Travelin' Man

The best traveling companion EVER.

Hey Bud

Feelin...

To Be This

"Kids are for people who can't have dogs."

~unknown

How do you know for sure?

I think this is where the fairies live.

Feelin...

To Be This

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man's.   ~Mark Twain

Delta Dawn

Writing about my old cat, Maggie, reminded me of another cat that roamed my house while I was married. Ms. Delta Dawn, a she-devil if I ever saw one. She was beautiful...

And a riot...

And sneaky. And blood thirsty. And misogynistic. That's a horrible combination. She was the only thing my ex-husband and I ever argued over in the divorce and we weren't arguing about who got to keep her. I said he should take her because he was bigger and stronger and had a fighting chance. I reminded him that every time he left the house she tried to kill me. I insisted that since he had picked the cat out at the animal shelter years before he was responsible for the hell she brought to our lives.  I may have even blamed her for the divorce and, to this day, I wonder.

Eventually, I won. He took her and my wounds started to heal. I am definitely a dog person.



To Be This

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. 

~Roger Caras

Feelin...

Pssst

"Your feet smell like Cheetoes."

"Take it back!"

To Be This

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own,

having a dog makes you rich."

    ~ Louis Sabin

Feelin...

To Be This

"I can train any dog in 5 minutes. It's training the owner that takes longer."

    ~ Barbara Woodhouse

It. Is. On.

Ready.

Set.

RUMBLE!

Uncle.

To Be This

"I have caught more ills from people sneezing over me

and giving me virus infections than from kissing dogs."

   

 ~ Barbara Woodhouse

 

 

 

Responsibility Bites

I think I have already mentioned Hyperbole and a Half and I am certain I'll mention this amazing storyteller again in the future, but right now, I just can't stop thinking about her This is why I'll never be an adult post. I love it so much I am going to break my rule about not using other people's pictures. This graph is like getting to lick the bowl of cake batter - just a little hint at the deliciousness to come.

Go. Read. Fall in love.

I have been so productive the past couple of days - took dog to park, bathed dogs (a monumental task in itself), cleaned house (not clean-clean but more of like when I take a super fast bath and only clean the important parts), washed all dog blankets (also quite an accomplishment considering there are two dog beds for every room in the house), installed 3 window units (each one louder than the next but I console myself by hugging my small electric bill), washed my car (hoping to bring rain to the fires around us), and gardened.

The only problem is, now I am exhausted and all the stuff I did do wasn't near as important as the stuff I didn't do. I think that's what they call milking a mouse - doing little things to avoid the big things. I have been avoiding like a champ and it sucks because I can't revel too much in my accomplishments because really that was just me stalling. Like I'm doing right now.



Free Smile

The guy who made this video has a pretty cool website.

To Be This

A cat, after being scolded, goes about its business. 

A dog slinks off into a corner
and pretends to be doing a serious self-reappraisal. 

~Robert Brault

The Future

I'm not a big believer in horoscopes, but I have been amazed by how often Astrology Zone gets it right. I always make sure to read my monthly horoscope, but I wait until the end of the month to do so. I don't want what she writes to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I think it's going to happen, I'll act on that, and then it will happen. That's awesome when it comes to the good stuff, but she also includes some bad news. This month has its fair share of both. What stood out for me, why I am writing about it here, is because here, this blog, is my way of letting the universe know my intentions. I want to make changes with the opportunities the universe is giving me.

About the planets for April, she says, "Jupiter is the planet of good fortune, healing, optimism, and even miracles, so you can prevail, but you must show the universe your intent. You cannot sit back and hope the phone will ring with the news you had hoped to hear - in this case, you must be part of the process. Some of the tension that you are feeling regarding your career is because it slowly appears to be changing or evolving, and now, and over the course of many months to come, needs quite a bit of time and attention from you."

I feel like I am starting phase three of my adulthood. Phase one was spent being miserably married and working in crisis intervention. Phase two was being a happily divorced teacher. Phase three is just starting. I have no idea where it will take me, but I feel free enough to just meander along.

I know that dogs will be a big part of my next phase. I think it will have something to do with dog rescues, maybe pit bulls and pit bull advocacy, maybe dog training, and photography, and art, and writing, and maybe some tutoring or teaching part time (that just came to me), and whatever else is along the path.

Toward the end of the horoscope, she says, "This month will be all about your home and making it just as you always wanted it to be. Planets are bonding together to help you accomplish your dream in a way you've rarely seen. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime phase, as slow moving planets like Uranus and Jupiter are now on hand to help - the last time Uranus was in Aries, the place you need him to be to create big change, was 1927-1936, and the last time for Jupiter was in 1999! To get them at the same place at the same time is hard, but now, great news, when it comes to home and family - there is almost nothing you cannot accomplish!"



