Month: April 2019

It rained. I poured.

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Well I’m afraid I took the word “good” out of Good Friday.  

Yesterday my human got up early. Her old friend Joanie was in town and they had arranged to meet for breakfast.  We canines were a bit slow to get up because it was pouring rain.  And we know that sound.
First the FG was taken out. Then it was our turn.  We know when my human says “we are going quick, quick, quick” that it means we are not going for a walk up the road, but rather in the back yard instead to make our deposits.
She took me on a leash and Einstein was free.  She figured she would need to keep me out there to go – I would just want to head back in the house.  
Much to her surprise, I actually made a beautiful deposit.  Quickly.  Happy dance in the rain.  She let me off my leash and I ran around to the front door to stay dry.  Meanwhile, Einstein was standing there looking forlorn and like a drowned rat.  She instructed him to “hurry up” which he slowly did. 
We came back in the house and had our breakfasts.  My human then went into the bathroom to take her shower. 
When she came out, she took us through the garage to the side yard to let us have a quick pee before she left us. While we were outside, she went in the house to hide some kibble for us, so we would be entertained for 3.2 seconds when she left.  We find the kibble pretty quickly.  And that’s when she discovered a huge pee spot on the dining room carpet.  She froze. We know that if she is out and finds a pee spot on her return- it is a sign I have had a seizure. She began to panic.  Did I have a seizure when she was in the shower?! But I didn’t have my post-seizure crazy starved look.  I appeared FINE.
As she rushed to clean up the pee, she began to quickly watch a rerun on Big Brother to see if I had indeed had a seizure.  She scanned through and didn’t think anything looked strange, but had to go because she was already late to meet Joanie.
She looked at me, and I looked completely fine. Completely.  So who peed?
She arrived late at the restaurant- explaining to Joanie about the last minute unexpected clean up.  And being the great friend that she is, she didn’t mind reviewing the footage on Big Brother – before they even ate.  I mean who wants to watch film footage of dogs not doing much.  Like waiting for a giraffe to give birth.  Weeks before the due date.
They scrolled through to the part where my human would have left us alone while she showered.  They saw me chewing on a bone, and then rolling on the carpet.  NOT because I was having a seizure- but because I was damp from the rain – and post-rain rolls are fun.  Then they watched me as I stood up, shook myself off, walked around the table, stretched and then STOOD THERE and had a big pee.  Busted.  
You see, when I went out in the rain and I pooped, I was SO anxious to get back in the house, that I never bothered to pee.  And let’s face it, when a guy has gotta go, a guy has gotta go.  I’m blaming it on my medication.
The good news – my human was SO relieved I didn’t have a seizure, she wasn’t angry that I peed.   I mean she wasn’t HAPPY, but at least she knew we didn’t have to reset my counter.  Yup – always gotta look at the bright side of things!  
More rain in the forecast for today….I’m thinking though, that I had better not push my luck- so I had better pee outside.  Not to mention the fact that she will be WATCHING me…
Of course….some COULD surmise that this whole incident was payback for the Easter attire…. I’ll just continue to blame it on my medication…
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 17

Bloopers…

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 Well we know what is coming on Sunday.  Easter. And we know what that means…
But guess what?  A set of bunny ears has gone missing!   My human searched through the big bin of Dollar Strore props and attire – and she could only find two pairs of ears. Now I wonder what could have happened to the third set (insert mysterious music.). Perhaps a burglar came in during the night while we were all sound asleep….(spooky music gets louder.  Add howling of coyotes.  Make that a howling PON).  It would be pretty tough to get past all three canines, but could it have happened?  Did someone PAY off the burglar to steal the ears…
Or …Did someone happen to see an odd shape in the garbage bag going out to the street? (Stop the music). 
Or…(start music again), did anyone happen to notice a strange blue piece of fabric in the poop that has emerged in the yard since the snow melted?  (Really loud music – with lots of cellos).  Whose poop was it? (Camera pans all three innocent faces)…
This could seriously make a great movie in cinemas. Or at least a Hallmark TV movie. 
So since we didn’t find that extra set, oh darn, we still haven’t taken the trio shot.  We did though, do all of our individual photos.   
And since I KNOW that you love these things- I am happy to share a few of our favorite bloopers.  I KNOW you have been waiting for these…

Now before anybody calls PETA to protest abuse, given our sad expressions and my insistence on sticking out my tongue- you need to know that my human had a hard time actually selecting bloopers!  You will see in the final selection- that we are happy and smiling!   We are given LOTS of treats. And the FG gets to play fetch between every second shot, because he doesn’t care about the treats!   Getting him to smile, whether he is wearing attire or not is a whole other issue.  He’s a pouty, temperamental model!

