Month: June 2018

Carpets and company

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So I looked back in my blog and on June 5, 2017, we got the carpet that just went out on garbage day.  A new carpet every year.  Time to buy stock in area carpets.  

As I mentioned yesterday, I was the first to roll on it.  And then, before it was even down for a half hour, the FG started to lift up an edge.  “HEY!” my human shouted.  He dropped it and walked away. Eyeing all the edges around him.  We have a counter for my seizure free days. We should probably have a counter for intact carpet days.  
We had lovely company last night – a dear, old friend of my human.  We pretty much behaved – with the exception of Einstein’s incessant welcome bark and the FG’s attempts to jump and knock over our guest.  My human held him by his collar so as there were no bloody noses.   But all in all we behaved.  Except we almost could have lost the FG.  My human went to take Einstein and me out for our last pee of the night, and the screen door was open.  My human heard the door being thrown open and out bounded the FG.  And it was dark out.  She tried to call him over but he had other things in mind.  Her heart was racing – she pictured him racing into the woods.  But for a change, he engaged in a habit that ordinarily drives my human crazy.  He stopped to smell ( and grossly lick) the spot where we just peed.  My human dove to get him and  luck was again with her – she grabbed him.  And back in the house we all marched.
My human was so happy to visit with her friend.  Sometimes you are not able to see people for many years – because you are separated by distance.  But two minutes with that person – and a feeling of comfort and happiness just flows through you.  I suggest you take a minute today or some time this weekend to maybe reconnect with someone special who lives far away – family member or friend. You know those people who who can “refill your soul.”  Or maybe you can “refill” theirs.  Today with the internet, the opportunity to connect is at your paw tips.  So go for it!
My human will spend part of the day today with her friend and then her friend must leave us.   Then my human is free to totally entertain US! She cleaned the house so well, she certainly doesn’t need to do that!  AND the best part – it is a holiday weekend here so she has Monday off!!! Parteeeeeeeee.
Have a good one. Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 39

Farewell to the carpet

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It’s gone.  The area carpet in the dining room was dragged out to the curb for garbage day.  And now the dining room sounds empty.  So Einstein’s barking sounds even louder and it echoes.  Kind of.  

We are having company on Friday and my human has been in a cleaning frenzy – when she hasn’t been working on the deck.  Our company is coming for one night – and although the guest bedroom hasn’t been used in months, it seemed to take my human forever to clean it.   Just WHERE does dust come from?  Oh right – three dogs.  Even though haven’t even BEEN in the guest bedroom.  

The carpet in the dining room had become particularly unsightly lately.  We know the FG started it.  And well, we PONs decided to join in.  The corners were all destroyed and some of the edges looked pretty bad too.  We performed our handiwork while our human was at work each day.  We NEVER attempted to touch it while she was home.  So now we await the unrolling of the  NEW carpet.  Which arrived about a  month ago.  It has been stored in my human’s bedroom – she didn’t want to take it out until there was a special occasion.  And now she is worried that it will be chewed on the first day.  She has some special potent yucky stuff to spray all along the edges.  Trust me – there is not much that will deter us PONs if we feel like eating something, though.  Remember, yours truly has eaten bananas.  With the peels.

So yesterday was Good Bye to Carpet Day (at least in our house) and today is National Handshake day.  We all know that dogs can be taught to shake paws.  And did you know that just like humans, we dogs seem to have paw preferences?  Some of us are right-pawed and some are left-pawed.  Of course, we can be trained to use both.  As well,  some of us don’t even NEED to be trained – we paw at our humans spontaneously.  Which can, at times, be a BIT annoying.  To get us to STOP the behavior, we should learn the command for paw or shake.  And we ONLY get rewarded WHEN we are asked to shake.  If we shake without being asked, the human should ignore us – or stand up and walk away.  Sounds great in theory.  It’s hard for my human to keep walking away during supper as one of us paws her.  Not to mention the fact that if she stands up and walks away, she has to take her plate with her.  We PONs are FAST.   Never a dull moment…

So.  Let’s take bets on how long the corners of the carpet stay intact.  I think the FG will again start the handiwork.   And I vote it will be at least started by mid-July.  Agree?   Let’s shake on it.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 37

NO UGLY DOGS

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Clearly people in California do not read my blog.  How many times have I complained about an annual contest that takes place in Petaluma?  And yet it was held again this past weekend.  It’s the World’s Ugliest Dog contest.

