Well it is New Year’s Eve.  And like many in the world, we are QUITE happy that 2016 is coming to a close.   Now don’t get me wrong – we ARE grateful for the fact that we have a roof over our heads, clean water to drink (although SOMEONE in this house is just as happy drinking out of puddles), we DO get food in our bowls every day (despite my complaints about portion size) and we have lots of toys to play with.  But it was a challenging year as well – besides the many human celebrities that passed away this year – the biggest grieving in our household came with the loss of my big furry buddy, Paxton.  We still miss him.  All the time….

We also had some terrible health problems this year – with my human’s mother and with me…

But despite the hard parts – there were some wonderful things as well.  The most important being the arrival of Elroy!   It has taken me some time to get used to him – but he is definitely growing on me.  He is wild – but he provides a great deal of comic relief in this house!

I am grateful that people continue to read this crazy blog I write.  I don’t think I missed many (if any) days this year and although there ARE days when I sometimes think that maybe I should take a break…I somehow have managed to write about something.  Let’s face it – we three canines are a never-ending source of material!  While some might think we make up some of our stories – I assure you – our lives are better than a reality TV show.  This stuff is REAL – we couldn’t make it all up!

Tonight my human and her mother will no doubt sit in front of the TV waiting to welcome in the New Year.  If they stay up that long. And we’ll be right there with them – waiting to start a new chapter in our never boring canine lives.  A new year to chase bunnies.  A new year to play fetch.  A new year to train our human.  We have lots of work ahead of us.

Stay safe tonight – but have a glass of bubbly on me!  Cheers!

Today is December 30 – and it’s Rudyard Kipling’s birthday!  Rudyard Kipling was a famous late-Victorian poet and author – who even won a Nobel prize for literature in 1907.  He was born in India, but lived in England and the US as well.  Now when you say the name Rudyard Kipling – many people think of one of his most famous works – The Jungle Book.  That title sounds like it could be  a book about our house.  We can be pretty wild animals.

While Mr. Kipling had countless poems, short stories, children’s books and travel writings, what you may not know is that he also wrote about dogs!  He had a book called Collected Dog Stories – which was a group of stories he wrote about dogs throughout his career.  He even wrote several poems about dogs.  Here is one – but get out your tissues… 

The Power of the Dog

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie–
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find–it’s your own affair–
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.


When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone–wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.


We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long–
So why in–Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

Rudyard Kipling 

I had a hard time finding out what kind of dogs Mr. Kipling was owned by – but I did find one source that mentioned black Aberdeen terriers (Scottish terriers).  When you read his works, you can clearly see that he was a big fan of us canines.

As I started to write this blog, my human went into our “dog library” to see if we had Kipling’s book.  Yup.  Of course, we do.  

And speaking of dog books, my human got a couple of new titles from Santa.  One of which is called How Smart is your Dog? by David Alderton.  Seriously?  A book to tell you what you already know?  Obviously, any dog who has his own blog HAS to be pretty brilliant.  Not to mention the fact that we herding breeds (PONs and Picards) have to be pretty smart to move around those sheep.  Mind you – Frodo and I don’t particularly like sheep.  But we WOULD move them.  If we HAD to.  And with the FG, there is no question those sheep will be moved around.  And around.  And around.  And around….

Perhaps while my human is off (after she has taken us on 12 walks and has played fetch 43 times), she will sit down and read some of those dog books in our library.  Perhaps she should start with some of the obedience titles.  Nah.  I would prefer the one about biscuit recipes.

Have a good one!  And Happy birthday Mr. Kipling.

Well, PONdini does it again.

The other night, my human had invited the “girls” from our road to the house to share in some Christmas sweets.  And some alcohol.  We knew something was up, because she had dusted and vacuumed – and we were effectively moved from room to room as she tackled each part of the house.  She decided that she would move the FG’s pony sized crate into the garage – and then discovered that it is SO big it would require disassembling it to get it through the doorway.  So instead, she opened the deck doors and dragged it out there.  While we all raced around barking.  Which we did in each room she was cleaning.

While we are very friendly dogs, and DO enjoy a party, my human had decided that she was going to remove the unsightly gate from the entrance to the DFZ (the room with the large glass Christmas tree and the dog tree) – which meant we would NOT be in attendance at the soiree.  She fed us our supper, took us for walks – and then announced that we would all be staying in the large chain link dog run that is in the heated garage which is attached to the house.  Now the FG didn’t care – he doesn’t know much about parties, so he didn’t know that we would be missing out on countless opportunities to steal food from the coffee table and the counters.  I knew what we would be missing, and was a a bit put out – but I knew it wasn’t going to be late night as several of the party goers had to go to work the next day.  So I was fine with our temporary accommodations.  HOWEVER – Frodo was NOT happy.  And in case you don’t know this – he does NOT like to be sequestered.  Any where.  Any time. And he WILL find a way out.