Anyway, part one Easter photos is done.  And if those ears don’t materialize (trust me – they won’t) , I’m not so sure that there will be a trio photo.  Mind you, she still has time to go to the Dollar Store.  Yikes.  Don’t tell her I said that…
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 15

Haiku

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April 17. And according to the crazy calendar it is International Haiku Poetry Day.  

Haiku is a Japanese poetry form, made up of three lines.  The first and third lines have 5 syllables and the second has 7 syllables.  And they don’t need to rhyme.
OK.  I’m not great at this poetry thing, but here we go…
PONs
Polish Lowland pup
So stubborn, funny, brilliant 
A shaggy angel.
Picards
The Berger Picard
Oh so happy go lucky
Yet ever alert.
Bunnies 
 I smelled the rabbit 
And off I went to find him.
In trouble again.
Eating 
He stares at his food
And we stare at him and groan
Meal time every day.
Grooming 
We must quickly hide
She is coming for us now.
It is torture time.
The constitutional
Inconspicuous 
As a parade of bagpipes
Walking us three dogs.
Poop
Three dogs had good poops,
There was rejoicing today
Humans are so weird.
OK that is it.
Enough of this feeble try
To be poetic.
Time to WALK!
Have a good one! Peace and paws up 
Seizure free days: 14

Birds. And ticks.

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Spring has definitely arrived – especially with regard to the birds. The FG is in his glory because he is the ultimate bird watching dog.   I mentioned the geese the other day.  He takes his role in scaring geese off the golf course very seriously.   My human has to keep him on leash – she’s not sure how far he might chase them. 

We also heard the loons on the weekend – the real sign of spring for us.

We hear lots of birds around home – woodpeckers (who have been known to make quite the racket when they peck on the metal chimney cap), ducks, chickadees, owls, mourning doves, crows – and all kinds of song birds.  And within the past year,  we started hearing a bird call that was kind of new in our area.   Pheasants.   
The other morning when we were coming back from our walk, my human let Einstein and I off leash as we came down the driveway.   We ran into a bed of plants at the side of the driveway, and immediately flushed two pheasants.   Honestly, I don’t think we meant to do it.  We’re not bird dogs.  We scared my human, but we just kept running around.  My human was glad it wasn’t the FG.  His brain would have exploded.
My human was telling a friend on the weekend about the pheasants who have taken up residency in the neighborhood.  And my friend mentioned an advantage to the birds (besides being a dinner item).  They apparently like to eat ticks.   My human tried to confirm this through her good friend Google.   She could find lots of info about guinea fowl and turkeys and some anecdotal info about pheasants.   Some sources say that the birds carry the ticks. Other sources say they eat them. So their benefit is probably good – kind of 50-50.
We’ve talked about guinea fowl before.  They are tick aficionados.   But – I understand that they are not without challenges – they are LOUD, they tend to roam, and they are not particularly bright.  Given our disinterest in herding (well my disinterest and Einstein’s) we would have to leave the work to the FG to round them up. And then my human would have to round HIM up.
We know that just as the birds have arrived – so have the ticks. A friend of my human has already picked numerous ticks off her dogs – and the snow JUST melted.   Time to start doing regular tick checks… I have this fear that my human might make us start wearing our Lycra suits.  All the time…..
Before I close, if you have a bird loving dog, here’s the perfect video for you.  Check it out – hours of entertainment!
Well, I hear the mourning doves calling – time to get my human moving!  
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 13

McDonald’s

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April 15.  And it’s McDonald’s Day.  On this day in 1955, Ray Kroc opened the first restaurant in his franchise. Not his first restaurant- but the first of what would become a world wide chain.

