnerable of positions and let other dogs sniff them. Maki is only mad because I can't keep rubbing in the middle of a dog pile.

Feast or Famine?

I had 2 days off from doggies this week. The puppies went home at 9 am on Monday and I didn't get any new dogs until about 9 am on Wednesday. That was two mornings with only baby and kids to deal with and two nights of not having to trek out into the cold just before bedtime. Maybe the recession does have its silver lining?

My business has been way off since December, but I am not usually totally empty. I have had a number of weeks when there is only one dog here for days at a time. That is boring and unprofitable for me, as well as boring for the dogs. So, the downturn is even hurting the canines.

But my empty and briefly, totally clean, kennel is once again stuffed to the rafters.

Everyone showed up yesterday, 4 reservation and 2 emergency drop offs, total of 9 dogs. Mostly all big dogs, mostly all Labrador or bit of Labrador. With so many big and bouncy dogs, the play is pretty intense. I mostly try to stay out of the way, with little luck. I am desperately trying to protect my left arm from impacts with even less luck. (I got bit last weekend, but that is another post)

I will try to get some pictures today.

Getting the Right Dog to Arrive Makes All the Difference

I was having a lousy week.

The dogs aren't playing together well. When everything jives around here, this job is a joy. When the dogs aren't having a good time, I clench up about it.

Diesel has been here awhile now and was honestly getting bored. When Khiya arrived the other day, I thought I had a good play team. Not so much. Khiya acts all excited to play with Diesel, but her enthusiasm fades in under a minute. Diesel is still suffering from his inability to read the body language of other dogs. (I was wondering if it was because he must have been taken away from his litter early.) The growls, the showing of teeth, even snapping doesn't register with him as anything more than, "Let's play MORE!"

Really, he is that oblivious.

So I had my hands full, with keeping these two apart and still try to get them to get some exercise.

Then came Dusty. He is new, small, skittish and is to be no where near either Khiya or Diesel.

Ugh!

And today came Smokey and saved my week. Smokey might be freaked out by people but dogs love him. Diesel just keeps trying to mount him and Smokey just stands there and takes it. Smokey is also big enough that there is no fear of Diesel smooshing him. Diesel was attempting to mount a Boston Terrier over the weekend, but that is another post. When Smokey breaks free of Diesel's affection, then Khiya joins the group for a lap around the play yard. Dusty is being happily ignored by the big dogs and is settling into the Ranch just fine.

And I have big sigh of relief.

Usually it is the Owners that Call

Misha and Murray

Murray is the yellow one and Misha is the brown.

Love the names.
Love the dogs.
Just have no idea what combination of dogs built these two.

Auntie Em! Auntie Em!

Emma is one of my favorite dogs. Have you ever seen such a white Labrador? Isn't she just the cutest thing. I do have a soft spot for the labs. Emma is getting old and a bit on the heavy side, but hey, who isn't? But, she still likes to run and play.

Only problem with Emma is that her owners just don't travel often enough.

Doing What He Likes Best!

This dog, who will remain nameless, is really fond of peeing on everything. As a rule, male dogs have incomprehensibly high opinion of their own urine, but un-neutered male dogs seem to think that everyone else values there stuff nearly as much as they do.

That is why they constantly want to share it with their neighbors.


I have two dogs, both I will not name, that just have to pee on their neighbors. This is why, when I build the new kennel it will have walls between runs.

I Did Get It!

I got some decent footage before the battery gave out! So here is Ziggy leading the parade!

Coco, I Never Would Have Guessed

I have a number of clients named Coco. Inevitably, they are brown dogs. Mostly, they are brown Labradors. Not this one. Not really brown at all. Cute as a button and all, but not really fitting her name.

I had to ask about the name, turns out the owner picked the name before the dog. Well, that does explain it.

I had one other Coco that wasn't brown, now that I think about it. It was a very small poodle. She was old and mostly gray all over. So gray, that it prompted me to ask if she had been named after Coco Chanel.

Who?

I guess not.