My human KNOWS that Frodo is an escape artist (I call him PONdini) so she closed the door to the run, put down the latch and then placed two EXTRA LARGE bins in front of the door.  AND a baby gate.  She stood back and admired her work, all the time Frodo was just watching. She went back in the house to finish her preparations.

My human was putting out the sweets before the guests arrived and she heard a noise in the garage.  She opened the garage door and looked at the run.  The EMPTY run.  SOMEONE had managed to push the latch up, open the door and push the gate and bins just enough to escape.  PONdini.  And two stooges followed right behind.  We were all in the garage – Frodo and I were trying to figure out how to get into the food bin and Elroy was doing a “pre-shredding” of the papers in the recycling bin.  While my human went to get Elroy, Frodo and I made a dash into the house and quickly ran into the DFZ to check out the snacks on the coffee table and to see if we needed to rearrange any of the ornaments on the trees.  My human ran after us and told us to get out of the room – which we did.  But TRY and get Frodo back in that run.  He KNEW she was going to fortify the prison.  She finally got him by the collar and led him back into the run.   This time, she put THREE gates in front of the door – attached by countless bungee cords.  And Frodo watched.  And every time she thought the fortification was secure, she looked at him, eyeing her handiwork and she went for more bungee cords.  Honestly, at this point Frodo KNEW even HE would not be able to get out – unless he climbed the chain link fence, but he knew that by just looking at the fence, he would freak out my human and that was almost as rewarding as actually escaping. 

After the guests left, and the DFZ was secured, we were released from our bondage.  We ran around checking to make sure there were no leftovers on the counters and performed our vacuum routine all around the house.  We are the after-party cleaning squad.  Hey – maybe we could get a job doing that!!!  Now there’s a money making scheme!  We provide functional cleaning and we are oh-so-entertaining!  Gotta start working on my website.

Have a good one!

December 28. And it’s Woodrow Wilson’s birthday.  Who is Woodrow Wilson?  He was the 28th President of the United States and he was in the White House from 1913-1921.  I don’t actually know a LOT about him – but this much I found out – the important thing – like whether or not he had a dog.  Apparently during his early days as POTUS, he had a cat named Puffin and he ALSO had chickens, sheep and a Ram named Old Ike.  At the end of his term, he became owned by a Bull Terrier named Bruce.  He reportedly grew up with a Greyhound, named Mountain Boy, and one source said he also had an Airedale terrier name Davie in his pre-White House days.  So he did like dogs – but didn’t have lots of them.  And no PON.  Or Picard.  There is a quote attributed to Wilson about dogs – and I think it is very true:  “If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.”

I think I can add to his quote..
“because you have clearly not given the dog enough food in his bowl.”
“because you have stopped throwing the toy after only 489 times.”
“because you have not let the wet dog on the bed with you.”
“because you have insisted on grooming him – when he is happy looking messy.”

I won’t make any comments about looking the current President-elect in the face…I’m trying hard to stay on the “nice”list.  Besides.  He doesn’t even HAVE a dog…I’ll just leave it at that…

We are excited because my human’s mother is coming today to stay with us for a few days. She is very generous with bananas.  But we must be on our BEST behavior.  NO jumping.  I won’t say her age – I just know it’s like 86 plus one.  She’s bringing her new iPad.  I’ll make sure to download some dog apps for her.

Have a great Wednesday.  And happy birthday Mr. Wilson!

Today is National Fruitcake Day.  And that’s fitting because in the last 48 hours, we canines have been behaving nuttier than a fruitcake.

It started with the brotherly rumble on Christmas and has continued.  I think it is because Frodo was VERY jealous of the fact that yours truly got to go to the Christmas Eve festivities.  He has been cranky ever since.  He grumbles if anyone walks near him with one of the new antlers; he stole Elroy’s cool new Jolly Ball and he doesn’t even LIKE balls; he disappeared into the woods when we went for our Boxing Day run- barking and growling at something off in the woods – and I came back before HE did; and he was lying under the dining room table and when my human called him, he refused to come (he EVENTUALLY did).  So the “good dog” is being very naughty.

And then Elroy is more wild than ever – if that’s even possible.  He went for HIS Boxing Day run and he was CRAZY.  Racing AT my human. Grabbing the leash and pulling.  Jumping and grabbing her arm – like some kind of schutzhund trained dog.  He DID come to find my human when she hid, once – but went so crazy when he found her that she didn’t do THAT again.

Oh – and remember the indestructible dog bed that we got two years ago?  The raised one – made of steel.  OK – maybe not STEEL – but some kind of metal legs.  The one that even Paxton the destroyer didn’t destroy.  The one with the COMFY, COZY fleece covering, that was attached to the legs with heavy elastic material.  Yeah, well the comfy, cozy fleece covering now has  holes in two corners – so the stuffing is coming out – AND one of the elastic bands has been chewed in two.  Guess who did that?  Jaws is at it again.  No rug or soft material item is safe in this house.  My human said she  is going to try and repair it.  This should be good….

