It’s official.  The FG can swim.  AND he likes it.

As we know, up until now the FG liked to go in the water, but when he would get in over his head, he would turn around and head for high ground.  Well, no more.  Because Jackson is a good teacher. 

Jackson is one of those easy going, well behaved Labs who comes when called, fetches a toy when thrown and basically behaves.  His only vice is swampy water and mud.  If there is a stagnant stinky boggy area, Jackson will find it and will walk in.  Frodo and I just watch him – we can’t IMAGINE doing that.  The FG on the other hand will follow ANYTHING Jackson does.  Walk in muck?  The FG follows.  Eat grass.  The FG is IN.  Carry a stick?  The FG has to hold on too.  And up until now, the ONLY way Jackson could rid himself of the shadow was to swim.  He would swim out to get the fetch toy and have a few seconds of respite from his overly exuberant follower.  But no more.  Yesterday morning, when the FG watched as Jackson swam for the fetch toy in the middle of the pond, he could no longer hold back.  Off he went.  The first couple of strokes resembled a broken windmill – with legs flailing.  My human didn’t panic – as she KNEW if she had to rescue him the water would be cold – but not deep.  But no need to worry – after the first attempt, he literally took to the water like a duck – and then there was NO stopping him.  He waited and waited to have the fetch toy thrown into the middle of the pond, and raced in to get it.  After about his third run, he realized his success, jumped out of the water and LEAPT on my human – as if to say “DO you SEE what I can do NOW?!”  Pretty convenient – seeing as we live on a lake.  Guess he won’t need that life jacket after all.

Well we have a sunny Sunday forecast today.   Paws crossed that it is breezy – so it keeps the black flies away.  Don’t forget to live like a dog today – and make the MOST of your day!

Have a great one!

So I’m not so sure the FG is going to be much of a herding dog.  Time will tell. 

Thursday night was warm and lovely, so before sundown, my human decided to take each of us for a good walk.  She started with the FG.  She went up to the golf course, as she figured most people would be off the course by then.  The black flies seemed to have slowed down a bit because of the hot weather – and there was a bit of a breeze – so off they went.  They were JUST starting the walk – when my human looked across the fairway and spotted two deer.  The deer spotted her and the FG and stopped dead in their tracks.  And my human braced herself as the FG spotted them too.  He has never seen creatures larger than him, so she had no idea what would happen. He likes other dogs – so she didn’t know if he would think these big creatures were oversized canines.  Or whether his herding instinct would kick in and he would want to round up these farm-like creatures.   He watched and watched them.  He would look at the deer and then look at my human.  One deer kept flicking her tail at them and the other grazed while intently watching the FG. And what did the FG do next?   He started to graze too. He could not have cared less about these strange new creatures.  I guess the good news IS that he didn’t try to take off after them – resulting in a human with a grass stained body.  My human REALLY wonders what he’ll do when he sees sheep.  Now he IS good at herding leaves blowing in the wind….

Oh and you know the wonderful all-control harness that the FG wears?  Well my human went to put it on him, only to note that the one side is JUST about chewed right through.  He’s never left with the harness on for a long time- BUT she wonders if the day he went to the Pet Store – and he was traveling in the car in his crate for 10 minutes, he decided to do some contortions and somehow managed to chew it. My human was not impressed.

Today is Saturday – and we’re up BRIGHT and early.  The good news – it is now light outside by 5:30 – so not point in sleeping in.  It’s a whole new day.  Who KNOWS what adventures lie ahead?!

Have a great one.

May 19. And it’s Endangered Species Day.  When most people hear that term, they tend to think of exotic animals like tigers or whales.   But did you know that certain dog breeds are considered “vulnerable” and could disappear, if moves are not made to save them?   In Britain, for example, the following breeds have seen dwindling numbers:  Corgi, Dandie Dinmount, Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, Mastiff, Sealyham Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Skye Terrier, Sussex Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel, the Irish Red and White Setter and THE most endangered breed – the Otterhound.  Now while some of these breeds have popularity in other countries, it is critical to ensure that good breeding practices ensure health and longevity in breeds – both in Britain and around the world.

Along with domestic dog breeds that are “vulnerable”, there are a number of animals in the canidae family that are on the endangered species list, including the Ethiopian Wolf, the Red Wolf, the Mexican Grey Wolf, the Dhole ( a wild dog breed from Southeast Asia), the African Wild Dog, Darwin’s Fox (native to Chile),  The Island Fox, ( from islands off the coast of California),  and the San Joaquin Kit Fox (from the Central Valley of California).  We canidae need to support each other – nobody wants to see any species on earth disappear.  Except for maybe black flies.  They can totally disappear – and we would be THRILLED.   I SUPPOSE they are good for SOMETHING – like maybe food for bats or birds or fish.  But really, in our household we would be fine without them.   My human is thinking we could be filmed for a bug repellent commercial.  If we could find  a safe one that works…

So today, check out an endangered canidae species and see what you can do to support them.  Also keep in mind that my human often threatens that there are 2 PONs and a Picard whose lives could sometimes be endangered too when we pull some of our simultaneous antics.  But she’s just kidding.  We think…

It’s FRIDAY.  Let the weekend begin!!!!!!

