No Fighting On Mom

I established this very important rule when my dogs were just puppies. They can sit and play in my lap, but 'No Fighting On Mom' or you both get unceremoniously dumped onto the floor.

My dogs got this rule pretty quickly and I no longer had to invoke it. They also grew into a 60 and an 80 pound Labrador, so playing in my lap went away pretty quickly anyway.

I resurrected this rule after my second child was born. I was happy to have them pile on me for a book or two, but 'No Fighting On Mom' or you both get unceremoniously dumped onto the floor.

My kids also got this rule pretty quickly and like my puppies, they, too have out ground my lap and the chair as well.

This weekend, I had to pull out that dusty, unused rule again for Smokey Bill and Jack.



Yup, those are my knees and feet.

And the Puppy Teamed Up with Smokey Bill!

For chasing...
And Wrestling!



I taught biting Shane on his tail, but I couldn't get a photo of that.

But it All Worked Out for Scotty

When he teamed up with Shane for a nonstop wrestling match.

We really had a Big and Boucey Weekend

Even with a couple of dogs that were kinda small.

I had Shane, a large and very boucey yellow lab. I had Jack, a small and boucey and nippy yellow lab puppy, that will some day grow up to be Shane.

Then there is Smokey Bill, a small and fast terrier. he turned out to be a prefect match for Jack.

And on Saturday, I got Scotty. Scotty lives in St. George, but his grandma lives here in Helper. Whenever Grandma get to go gambling, I get to watch Scotty. Scotty might have aged out of the puppy title, he certainly hasn't altered his behavior. Once again, a perfect match for Shane.

Now, I still have Max, but he is finally getting a break from Shane. So Max is having a good weekend, too.

And this is the match-up I thought would actually happen, Scotty and Jack. These two only got together for a 'meet & greet' and haven't played together at all.

It is Tough being the Newest of the New

Scotty was causing a dog pile-up wherever he went.

And this is Pepper Ann's Bigger and Bouncier Brother

Shane, Shane Thayn to be exact. His mother always wanted to name a kid, Shane. (My dad would be thrilled that is his favorite movie.) But after marrying a Thayn, she decided that she couldn't really stick a kid with that particular name. Using it for the dog seems like a good decision to me, they so rarely go by both their first and last names.

Unless they are getting into trouble around here, then I tend to break out the sternest 'mom' voice I can pull off and call them by their first and last names. If they are really in trouble, I make up a middle name for them.

Not the Day to be Unable to Find the Camera Charger

I got another puppy! And I got Smokey Bill who is just plain fun to watch. But I also have a house in chaos. We start the remodel of the downstairs on Monday and everything that was downstairs is now stuffed in the sunroom. I thought the charger was in the kitchen, my husband says it was on the computer desk. That means that it is most likely in one of the computer desks filing cabinet and I might be able to get it back.

Wish me luck on this expedition into the wilds of my house in storage.

I'd better bring a machete.

This is How I Normally get to see Pepper Ann

But when she first arrived on Thursday, she was a whole different dog. POD-Pepper! (on please, tell me that you have seen 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers')

She was out of her box, and even let me pet her. She came out to play with the other dogs. In the four years that she has been coming here I don't think she even was out in the play yard before.

I saw more of her in that first half hour than I did in all of her stays throughout the years added together. She really was a whole new dog. It didn't last, though. She is back to hiding whenever I am around and there is no chance of her coming out to play again.

Disappointing, but at least I know she hasn't been 'replaced'.

Max is a Love Bug

Meaning that he loves to be loved and is willing to bug you to get love and more love.

Max is capable of being scratched until my arm falls off at the shoulder and then will bug for more until the other one falls off. It hasn't gotten that far, so far, as I am pretty worn out after about 15 minutes of vigorous scratching.

Max will even roll over for a tummy scratch in the presence of other dogs. That shows a high level of confidence or a higher level of need for tummy love than worry about acting submissive in a group setting.

These Dog Names are Going to Drive Me to Drink

I had a dog named 'Midori' stay with me this weekend. I had to laugh when the owners told be they have another dog at home named 'Whiskey'. Looks like they stuck with the theme, only needing something a little sweet for their new black lab puppy.

I told them I know a dog named 'Boozer'. Now we just need to get 'Bourbon' and the ranch will be well stocked. maybe we should get a Bud in for the beer lovers.


That reminds me, I used to threaten to get a set of three Labradors - black, chocolate and yellow - and named them 'Guinness', 'Harper' and 'Bud'.

The Big and Little of the Pinscher Family

What luck to have Bourbon and Tinker here at that same time. They really are the same dog in radically different sizes. They both run and play the same way. It has been fun to watch them, and once again I took so many pictures - it just is hard to stop.

This One is for Eunice's Mom

I think I have won Eunice back over. She has been giving me the cold shoulder for the past few stays, but today I got to get some love in.

Tinker and Eunice

When Eunice first approached Tinker to 'meet' her, Eunice practically lifted her off the ground stuffing her nose under Tinker's leg. Tinker was very well mannered and put up with Eunice's pushy style.

Buddy, Buddy, Buddy....

I think I may have won over Buddy. Finally. For his first stay, he refused to come out of the kennel at all. This time he came out for the first play time, but then refused to come out for the rest of the day. Today he has joined the group each time. I am very proud of him, though I think that Tinker is terrorizing him.

PUPPY ALERT!

We got another one! Tinker is about 4 months old and is beyond words. She is just zipping around the play yard and trying to jump at all the dogs. This one has no fear.

Courtnee, I love the name but they should have named you Garbo

Courtnee 'vants to be alone'.

She doesn't want dogs to come near her, run near her, play near her and she certainly doesn't want them close enough to smell her or for her to smell them.

I have a solution for this, give Courtnee her own section of the play yard.

My idea was greeted with some very strenuous complaining, whimpering, whining and endless barking from Courtnee.

Oh, I see, you 'vant to be alone' in a crowd.

She actually pulled it off. She growled and glared and snapped at all the other dogs until even Shiloh (all enthusiasm and no steering) got the message and left her alone.

My 'Be a Dog, You Will Be Happier as a DOG, Smell the Butt' speech was lost on Courtnee.

More Tennis Ball Obsession

Sadie also suffers from Tennis Ball Obsession. She was playing with the other dogs until she found a tennis ball. She brings the ball to me and then drops it. Unfortunately, she also re-catches her ball more often than she lets me kick it. This makes for a very slow and frustrating game of fetch for me. I have to be extra careful because often I have to hold off kicking the ball because she have swooped in an grab it again.

I kick the ball for her, one, because it is disgusting and two, because I can never bend over fast enough to get a ball.

Well, I managed to kick her in the nose yesterday. She seems completely fine and was right back at drop and re-catch, drop and re-catch, drop and finally let me kick it. I however have a bruise on top of my right foot.

And This is How You Put a Kennel Back Together

This is one of the two walls that Nike beat a hasty retreat through.

It has to be the coldest afternoon we have had, but there is my husband diligently putting my kennels back together.

When Nike broke out, she didn't damage the fencing she broke these clips. She really did a number on them.

Well, we are back together and ready for the full house of dogs that will be arriving today.

Terry and Toby are Having a Great Time Together

I just wish it didn't look like they were eating each other.

Dog and Kids are not the Only Wild Life Around Here

Yesterday, I spotted 18 deer as they jumped my fence and headed up the canyon. I have never seen more than 14 together and most of the time it is a group of about 8.

I only wish I had looked up a few minutes earlier, I would have gotten a much better view of them when they were having breakfast on my back bench. I will definitely have my eyes open this morning.