It’s hard to believe – but by comparison to the other two stooges, I have been the best behaved!!!!! I figured I had better end the year on a high note.

My human is off work until the New Year – so we will be sure to help her so she doesn’t get bored.  Have a great day!!!

Happy Boxing Day. The day when humans stand in line to get after-Christmas bargains and they can’t return anything that didn’t work out because it is now on sale and the stores won’t allow returns and when they CAN make a return, the thing they wanted is now gone.  Good times.  Again – another reason I am happy I am a dog.

Mind you – here in Nova Scotia, all the stores are closed.  Yup.  It’s like Christmas plus.  So you have to wait until the day AFTER Boxing Day to stand in line for the Boxing Day sales, etc. etc.  Go figure.  I’ll give it a pass.  Besides, the pet store never puts the GOOD dog toys on sale anyway.

We had a wonderful Christmas.  AND I got to be part of a smuggling operation on Christmas Eve.  I felt like a spy…

On Christmas Eve, my human and her mother and sister were going to church at 4:00.  And then they were going to my human’s mother’s apartment for dinner.  Which is all well and good – EXCEPT, yours truly needs to take his medication at 7AM and 7PM each day.  I haven’t talked about my health in quite a while – and I am happy to report, I have been seizure free for ALMOST 2 months!!  But I DO need to take my medication – which can be tricky at certain times.  So since they would be going to my human’s mother’s place around 5:30, and my human wasn’t going to drive BACK to our house to give me my pills – they decided I could come along for the party!  HOWEVER – my human’s mother’s apartment doesn’t allow pets…

When my human came to pick me up after church, it was raining out.  She told me I MUST poop and pee – IMMEDIATELY.  I figured something was happening, so I obliged – but of course, got wet in the process.  So my human brought me in, used the jet engine dryer to fluff me up, and adorned me with a festive collar and bow.  And we were off.

We parked in the underground parking and my human furtively glanced around as she went to get me out of the vehicle.  The coast was clear.  Check one.  So then we went to get in the elevator and we waited with baited breath when the doors opened.   EMPTY.  Check two.  I had no idea where I was going – all I knew was that I looked smashing and my human had a pocket full of treats in the event we ran into anyone.  We got off the elevator at the proper floor.  Again – no one waiting.  Check three.  Down the hall, and we were IN.  Phew.  Now to check the place out.  Hmmmm….look at those human snacks on the coffee table…they must be for me too.  Right?  Wrong.  My human kept a close eye on me – it would have kind of put a damper on things if I had decided to “mark” my arrival on this festive night somewhere in the apartment.  NOT that I do that EVER in the house – but she wasn’t taking any chances.  She’s been owned by lots of boy dogs…I wore a leash for the first part of the evening.

In Polish custom, humans share a wafer called Oplatek at the beginning of the Christmas eve meal.  Everyone shares with everyone else – and they wish each other health and good luck for the next year.  Yours truly even got a little piece.  Tasted like cardboard to me – but the thought is nice.  I behaved the rest of the evening and had a great time.  And no one saw me on the way OUT of the building either.  Mission accomplished.

On Christmas,  I was thrilled to see that Santa HAD left gifts for me after all!  Each of us got an elk antler (no wonder my human suggested I put that on the list – she must have spoken to Santa), I got two new retrieving toys, Frodo got a treat dispensing toy and Elroy got a new ball.  There was a moment of PONdemonium in the DFZ when we were crazily ripping wrapping paper – and Frodo and I got into a “tussle.”  I think it was the excitement of the moment.  My human broke up the growling brothers – who make more noise than anything and promptly evicted us from the DFZ.  Party over.  Seriously, my human has no sense of adventure.  Admittedly we WERE rolling on the floor right in front of the giant tree with all the glass ornaments.  I’m not pointing paws – but he started it.  I think.  Actually – Frodo and I were just preparing for BOXING Day.  That’s what WE thought it was all about.  Good thing Santa doesn’t come back for presents.  Does he?

My human prepared a turkey dinner for her sister and mother and we dogs got some treats.  We WERE sequestered during the meal as SOME of us stare at diners, and it can become a bit annoying.  Actually – we ALL do it. But we did behave AFTER the meal.

Today the plan is for a long walk. And I’d like to try out my retrieving toys.  And then another walk.  Maybe a nap.  Another walk.  Maybe a round of “find the bunny.”  You get the picture – a dog perfect day.

Have a good one – and no fighting at the Boxing Day sales.

I won’t write much as I DID get some presents from Santa after all – and I cannot WAIT to open them! The photo you see is us waiting for the OK to dive into these gifts.