So the FG has this habit – which I may have mentioned before.  It is the post-meal face rub.  When there was a carpet in the hallway –  (it has not yet been replaced) – he used to finish his meal, drop  and roll his face in the carpet.  Every time.  But with the carpet temporarily gone, he has nowhere to wipe his face.  So he searches for things to rub his face on.  The refrigerator door, the cupboards, the bedroom door, the walls, my human’s pants – he wanders and wipes.  So lately my human has been grabbing a towel and wiping his face for him after he eats.  Doesn’t matter.  He still wants to do it himself.  And it’s only after mealtime – so according to several sources, he is simply trying to clean his face.  If a dog is constantly doing it – it could be a sign of allergies or a skin issue – but when it is tied to mealtime, it is most likely a cleanliness issue.  We watched him try to rub his face on a wooden stool the other day.  The stool kept moving – but he kept trying.  That’s when my human attempted to help.   As I recall, Paxton would do that – and it makes sense that dogs with longer coats might do it.  But Einstein and I don’t.  Guess we are happy to look sloppy.  Mind you, I DO clean off Einstein’s face FOR him.  So who needs to rub when you have your own personal groomer.  My human even found that my licking can create dreadlocks for Einstein.  She is not impressed.   But hey – some people pay to go to salons to have this kind of styling done!

Anyway, if someone wants to see some interesting fuzzy facial art left on a variety of surfaces, feel free to come to our gallery.  It goes well with the olfactory art on the windows.

Have a good one!

May 17.  And it’s National Mushroom Hunting Day.  I’ve been SO waiting for this day.  Just kidding.  While there ARE truffle hunting pigs – apparently any dog CAN become a mushroom hunter – but some breeds are better than others. Who KNEW that in some places there are truffle hunting clinics?!  To train a good truffle hunting dog it reportedly takes several months.  And a breed that excels at the task is the Italian water dog – the Lagotto Romagnolo.  They are used a lot in Italy for hunting truffles.  And apparently, dogs that work in detection work, like German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, are also good at hunting down truffles and mushrooms.  I guess if you are good at sniffing out drugs and explosives, it’s not such a big deal to look for hunks of fungus.  Resources also say that other sporting breeds can truffle hunt and even beagles – who are known for following their noses, can be trained to do it too.  The key is in not eating the truffles once you find them.  That could be a problem for me.  If it’s edible, it’s mine.

And while hunting for truffles and morel mushrooms is not dangerous, there ARE mushrooms which can be toxic to dogs.  This link is a good review about dogs and ingesting toxic mushrooms.   Check it out…
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_mushroom_poisoning

You know, some mushrooms and truffles in particular, sell for a lot of money. In 2014, the largest white truffle in the world sold for $61,000.  But the record PRICE paid for a single white truffle was in 2007.  Get this – it sold for $330,000.  And it wasn’t even Bill Gates who bought it.  It was some casino owner.  Anyway, it seems that it could be a lucrative career for me. Viktor – the Truffle Hunter.  And as far as I can tell, Nova Scotia has truffles – but I don’t think they are all that common.  At least the fungus type.  I know there are places with all kinds of chocolate varieties, but that’s a whole different story.  Still, I will keep my nose to the ground – because one of those truffles could sure buy a LOT of dog treats.

Anyway, happy fungus hunting!

May 16.  On this day in 2013, Bill Gates resumed his position as the world’s richest man – a ranking he had lost in 2008.  In 2013, the software giant’s  net worth was said to be somewhere around $72.7 billion.  Today it is said to be around $87.4 billion.  Just a small jump.

In 2011, a satirical novel came out, called I AM Bill Gates’ Dog.  My human didn’t read it, but the reviews said the story focused in part on a group of canines vying for the role as Bill Gates’ dog.

I couldn’t find anything current about the real dogs in Bill’s household, but I do know that as of a few years ago, he had two – that he claimed barked at night, and ate things they shouldn’t.  Sounds familiar.  Which got me thinking – can you IMAGINE what it would be like to be his dog?  Here’s what I envision…

• Steak for breakfast.  Lunch.  And dinner.  Or maybe salmon.
• A king-sized dog bed.  
• Kitchen counters that would go up and down at the touch of a paw.  To make stealing easier.
• A football field sized fenced backyard.  With tick-free, flea-free daily mowed grass.  Which has a removable roof over the whole thing – JUST in case it rains.
• Huge drums of waterless spray shampoo – so I never have to step into a bath again.
• Barrels and barrels of fetch toys.  With those automatic launchers so I can fetch all by myself.
• Barrels and barrels of bones.  And antlers.
• Self-serving treat jars.  They pour out treats when you bark.
• One of those driverless cars – so it can take me to the store any time I want.
• A trampoline for the dogs like the FG.  Picture THAT!
• Loads of stuffed toys.  To dissect.

Yup, I’m thinking it would be QUITE the life.  But then…I started thinking….I wouldn’t have my human.  And REALLY, what fun would all that other stuff be without her? 

So I think I’ll stay exactly where I am – and someone else can go to live with Bill.  Mind you….I wouldn’t refuse a vacation there…

Have a good one!