This year saw a winner who drove over 30 hours to get there – an Enligh Bulldog named Zsa Zsa.  She has a tongue hanging out that could drag on the floor.  And her conformation – well let’s just say that she does not meet the breed standard.  She was supposedly rescued from a puppy mill.  And that’s the good news.  And the fact that she has found a loving home.

But I don’t REALLY relish the thought of people making fun of these dogs.  And I REALLY don’t like the name of the contest.  Because the word “ugly” has such a negative connotation.  She’s not UGLY.  She’s uniquely beautiful.  In her own way.   Humans would hopefully never have an “Ugliest Baby contest.”   So why are we canines subjected to this?

It’s all in how you look at things in life.  Just because something doesn’t fit the “norm” doesn’t mean it’s less “valuable” or unattractive.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Zsa Zsa doesn’t think she looks “different.”  And the love she shares with her human is no less than the love shared by a Best in Show winner. 

I’m sure Zsa Zsa’s human loves her very much …but what message are we sending about being “different”?  Yeah, yeah – I know we are “just dogs.”  But it does make one think…

The one good thing about this contest is the fact that the winner gets $1500.  Well, the winner’s HUMAN gets the cash.  We HOPE the human spends the money on Zsa ZSa.  You can get a LOT of dog toys and treats for $1500.  

Today,  take a minute to look at the world in a positive way.  Instead of seeing a cloudy day and complaining about rain, be grateful you don’t have a drought.  And instead of seeing a hot day as sticky and sweltering, try to think about shoveling snow.   Look for the BEAUTY around you – and sometimes you will find it in the most unlikely ways and in the most unlikely places.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days:  36

World Cup

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Well we had a day of mourning yesterday.  It was the day after Poland’s loss at the World Cup.  That’s two losses.  Einstien and I were cheering along with my human.  Because of course, we are Polish.  But our excitement didn’t last long.  Poland lost.  Big time.  I don’t really understand how all these games work – but let’s put it this way…Poland is no longer a top contender.  I’m not sure they ever were – but one can always hope. 

The FG was gloating because France has WON two games. I guess we’ll have to cheer for France now.  Although I AM leaning toward Iceland because it is their first time at the Cup.  And the odds of them winning are like 500 to 1.  I love an underdog.

And speaking of dogs and the World Cup, there is apparently a Dachshund by the name of R2D2 who predicts games every day.  He is also referred to as the Psychic Sausage.  He has two plates of food to choose from – the national dishes of the countries that are playing.  He has two chances.  If he chooses the same dish twice, that country is his pick.  If he eats from both, then he is predicting a tie game.  Here he is predicting the game between England and Tunisia.  He picked England.  And he was right!  But seriously. What dog picks couscous over a steak?  No offense to Tunisia or couscous.  But really…

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/4/video/3531488/psychic-sausage-dog-predicts-england-to-win

I couldn’t find his prediction for the Poland game.  They MUST have given him kielbasa.  And what dog wouldn’t pick Kielbasa?!  Still it didn’t work….

There is apparently a cat and a lemur also making predictions.  Yes – a lemur.  I’m going with the Psychic Sausage.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 35

General stuff

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Here is an interesting phenomenon.  We all know about the Picky Picard’s eating habits.  And my human’s continual search for new and exciting things to feed him. Unlike us PONs.  Who would eat the same thing every day for the rest of our lives.  And be totally content.  Well not content with the portion size – we could eat a LOT more.  And explode.