Misplaced Guilt

I had two Bailey's this weekend. Bailey the Beagel, who along with his brother Max, spent the weekend wrestling with anyone and everyone. Mostly they played with Ziggy, but they don't limit their pestering to dogs that actually want to play with them, everyone is fair game.

The other Bailey is a Corgi, my first Corgi. She was a cutie-pie that only wanted for me to love on her. So much so that she kinda beat a whole into my upper thigh in the request of said loving.

Now, Bailey and Max get scolded on occasion, as you might imagine. Only problem is that when I yell at Bailey the Beagle, Bailey the Corgi, looks guilty. Bailey the Beagle is completely unfazed by any disappointment I might voice over his behavior.

I was worried about giving Bailey the Corgi a complex so I stuck to yelling at Max whenever he or Bailey got too rough. Max doesn't listen to me either.

And Then There was Hank

So much for just the girls. Hank, the cow dog, showed up Tuesday morning to mess with my quiet week. Hank can sometimes take issue with male dogs that want to wrestle with him. I have to keep a close eye on him. But it turns out that he is happy to let the girls beat the tar out of him.

Dusty, Emma, and Nuray are all taking advantage of a boy dog that they can catch.

What Are We Going to Do Without Ziggy?

Ziggy and Buddy were the only dogs that didn't stay until Monday. I wasn't sure the other dogs knew how to play together as all they had done since Ziggy arrived was to chase him. We spent Sunday re-figuring out how to play together, just as if they had only just arrived. They had their play groups worked out by lunch time, so all was good again.

Max and Bailey got picked up just before dinner and I was shocked by just how quiet the kennel had gotten. We jettisoned the boys and the place was down right tranquil. Tessie headed home just after that and bedtime could only be described as placid.

Missed the Shot, Yet Again!

I remembered the camera, finally. I remembered to bring a camera with dying batteries, finally.

I was hoping to get some video of this great group of dogs doing some amazing dashes around the play yard with Ziggy in the lead. Ziggy has come into his own and clearly has left his skittish days behind him. Behind him this weekend was a group of dogs panting hard to keep up. Bailey and Max were always close behind with Tessie, never in the group, but always running along side barking the whole long way. She is our orange and white referee. Even the old ladies, Dusty and Emma would try a lap or two. The one dog that could never really keep up would be Ziggy's brother, Buddy. Buddy is a Dachshund. He doesn't seem to realize that is legs are only 2 inches long, but the fact is that they are and he will never be able to keep up with the big dogs.

Buddy, like many little brothers before him, only joins the fight after Ziggy stops to take a break. As soon as the running stops, Buddy starts lunging for Ziggy's neck. With a high degree of skill and determination.

Ziggy doesn't seem to mind and it does keep Buddy out of the herd during the stampede where I worry that he might just become a little furry speed bump.

Full House

What a change. Since everyone headed back to school and work, the kennel has been more empty than full. I even got a morning off this week with no dogs at all. We are full and soon to be over flowing this morning.

One of my clients won a trip to the Inaugural and I just couldn't say 'No' to that. I thought Doggie Karma might save me, but no I will have a whole day of dog juggling. I think it will be worth it. I just hope the owners don't freeze in D.C.

The Thaw!

If snow is Mother Nature's way of telling you that you don't have to scoop the poop, beware of the thaw.

We have had more than a week of sunny and bright weather around here, while the rest of the country is busy freezing and shoveling. This means that the play yard is defrosting into a mud pit at an alarming rate. This also means that my yard, my walk down to the kennel, plus the play yard is turning into a mine field. Step lively.

As a expert on scooping poop, I offer my expertise in the area of scooping in the winter. Dog poop is a whole 'nother beast in the cold and snow.

If you just plan to wait until the warm weather, more power to you. This is not an option for me. A single weekend with big dogs and I would have to wear hip waders down to the kennel.

WINTER POOP REMOVAL 101

Fresh Poop in Snow

• Scoop it while it is still warm, but try to get the least amount of snow with it.
• Extra snow in the garbage bag will make it impossibly heavy.