I wish all of you a wonderful day – with tail wags and virtual licks from me to you.

Oh – and tomorrow I’ll tell you all about my Christmas Eve smuggling adventure.  Guess what my human was smuggling?  Me!!   Stay tuned!

Have a very Merry day!

Dear Santa.
I am sending this via e-mail as the chances of Canada Post delivering this on time NOW are about as good as the weather man forecasting the weather for 7 days from now.  Heck -24 hours from now.

So Santa, it’s time for MY ask.  But you know, I have started thinking – what do I REALLY need?  I have a roof over my head.  I have food.  The portions are never quite big enough in MY mind – but my human feels they are ample.  

I suppose I could ask for some extra treats – I mean who doesn’t like treats?  My human suggested I ask for antlers – not the horrid kind you have to wear from the Dollar Store, but the kind you chew.  Mind you, if given the chance – I WOULD chew those antlers from the Dollar store…

I have a bed.  Actually two.  The dog bed and the bed my human thinks is hers.  So I don’t need one of those.

I’m not asking for clothing.  Kind of like a 3 year old asking for attire.   Just isn’t high on the priority list.

Grooming supplies?  No thanks.  NO THANKS.

A puppy?  Got one of those this year.  Thanks.  He’s pretty cool.  But don’t tell him I said so – I don’t want it to go to his head.

A goat?  Not happening.  So why bother asking.  The three of us and a goat?  My human would have to be committed.

Opposable thumbs like a monkey would be nice so I could help my human with housework.  On second thought – scrap that idea.

Night vision goggles so I could see those bunnies better in the dark?  Nah – I can smell them.

Actually Santa, I looked at my ask from last year…and I hate to be boring – but I think it bears repeating….Is it plagiarism if I steal my own words?

I am asking for something for every person (and dog) who is reading this blog.  I ask that they share the joy and happiness that Christmas is all about.  A smile, a handshake, a phone call, a hug – realizing that Christmas ISN’T about the presents – but about those moments that you share with others.  Human OR canine.  OK. Cats too.  And ferrets.  And rabbits.  But not snakes. OK. Snakes too.  But just for today. Even porcupines.  But just don’t hug them.

Santa I ask for HEALTH, peace and happiness within the hearts of those reading this – even if just for a moment.   And that feeling of pure joy – that we dogs know ALL about.  That’s what I wish for.

On this day in 1823, the famous poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas was first published.  The poem, also known as The Night Before Christmas was written by Clement Moore.   I decided to take Clement’s version – and modify it.  My apologies to Clement for my changes.  But I don’t think he would REALLY mind.  This goes out to all those canines and their humans who read my blog – and my apologies in advance for the many names I am missing!!!!!  I KNOW there are others – and please know that I appreciate each and every one of you – but I wanted to post this before Easter!!!  Here goes:

So I briefly mentioned Christmas movies the other day – and there is certainly NO shortage of them.  But I was curious about Christmas DOG movies.  How many would you guess?  5?  16?  27?   Well – this site shows that there are at LEAST 44!  http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063035576/  And we haven’t even seen most of them!  Time for some binge watching over the holidays.  I think I’ll start with #34.  Because the dog that appears to be the star looks PON-ish.  I’m pretty sure he’s/she’s a Bearded Collie – but still big and fuzzy.  And then there is #39.  A Benji story.  

My human’s first dog (as an adult) was a dog named Barney.  And he looked a bit like Benji.  

Barney came from the dog pound.  The pound had nicknamed him  “the biter.”  But my human was never one to back away from a challenge.  So she took “the biter” home.  And sure enough.  He bit her.  But they learned to live together, and with LOTS of training, Barney turned out to be a pretty good dog.  He DID have his naughty streaks, like the time he got into the garbage and took out the carcass of bones from a turkey, and hid it under the cushions in the living room sofa.  He was the kind of dog who didn’t EAT things he found – he would just hide them.  For “later.”  Barney lived to the grand old age of 17.5.  He and my human learned a lot from one another.

And speaking of naughty – GUESS who took off the other day?  Nope – not me.  Nope – not the FG.  It was VELCRO DOG.  And do you know why?  Retaliation for the Christmas bath.  Yup.  We were let out for a pee and TWO of us quickly obliged and raced back in the house.  But Velcro dog, who was all nice smelling and fluffy and clean – well he took off into the woods.  You could see the steam coming out of my human’s ears.  He wasn’t gone long – just long enough for her to go and put her coat on.  He came back with sticks in his coat – but luckily wasn’t muddy.  He just smirked at my human as he waltzed past her when she opened the door.    Wonder if Santa saw that – he’s probably pretty busy so Frodo may have gotten away with it.

Time to go and download some of those Christmas movies…  Let me know if you have a favorite.  Have a GREAT day!!!