But back to the FG.  We know he is picky.  BUT he HAS learned to counter surf for food and my human has to watch him as much as she watches us PONs.  Last night,  he stood right by her dinner plate that was still on the counter and my human turned her back for a minute, and luckily looked back as he was about to help himself.  He has also learned to stare at her while she is eating.  Not that she ever feeds us from the table – but one never knows.  And then, she CAN sometimes have the odd leftover on her plate – which she will share.  But not at the table.  That’s why when she gets up from dining, she has a parade following her into the kitchen. And the FG is right there.  I think we PONs have taught him well.
You know, when our human comes home from work at the end of the day, there is nothing that makes us more joyful. Well – except for one thing – when she returns from grocery shopping. That’s when we anxiously exhibit “curiocery”- that innate canine instinct that makes us want to know what is in each of the bags. I wish I could take a video of what it is like when my human tries to come into the house with two armloads of groceries. Like she did yesterday.  She literally must fight her way in the door and must fend off jumping canines.  She dare not put any bags on the floor – so she struggles to lift them onto the counter – while we are jumping like three kangaroos who have been  stung by a bees.  We must inspect the bounty.  Bananas. Check. Yogurt. Check. Breakfast staples are accounted for. Ahhh. She bought herself a steak for supper.  There will be some definite jockeying for the closest position by her chair. Great fun. And only we canines can make grocery shopping an extreme cause for celebration.  It’s the little things in life…
Well it’s Monday.  Another work week. And another week of guard duty.  But just a few more weeks until she is on vacation. Oh we can’t wait!
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 34

More good luck

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Yesterday morning we let my human sleep in.  Until 5:30. Then Einstein announced that it was a beautiful morning – so time to get moving.  We had walking to do. And she had what she hoped was the last of the deck sanding to do. 

Einstein and I went first. We went for a good walk on the public trail and despite the fact that our feet were muddy, requiring a rinse in the tub when we got home, it was a good start to the day.  Then it was the FG’s turn.  
Poor guy.  He didn’t make it to the road before he did his business.  That wasn’t the bad part. The bad part was the evidence of cling ons.  That doesn’t usually happen to the FG – but it appears that munching on PON hair does not always result in “normal” stool.  So my human had an idea.  Take him down to the lake.  It’s called the cheater’s bath.  
So down they headed – with a floating fetch toy in hand. Now the FG hasn’t been for a swim since last summer.  So my human wondered how this would go.  She tossed the toy about 6 feet from the shoreline.  He just looked at her.  I should note that he was on a long line.  She encouraged him to get it.  He jumped around and tentatively put a paw in. A paw out. A paw in. And  finally all four paws were in.  The water is not deep at the shoreline.  It doesn’t get deep for about 15 feet.  He waded out, got the toy and raced back onto the shore.  Perfect!  Except he still had cling ons.  So they did it again.  And again.  And he was having a blast.  Until she threw the toy beyond the length of the leash.  At which point my human ended up in the lake. Sneakers and all.  Uh oh.  Anyway, they were having a great time – and he brought the toy back consistently.  And it was at that point that my human had what one would call a Brain Fart. She decided to let him off the leash.  
You would think that she would know him by now.  Did she honestly think that he wouldn’t realize that he no longer had a leash attached?!  Sure enough.  She tossed the toy, he went out to get it, but this time, half way back, he dropped it in the water.  And she could see the Picard wheels turning.  He starting heading parallel to the shoreline.  She quickly shouted “get it” and pretended to run away from the water. He grabbed the toy, bounded out of the water and raced past her.  Let me tell you something. There is NOTHING in this world more wild than a two year old wet Picard.  He was OFF.  The only thing that saved my human from an hour of chasing was the fact that wet Picards MUST rub their faces in the nearest vertical surface.  So as he stopped to shove his face into a tree, she lunged and grabbed his collar.  Bingo.  Another lucky day.  Gotta get that lotto ticket.
They marched back to the house. One wild, wet panting Picard and a relieved human.  Despite the cheater’s bath, he still did require some concentrated bathing.  So he ended up in the tub after all.  He was partly dried and then released into the house.  Where he proceeded to wipe his damp face on the walls, the cupboards and the odd chair.  One less-than-charming Picard characteristic. Ya gotta love him.
Yes. A perfect start to a sunny summer day!
Have a good one! Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 33

She was lucky….