Now whether or not you have ever had a McDonald’s hamburger (and my guess is that most people have crossed beneath the Golden Arches at least once), you are probably familiar with the McDonald’s spokesperson.  Or is he a mascot…. Anyway, most people probably recognize Ronald McDonald – the clown who appears in ads and in commercials.  (If you ever see my human, ask her about the time Ronald McDonald approached her sister).  Let’s just say, not all kids are happy to see a clown.  
Over the years – McDonald’s had a series of “characters” in McDonaldland – like the Hamburglar – a villain who appeared in commercials in 1971.  
But here is a REALLY TOUGH trivia question…. what was the name of Ronald’s dog?   He hated ticks (who doesn’t!) and spoke in a monotone voice.  Give up?  If you know the answer – you have eaten too much junk food.  His name was Sundae.   Here is a very short clip of him – and I’m sorry it gets cut off – but it’s the best I could find:
I also found this commercial- with a different dog and Ronald….
Hokey.  But cute.
And our last McDonald dog connection.  This is a recent news story about a dog in Oklahoma.   It seems the clever dog would somehow escape her home at night, go to the local McDonald’s, and pretend she was a stray.  So that people would feed her.
I’m not 100% sure I believe this story. I mean how did the dog get out of the house?!  Now if it was a PON, I would believe it.  I’m surprised Einstein aka Houdini hasn’t tried this yet.  Mind you,  it would be a pretty long walk to a McDonald’s from our house.
So there you have the canine connection to the fast food chain.  I knew you would be wondering as you had your Big Mac today.  Or your Keep Calm Caesar salad. 
Today my human is getting the snow tires off Ludwig. Blizzard in the forecast tomorrow!!! Just kidding.  I hope!
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 12

Uncle Steven

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Uncle Steven has passed away.  No – he wasn’t my human’s uncle, nor was he mine.  Although we are definitely distantly related.  Uncle Steven was a Basset Hound, who spent the first 7 years of his life in a a puppy mill- as a stud dog.  He was finally surrendered to an animal shelter and then fostered  by a young woman. She had to do a lot of socializing with him – he was reportedly very fearful.  He received the name Uncle Steven because of a resemblance to a family member.  When the woman’s home situation changed, she had to find a permanent home for the dog  – and he was adopted by a man and his wife. They worked with him and within a year, he became a certified therapy dog. 

Uncle Steven became the first therapy dog at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada to regularly visit the library.  Here’s a short clip, made by a student:
Uncle Steven shared his calm, happy demeanor with students at Carleton for two years.  Sadly his work was done this week – and more than just the humans in his family, mourned the loss of this canine ambassador.
The positive effects of using therapy dogs with university students has actually been researched.  Results have shown that stress levels are reduced.  In many places, dogs are used exclusively during exam time to help reduce stress and worry.  
In addition, some universities see the positive effects of having pets all the time  – so some allow pets even in residence!   Here’s an article about the most pet friendly colleges and universities: 
Many restrict things like type of pet or the size of your dog.  But it’s wonderful to see that these institutions of higher learning are recognizing and supporting the positive role that we canines play.
But I don’t need to tell YOU that!
Uncle Steven- thanks for being so kind to humans – even though the humans were not so kind to you in your early days.   May you find peace and lots of massaging at the Rainbow Bridge.  Well done…
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 11

A spring walk.

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Thursday night, Einstein got his stitches out.  Everything looked good, but the vet said he still needs to wear his shirt for another week.  And no rolling on the ground outside…