Not So Fresh in Snow

• Don't even attempt to remove partially frozen poop.
  
• You will only be able to remove the non-frozen top portion.
  
• Leaving you to later find all these chunks of poop shrapnel all over the place.

Frozen Solid

• This requires chipping the now rock hard poop out of the snow.
• Hit the snow behind the poop, never the poop as it will destroy your scooper.
• Or dig under and just flip it out of the snow whole.

Waiting for the Thaw

• This is the best option, but it requires some patience.
• DO NOT attempt to remove any poop until the ground it is sitting on has dried out
• It make look like poop, when in fact it is a gelatinous mass with the consistency of pudding that has no structural integrity.
• Wait and get it when it reconstitutes back into a liftable form of poop.

I hope you found this helpful. I like to think that I have gained all these skills for the sake of passing them all.

May you all have clean shoes until the next snow storms.

Doesn't Like to Share the Couch

That is, the dog doesn't. The baby is fine with sharing. I can see why the dog wants her personal space, can you see the fistful of fur the babykins has got hold of?

Fetch is Working but it is Blinding!

I got some new tennis balls out, after the fiasco of losing one into the snow on the roof on only the second toss. Two Ball Fetch, this is fetch for those dogs that don't get the GIVE BACK part of Fetch. You just have to keep the balls moving. For the most part, you can get them to drop the old ball at your feet when they dash to get the newly thrown one. You do get the occasional, take the old one with you. That just makes it a game of Fetch for me as well.

One major draw back, bright, clean, new yellow tennis balls are blinding on new, fresh, clean snow.

Love Bug!

What I lack in being a playmate, I make up for in doggie loving. Khiya has forgiven me, my inability to run and play by trying to love me to death.

I usually love to love on my doggies, but with Khiya, love involves full body contact. She has squirmed and wiggled and rubbed me down thoroughly. It includes a number of passes between my knees as well. And yes, it would be obscene if she weren't just so darn cute.


This leads me to a new problem. I had already been losing the battle against black dog fur in the living room before I imported a white dog fur battalion from the play yard. I will certainly have to surrender to the enemy if the Dyson ever dies.

And Then There was One

That is it. I have one dog in the kennel for the whole week. It is really a shame, Khiya is a big player and I just am not.

We have been trying fetch, but it isn't working very well. I launched the only tennis ball I found into the snow on the roof of the kennel. Then I chipped a rope toy out of the snow only to discover that Khiya likes to run and fetch, but not big on the give back again. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

This Dog Loves Her Snow

Ouch!

In an attempt to get a great picture of Dago and Chico running, I called them to me from the top corner of the kennel.


This nice picture cost me a poodle ramming speed blow to the right thigh. Ouch! Very photogenic, not big on steering and stopping.

An Excess of Poodles

Almost as hazardous as a "Testosterone Poisoning". I had a great number of dogs over New Year's, eleven all together (if I remember right) and that is usually enough of a handful. But, no, I had to have 6 poodles in that mix - 3 standard and 3 teacup.

Teenso, the teacup sized one, seemed to actually be aware of her diminutive size, for once, and avioded the free for all with the big dogs. The other two little ones decided to stay in their runs and not run the risk of being stepped on by their big brothers and sisters.

The big ones didn't seem to possess a ounce of self restriant. Not really a poodle characteristic, anyway.

Dago and Amica spent their holiday picking on their cousin dog, Tucio. He had pretty much had it with a double dose of poodle when Chico arrived. A fluffy black match to Dago's fluffy white coat. Three poodles is too much of a good thing and I let Tucio hang out with the little dogs on the back side of the play yard to get a break.

Three poodles is almost too much for the poodles involved. Amica quickly excused herself from the intense play between Chico and Dago. She was let through the gate to hassle Tucio a bit.

It turns out that Chico likes to play with Dago in the same way that Dago likes to play with Tucio. Which is "I win all the time" play. Turns out that Dago doesn't much like to be the mountee.

"You can dish it out, but You can't take it" is a common problem with dogs. Poodles just might have it a bit worse than the average dog.

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.