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Well my human needs to go out and get a lotto ticket today.  She is one VERY lucky lady.  She could have found herself missing three dogs…

So the odyssey of scrape-the-deck continues.  This week, for three nights after work, one of my human’s oldest and clearly best friends ever – Stephen – came over to help her until dark.  They scraped.  They sanded.  They replaced boards.  Well- he replaced boards.  She stood and held things. But they worked and worked.  And while all of this was going on, we canines could only supervise from inside. There was too much stuff going on out there – and she didn’t need us peeing on saws or drills or eating rusty screws.  So we watched. And watched. Another reason we were not allowed out there was because they were going up and down the steps a lot with equipment -so the gate was usually open. And open gate equals free dogs…
Last night after work, her sister came over.  My human fed and walked us, before she and her sister had to go out to get some titanium paint for the deck.  Ok.  It’s not titanium.  But it’s some super industrial stuff that costs more for 1 gallon than a 40lb bag of dog food.  And we don’t eat cheap food.  She  is determined that she will NOT be doing this again next year.  So she bought supposedly good stuff.  We’ll see. 
Anyway, when her sister was over, my human asked her to take a look at the deck to see how much sanding is left. Her sister did the inspection, came back in, slid the door closed and said everything looked good. We got some treats and they headed out to get the liquid Gold.
When my human came home, we did our usual joyful greeting dance.  And it was at that point that she realized something.  The door to the deck was open.  Someone had slid it open.  About a foot.  Wide enough for a PON or Picard.  We were all accounted for, but she ran out to see if anything was disturbed.  AND she realized that the  gate was thankfully securely shut.  She did a silent thank you prayer.  Imagine what could have happened had  all of us been loose.  She shudders just to think about it.  She suspects that it was Einstein who opened the door. I’m not saying a thing.  We had a pact not to tell.  
The only thing she DID notice was two large pee rivers on the BBQ and one on the house.  We decided to christen the pristine deck.  She has warned us that NO ONE is allowed to pee on the newly painted deck. Good luck with that! 
In the meantime she’s still giving thanks for that secure gate.  Then again, maybe we DID go out, and we put the gate back. She’ll never know…
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 33

Take Your Dog to Work Day

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June 22. And according to the Crazy calendar today is Take Your Dog to Work Day.   But no.  We are not going.  The university where my human works does not allow dogs.  BUT during exam times they DO allow therapy dogs to come in for the students to relieve stress. What about the faculty the rest of the year?  Seems like discrimination if you ask me.   Mind you, if my human took the three of us in, she would get absolutely no work done. So I guess it’s better we stay home.

There ARE companies that do allow dogs to come to work. I’ve talked about Google before.  And I found a few others.  Like Etsy.  I’d be afraid I would be the victim of some kind of canine craft if I went there.  Like being a model for knitted dog boots.  
Another company is Bissell Homecare. I think that’s the company  that makes vacuum cleaners. Now that seems reasonable because if we make a mess while there, they have the equipment to clean it up.
Amazon Seattle also allows dogs in the workplace.  I love shopping on Amazon.  They have lots of great dog stuff.  It would be cool to work there.  I could product test dog toys.  Sign me up.
But the most dangerous place for me to work would be Mars.  The company that makes candy among many other things.  INCLUDING dog food. Now while we don’t actually eat any of the foods they make, I CERTAINLY could taste test the odd sample.  Who am I kidding.  It would be a liability to have me working there.
Anyway, for those of us who can’t go to work, we have our jobs at home – being the guardians of the homestead. And it’s a job we take very seriously.  When we aren’t napping.
Have a good one.  Wherever you work.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 32

Summer!