At the same time Einstein was getting his stitches out, Pig Pen was at his vet getting his stitches out on his ear.  His vet was happy that they were able to remove all traces of his tumor.  Good news.
We haven’t seen Pig Pen since the two surgical patients went under the knife. So when Pig Pen’s human texted in the morning to go for a walk, we thought it was a splendid idea. The FG had just completed his 45 minute constitutional, so it was our turn. 
The snow was still on the golf course, but large patches of grass were also visible. It was a perfect morning.  No wind.  Temperature just at feeezing, so the ground was hard and not yet muddy. The sun was shining .  The sky was a brilliant blue.The robins were singing and the ducks were on the pond.  Perfect. And we were all off leash.
But slowly, one by one we had to be put in bondage.  First it was the good dog, Pig Pen.  The ponds are all ice free.  So you know what that means to him.  Water is like a magnet and he is like a paper clip. Fwump.  It draws him in.  He eyed the pond from the edge- and his human shouted “no!!!!” His incision healed but he did have to have some fluid taken off – so he shouldn’t get it wet. Busted. Back on leash.
Einstein and I ran along, taunting poor Pig Pen a bit.  Then, as my human should have expected, Einstein hit the snow rolling.  He was wearing his stylish shirt – but my human raced over to stop him.  Ever try to stop a rolling PON?  It’s not easy.  At all.  She had to offer treats so he stopped.  We continued on and not 10 feet later, he was back at it.  Dog #2 leashed.
I was all proud that I was the last dog standing.  Free. And then I discovered something.  Spring has definitely returned.  And so have the geese.  And you know what THAT means.  Free appetizers!!!  Goose poop.  I had a few good sausage shaped treats before my human grabbed me.  I of course looked at her and smacked my lips.  Dog #3 on leash.
All in all though, a perfect Spring morning.  But don’t put those shovels away just yet. My human is getting the snow tires off Ludwig on Monday.  So you can expect we’ll be getting a blizzard on Tuesday….
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 10

Mount Washington

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April 12.  And according to my sources, on this day in 1934, the strongest surface wind  gust in the world (231 miles per hour) was recorded on the summit of Mount Washington.  Mount Washington is the highest peak in the northeastern US at 6288 feet above sea level.  Now for my friends who live in the alps or the Rockies, that may not seem big.  But the thing about Mount Washington is that it experiences some of the craziest weather in the world.  There are even Danger signs as you get part way up- warning that the weather can change at any moment.  

My human climbed Mount Washington in her much younger days.  She had no idea what she was doing.  She went with a friend- and they were NOT prepared. They just thought it was a simple day hike.  Clearly they didn’t read about it beforehand.  It’s a 6 mile trip – with some rock climbing as you get closer to the top.  But somehow they made it.  With a lot of huffing, puffing, moaning and groaning.  And dancing when they got to the top.  Then they realized they had to get back down.  And they had no money to take the tram. They decided there was no way they would take the same route down that they had taken on the way up.  So they took the auto road back down – which is 7.6 miles.  You will often see bumper stickers saying “ This car climbed Mountain Washington.”  My human said she wanted pants that said “ This butt climbed Mount Washington.”  Somebody should make those.
Anyway – in case you are wondering, I have not climbed Mount Washington.  BUT – dogs CAN do the trek. When I was looking into this, I found the story of Lucy.
 Lucy was a multi-breed dog who was living on the streets of Puerto Rico.  Sadly, she was in an automobile accident and was paralyzed.  But luckily for Lucy, she was rescued by a woman named Courtney.  Courtney saw to it that Lucy was outfitted with a wheelchair- because she was a high energy dog.  And then they set a goal.  To climb Mount Washington.  They trained for weeks for the journey.  And on August 18, 2010, after six hours and two minutes – Lucy became the first dog to climb Mount Washington in a wheelchair.  Here is her video:
As you see, they had lots of rest breaks.  And when Lucy got to the top, she didn’t look worse for the wear!  I think you call that heart.  
And we heart Lucy.  She set an example that disabled dogs can lead happy, exciting and adventurous lives.  And she also showed us that, just like in life, “every mountain top is within reach , if you just keep climbing!” (Barry Finlay) 
I hope your mountains today are climbable and your journey lots of fun. Now excuse me while I get my leash!
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 9
I

Company!

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So Tuesday was an interesting day.  My human was on a super clean-a-thon, so we knew something was up.  Super cleaning generally means company. That’s different than the usual dusting and vacuuming that happens at least once a week – when the dust bunnies begin to become chase-able.  Super cleaning includes floor scrubbing, and the fastidious removal of canine olfactory art.  From windows, doors, cupboards, walls, ceilings.  OK.  Not ceilings.  Mind you there probably IS some dog slobber on some ceiling from us shaking our heads after drinking. Especially from the FG.  Because he is taller.  His DNA is EVERYWHERE.  After he eats, as well, it is critical that he rub his face on any and all vertical surfaces.  And on carpets. 