A Dog's Life

Pepper is brilliant.

To Be This

In order to really enjoy a dog,

one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. 

The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility

of becoming partly a dog. 

~Edward Hoagland

 

I'm the alpha! No, I'm the alpha!

Actually, neither of these kids is the alpha.

Not it.

I am. I learned early on with Pickle that I had to be the boss. That realization sunk in when he took my seat on the couch and then growled when I told him to scoot over. That was the last time he was every allowed up on the couch. I will always be grateful for the Nothing in Life is Free tips for dog training. The Humane Society also has some helpful NILF training ideas.

Very convincing "lay down"

It's almost as simple as it sounds. Nothing good happens to the dogs without them earning it. If they want water, food, rubs, toys, etc. they have to first do a trick. Not only do they learn that you're the boss, but you can't help but expand your trick options.

So dramatic.

I had a dog years ago who learned to sit. Then learned to high five. Then learned to roll over. Then quickly learned that when I said "sit" he would get the treat even faster if he sit-high five-rolled over in one smooth motion. Dogs are geniuses.

 

There is a lot of talk about how we domesticated them, but it seems to me that they ended up with the gravy in this deal. If anyone were to eavesdrop on my morning conversation to (not with) Pickle, they would likely hear me explaining that I am only leaving him so that I can afford to feed and house him. You can't be a dumb species when you manage to ingratiate yourself into billions of homes and hearts where you have food, toys, kisses, fluffy beds and medical care all for the exchange of a little affection.

And the whole thing runs smoother when everyone knows their place. I am the boss lady. One of them has to be the beta and one of them has to be the Greek word for C. And they can't figure out who it's going to be. Or at least, it doesn't appear to me that they have it figured out. I try to see who goes through doors first, but it varies. I try to see who gets in between me and the other one - but they both vie for my attention. I watch to see who sleeps in the best beds. They both take the floor. I have even asked them several times, but they aren't talking.

What's the password?



He's Got Balls

And he lives next door.

 Duke and Pickle

I got a new neighbor yesterday. Just as I was riding the high of P&P's first play, my attention was drawn to a dark shadow falling across the yard. His name is Duke.

Duke and P&P

The young man who moved in said that he found the dog a few days ago. He, the dog, is not neutered and he, the boy, has no plans to make that happen. In fact, he is proudly thinking of getting a female for Duke to play/mate with. Crap.

Everybody hide!

I would not be in this guy's business (except for eventually trying to subtly dissuade him from breeding when there are so many homeless dogs), but Pepper is not fixed. The vet suggested we get her healthy first. The surgery should happen soon, but her heat may happen soon too. I don't know her history but she gave birth a couple of months ago and I am assuming will go into heat again. The fence between Duke and Pepper is over 8ft, one part just chain link but mostly it's privacy fence with chain link on the other side.

You look left.

I'll look right.

Not only do I worry about Pepper, but Pickle has, for the first time ever, growled at another dog. Anytime Pepper would come near the Duke fence, Pickle would bare his teeth and growl at Duke. Duke just danced around so at least there isn't mutual aggression. And Pickle only did it when Pepper came 'round. Not that that's great, but I am grasping at straws to not worry myself to death.

You're the only one for me, Pickle.

Short of locking them in cages all day (can't and won't satisfy my worry by making their lives difficult) I just have to do my utmost best to keep them safe. Ugh. This primal stuff is exhausting. Thank gawd they're so damn cute.

Play Time x 2

Yesterday was the first day that P&P got to run around the yard together, without one of them (Pickle) being on a leash. I only felt brave enough to do it because my E was here. I figured that if there was a problem she would be helpful. I did ask her first though, before I unleashed the lions. Turns out, the lions were pretty lazy.

P&P

Once Pickle was off leash, he just laid down. For most of the time, that's all they did.

Wishing they made sunglasses for dogs.

Smart enough to sit in the shade.

They did play a little, and Pickle did hump a little, but Pepper was good about telling him when enough was enough. It was very successful, but I decided it would still be wise to separate them while I am out of the house. They had other plans.

This is how they look when they mock me.

When I got home this afternoon, I expected to see Pickle coming out of the bedroom, where I am pretty certain he spends most of his days. Then, as I usually do, I would say hello to him before going outside to see Pepper. Pepper saved me the trip.

Hehe

There they were, wiggling like crazy, clearly very excited about their achievements. I was just thankful that everyone looked unharmed and happy. I suppose now I know that they can hang out together without creating mayhem. But I reinforced their fence anyway. I keep telling them that they can't outsmart me. We'll see.