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It’s official!  Summer is here!  It’s also the longest day of the year – so time for some extra fetch.  Or scraping the deck.  Yes, she is still at it…

So let’s talk about some quick summer time reminders and some equipment that we dogs can use in the summer. First off, I am not going to even remind you that we shouldn’t be left in a car because it can get too warm.  The humans who read this blog are too smart to even be reminded of this.
With regard to the heat, portable water bowls -like the collapsible type – can be really handy when going out for a walk.  But don’t forget to also bring a water bottle, too…my human actually has a dog water bottle where the lid can be used as a small cup-sized bowl.  It’s perfect.
Another thing about the heat – asphalt can get really hot, so one site I saw suggested those rubber boots that look like balloons (before you put them on). Seems like a good idea in theory …but I wonder if the rubber would stick to hot asphalt.  I guess better the boots than our feet.
We have talked before about sunscreen for us dogs too. And a cooling bandana is a neat idea.  We saw that on the web.  Those cooling mats also work well. If you have a dog who doesn’t chew….
If you are going boating, a life jacket for Fido is also a must.  Sure, many dogs CAN swim – but if you are far off shore, a life jacket is a good idea. 
And speaking of a swimming, if you have a dog who likes to swim, unlike me and Einstein – floatable fetch toys and balls are a great idea.  That’s for the FG.
As yes, the dog days of summer.  Let the good times roll!
Have a good one! Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days:  31

Bernerdoodles

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So yesterday morning my human was scrolling through Facebook. And what she saw made her stop suddenly. She is used to seeing wonderful images of puppies all the time. For example one  friend got a boxer puppy recently who is absolutely gorgeous. Another friend is waiting to get her borzoi. She has another friend who just adopted a mixed breed puppy from a shelter and it is so adorable. But what she saw this time was something that really bothered her. As she was scrolling through Facebook she stopped because another friend was getting a puppy but she didn’t recognize the breed of dog. And then her heart sank. A friend was getting a Bernerdoodle. Yup a Bernese poodle or something cross. She immediately went to message the friend. However they are basically acquaintances and my human didn’t know if this person would feel she was being pushy. So she told me I should write a blog about it instead. So I get to rant.  Perfect. 


Bernerdoodles, , CockaPoodledos and Pugapoos are all basically mixed breed dogs. However the people who sell them are able to market them brilliantly. They are not and I repeat they are not purebred dogs. However the so-called breeders of these dogs make it appear that they are some kind of special dog. And unfortunately many people can be swayed by the power of their websites. My human went to the website of the place where her friend is getting the puppy.  It is fascinating to know they they are not just mixing Bernese and labradoodles but Bernese and Aussies too.  When you scroll through the MANY dogs they own (red flag) you will note that hardly any of them really look alike (red flag).  There are no puppies currently available- but not to worry – they have at least 7 litters planned  for this year (red flag).

But the BEST part – the prices.  Probably because no two dogs ever look the same – there over 30 color combinations and coats – everything from solid colors to solid base chocolate Merles – so the prices range from $2600 for a solid to 4200 for a traditional pattern tricolor weighing under 30lbs.  And WHY the high prices?  Why because stuff and services cost money! For example if you have to take a dog back who has serious elbow dysphasia and you then have to spend a pile of money on it instead of  euthanizing it,  that is expensive.  Even if you can write it off on the business account.  Really.  I’m not making this  stuff up.  That’s what it said on the net!

My human also found a waitlist of over 70 people.  So the question is why?   Marketing.  And it’s like the Emperor’s New Clothes.  These dogs somehow become trendy.  And contrary to popular belief they are not healthier than purebred dogs.  Recent studies have shown this.  If you are looking for a dog that looks like a Bernese, one glance at these puppies reveals that most of them look very little like an actual Bernese. One of the appealing things about Bernese of course are the tricolor markings.  Yet few of their puppies look like this.  So why get one? They don’t look like the breeds that they come from. They don’t necessarily have better health. And there are absolutely no guarantees what they will look like when they grow up.  Because if they cost a lot, AND the website looks good – they MUST be good. 

The irony- if you want to get a dog that is a mixed breed you can adopt a sweet puppy at a shelter and not pay the exorbitant fees that these so-called breeders charge for these mixed breeds. Go for it!  Those guys deserve a good home.  Not to mention the prices listed here are more than one would pay for a registered purebred dog.

My human owned 4 Bernese in her life and they still hold a special place in her heart- so she was both infuriated and sad about these breedings. She knows that the people who buy them are good people who just want a cute puppy.  And what puppy isn’t cute?!  And my human would never speak poorly of the owner or the puppy.  But the breeder… that’s another story.  It’s just so, so sad….

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 30

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