Today is May 15 and according to the crazy calendar it’s Nylon Stockings Day.  Don’t you wonder sometimes who started these days?  

Nylon stockings and three crazy dogs do NOT go together.  My poor human practically has to cover herself from head to toe to get out the door to go to work without ending up with FG slobber on the front of her skirt, PON hair hanging off the bottom and torn stockings to complete the ensemble.  In fact, last Friday she successfully avoided hair and slobber, only to discover two holes in her stockings when she got to work.  She’s not even sure how it happened.

And you know, my human has to be pretty diligent with us guys.  We really keep her on her toes.  She has to scan the yard for roving bunnies before we go out, she can’t leave any purse or knapsack on the floor if she doesn’t want the contents removed, she has to be aware of open doors and she doesn’t leave food unattended on the counter – especially after the banana fiasco.  But sometimes she just has a lot on her plate – and she lets down her guard.   Like Saturday.  She had a bunch of errands in the afternoon and she visited her mother – and then was home with us for the evening.  She went to make herself some dinner – and was just about to put some pasta noodles into boiling water when the FG indicated he wanted to go out. Of course he did.  Perfect timing. She had some prosciutto and cheese on the counter and she didn’t trust ME so she fired Einstein and I into the FG’s giant crate while she took him out to pee.  She was all proud of herself for being so smart.  That brilliance lasted all of 10 minutes.  She took the FG out, came in and let Einstein and I out of the crate.  She put the noodles in the pot, and put her other ingredients in a pan on the stove.  She had sliced some of the ingredients on a plate – but it was empty and left on the counter.  She knew she had a few minutes for the noodles to cook, so she went into the bedroom to get her slippers.  BUT – she left the bedroom door open, which was an open invitation for the FG to RACE in and play trampoline on the bed.   He also raced into the bathroom and grabbed a mouthful of tissues from the garbage can.  While she was chasing HIM around the bedroom, she heard a large CRASH in the kitchen.  She raced in to see me amidst a broken plate on the kitchen floor. So now she had to corral all of us so no one would walk on the shattered plate.  I do recall hearing some rather colorful language – and she invoked the help of some saint – to keep from murdering us.  She contemplated putting us outside to be eaten alive by the black flies, but she reconsidered because she she didn’t REALLY want to kill us – and besides the black flies wouldn’t kill us, but COULD cause a LOT of scratching and maybe even a trip to the vet.  So that was no solution.  She quickly put the FG in his crate and like a banshee removed that cheap carpet in the hall way which REALLY doesn’t work all that well – since it slides into a giant ball whenever some dog races on it.  Oh – and by the way – she doesn’t even know WHEN it happened – but it appears to have a rip on an edge.  So it looks like it probably happened Friday.  We’re not sure who won the bet – we’ll have to check.  She gathered up the carpet, threw it in a heap into the garage and sequestered me and Einstein in the front hall while she cleaned up the shattered plate.  By the time she was done, the saint had intervened, and she calmed down – so she let us out of our detainment facilities.  We all bounded out like nothing had ever happened.  And proceeded to bug her while she ate her supper.

The other day, someone read about one of our adventures and said we must be making this stuff up.  No three dogs could cause this much chaos.  I swear on Einstein’s food bowl, all of this stuff is REAL.  So now you understand why I write this blog.  At least our antics have some entertainment value.

It’s Monday.  A new day, a new week.  What kind of adventures lie ahead?

Have a good one!!

Today is a special day in over 70 countries around the globe.  It’s Mother’s Day. We celebrate those special humans and in our case, canines, who brought us into this world.

OK.  It’s May 12 – and it’s Limerick Day. I must confess, I am stealing one that I wrote in my blog two years ago.  But I also have a few NEW works…

You cannot forget to feed

To eat and to go poo

So hot off the press has come a new survey from dog owners in Texas.  And it includes some interesting stats:

• 49% of people owned by dogs sing to their dogs and 28% make up songs for their canine kids.  We don’t live in Texas – but I’m here to report that my human sings to us AND makes up little songs for us.  They usually usually include one of our many nicknames.  Like this weird little song about Trino Be-dino.  Which in some strange way comes from my nickname Trino which comes from Viktor-ino which comes from Viktor.  Frod-dee-o-do has a ditty too and Baby-Schmaby (Elroy’s REALLY weird nickname) also has a song.  None of which will EVER win a Grammy award.
• 27% of people in Texas post more pictures of their dogs on social media than pictures of friends or family.  Ever see my human’s Facebook page?  There MUST be 500 pictures of us on there.  People must think my human is crazy.  And that of course includes the dreaded holiday shots wearing Dollar Store attire. I can’t IMAGINE a week going by without her taking a photo of us.  Heck, I can’t imagine two DAYS going by.  She’s a caninographoholic.   She’s addicted.
• More than 50% of people say they celebrate their dog’s birthday.  Proper thing.  I think mine should be a national holiday. 

So there you have the news from the Lone Star state.  But something tells me Texans aren’t ALL that different from most humans owned by dogs. Same behaviors – just different accents.

Have a HUGE day.