Anyway, we watched my human as she cleaned.  She would pick up our assorted toys and bones, put them in the big copper boiler to store them, turn around to get the vacuum, only to turn and see that we were already removing the toys and bones she had just put away. 
Then we would want to go out, after she finished vacuuming,  and we would bring in an assortment of leaves.  And snow.  Yes – we would bring both.  Vacuuming with dogs is futile.  Kind of like trying to drain the ocean with a paper cup.
The cleaning day wore on.  She fed us our supper and then in a cheery voice, told us to come in the bedroom.  Fellow dogs- always beware the cheery voice. We went in, and before we could turn around, she was putting a rickety gate across the doorway.  She said we had to stay there and behave – not everyone appreciates jumpy canines.  Who the heck is this “everyone?”
Well it turns out it was a date.  A big, tall dark- haired  man.  
Just kidding.  No point in fabricating that story – everybody knows April Fools Day is over.  No – it was her “Book Club.”  She just joined this group a few months ago – and it was her turn to host.  Wonder if all the other women spent as much time cleaning when they hosted.
When the first group of ladies arrived, one asked if she could say hello to us.  “Sure” my human said – while her mind was racing about who was going to knock down the gate and race into the DFZ to steal the cheese log.  My human held the gate, but that’s when I realized the mesh was loose. I immediately tried to burrow my way through.  So my human is holding my head and the gate, Einstein is barking and the FG is leaping up and down.  The first woman walked away after the raucous introduction – and now another one came to say hello.  Over the blasting of Einstein’s barking my human answered the usual “what are they” question.  Again I tired to squirm through the mesh- while my human pushed me back. The second woman went to the living room. My human gave us the stink eye and said “sit.”  She ran to the kitchen, grabbed some treats and flung them on the floor.  While we were gobbling them up she turned the gate so the loosened mesh would no longer be at floor level.  Secure again.
She joined the ladies for the discussion that was just about to begin.  That’s when the usually quiet Picard began squeaking.  Loudly.  Constantly.  She excused herself- went to the bedroom, said “settle down” and went back to the group.  Five minutes later, Einstein starts barking.  She excuses herself again and again (with the stink eye) says “settle down.”  The discussion continues.
Ten minutes later, she can hear the gate being rattled.  She knows all it will take is one good punch – and it will be PONdemonium.  She sneaks out AGAIN.  She “pretends” to throw treats – (which was pretty sneaky) and as we all turn around, she CLOSES THE BEDROOM DOOR. 
Initially we were all in shock.  We lay down and were stunned.  My human listened and breathed a sigh of relief.  Peace.  At last.
About a half hour went by, and that’s when Einstein decided he had had enough. Remember- this is the dog who does not like to be “contained.” He basically slammed against the door- so loudly that it literally caused the book discussion to stop – and everyone looked at my human.  “Is everything OK?” someone asked. My human nervously smiled and said “oh he’s just trying to get out.  He’ll be fine.”  She was secretly saying a prayer of thanks that he couldn’t open the door.  Unlike another PON she knows.  Zan can open doors that have a lever handle. Luckily we don’t have those.  
Einstein resorted to throwing himself at the door again – like a cop breaking into a felon’s hideout.  He stopped when he realized it wouldn’t work.
As the evening wore on, we eventually did settle down.  Although every twenty minutes or so, Einstein would let out a bark or two – just to remind my human that we were in there.  And alive.
When everyone left, my human cleaned up the dishes and put away leftover food.  And then she FINALLY released us from our bondage.
Now despite the unwanted sequestering- there WAS an upside to the evening.  Which actually extended into the next day.  One word that made it all worthwhile:  leftovers.  Veggies.  Cheese.  Fruit.  While the FG proceeded to toss his carrot sticks around the dining room, Einstein and I gobbled down our fill.  And the FG’s if his toss went the wrong way.
For some reason, my human doesn’t remember much about the discussion from that night.  Her  next turn to host won’t be for months.   Einstein is already planning his escape.  
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 8

The good breeder

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Yesterday, after my human shoveled snow, and we had had our snowy walks and breakfast, she had a good chat with an old friend.  Her friend is a dog breeder.  I won’t say what breed – because it could be ANY breed – and we’ll keep this a “generic” story.  

Her friend was commiserating about a bunch of recent calls that she has had from people who own her breed.  But they did not get their dogs from my human’s friend. These people are having problems with health, and behavior issues in their dogs.  My human’s friend is a very nice person.  AND a good breeder.  So she asks the people why they don’t talk to their breeder.  Which brings me to my discussion today.   What makes a good breeder?
When people are getting a puppy, they are often familiar with the typical questions to ask the breeder:  “Ask to see the parents of the puppies.  Ask about health clearances.  Ask if the breeder’s dogs have had health issues.”   Those are the standard questions that a good breeder will easily answer. 
But that’s just scratching the surface of what makes a good breeder.  And trust me – you WANT a good breeder.  My human remembers when she got her first purebred Bernese….
Before the Bernese,  my human had two purebred dogs (“with papers”) growing up.  In retrospect, these dogs who became amazing family members, were bred by well-intentioned people who were not regular dog breeders.  They had a litter.  They sold the puppies.  And that was that.  I’m not even certain they had any health clearances, and frankly, back then, my human wouldn’t have even thought to ASK. Back then, you saw an add in the paper, you called, and you went to get your puppy.  Simple. 
So when my human went to get her first Bernese, imagine her surprise when the breeder wanted her to complete a questionnaire!  A questionnaire?   Seriously?  My human’s immediate thought was – I’m the one who is paying for this puppy – shouldn’t I be the one asking the questions?!  It was at that point that she found out what a really GOOD breeder is all about.
The breeder, who asks what might seem like rather intrusive questions about your training methods, your home environment and where the dog will sleep (!) – is asking those questions because he or she CARES about those puppies that they have just produced.  That is a GOOD breeder. That breeder has made THE best effort to breed healthy puppies who will have good longevity and good temperaments.  That breeder loves those puppies – and after all the work involved in breeding and raising a litter – he or she is truly sad to see those puppies leave for their new homes.  That breeder also wants to be sure that he or she has matched you to the best puppy for your lifestyle.  Some puppies may be more of a handful (can you imagine?!) so the breeder will want to be sure that’s the right puppy for you.   And IF you have a good breeder, that is NOT the end of your relationship.  It’s just the beginning! IF you have a good breeder, that should be the person you are able to contact with ANY issues related to your canine companion.  For the LIFE of your dog.  Now I’m not suggesting that you have to talk to the breeder every week – and as dogs get older, contact may not be as frequent.  But any GOOD breeder WANTS to know about their puppies – because that breeder learns about his or her breeding program from YOU!   That GOOD breeder wants to know it all – even when that dog’s job on this earth is done.
  
If you go to get a dog – and there are no questions asked of you – it’s a red flag that the person isn’t really “in this” for the betterment of the breed.  Let’s face it, if you make the decision to share your life with a purebred dog, you want to start off at the right place. Just as you want the right puppy – you want the right breeder!  The breeder should be someone you TRUST – and someone you can call on at any time.  
My human has been lucky.  After she realized WHY all the questions were being asked with that first Bernese, she happily answered them.  She admits she has had very good breeders breeders over the years.  And ALL of them were more than willing to answer ANY questions or concerns – no matter how old her dog was. 
In this day and age when purebreds get a bad rap (I’ve ranted on about this before), and when we are seeing the possible extinction of some breeds, it is critical that people understand what constitutes a good breeder.  Frankly, registration papers are not proof that you have purchased a healthy, happy, dog with a good temperament.  Papers are just papers.  What really counts is who produced those papers. And even though, good breeders can not guarantee a perfect puppy because they don’t control nature – they will have done everything possible to make sure that you have a healthy companion for a long time.  And they want to know about your dog – for that long time.  THAT is the definition of a GOOD breeder.  In my opinion.  Just sayin.  
So those are my random thoughts for today.  Now excuse me while I get my human moving – I think she has more shoveling to do….
 Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 7