Howdy doody blogaroos. Squirmy here on the countdown to end 2023. Honestly, for us dogs, one day is just like the next – although we DO notice a difference in days when the clocks are changed. Particularly when we need to wait an extra hour for supper….Otherwise, every day is like Christmas to us! We celebrate getting up in the morning; we celebrate walks; we celebrate breakfast, snacks, supper,; we celebrate someone scratching our ears; we celebrate someone tossing a ball; we celebrate when we’re reunited with you – even if you just went into the bathroom; to sum it up – we celebrate life. Maybe not such a bad example for humans – especially when they are writing up their “resolutions” for next year.

2023 sure was an up and down year for us. While I continue to go to obedience classes, I didn’t enter trials like the Warden had hoped I would. While I did get a CARO Rally Novice title, I didn’t attempt any obedience trials. It MIGHT have something to do with my “visiting” during the stay exercises. When I first started my obedience training , that was a real problem. Then it seemed to go away. But guess what? Like a boomerang, it’s back. So the Warden says until she can feel 90% confident that I WILL stay, she’s not entering me in any trials. Maybe when I turn 10.

Nobody else in this household got any ribbons for anything either. But, really both the Coyote and the Boss have won a bigger prize- they are both here to see the New Year. The Boss has actually had very good health this past year, but he’s no Spring chicken anymore – so we party every month.

And as for the Coyote – holy moly he was one very sick dude. But against all odds, he is still here – lovin’ and livin’ a GOOD life. Every day he eats all his meals, we count it as a very good day. The Warden sent a Christmas greeting to the veterinarian who first saw him when he was so sick. She hasn’t seen him since then. Her response was “oh…my….goodness!” She was pretty surprised and happy that he’s still here. Thing is – she didn’t know he had well wishers and prayer warriors around the WORLD rooting for him. We want to thank YOU for having a role in him still being here.

Since Sue and Keith arrived we’ve enjoyed lots of walks, treats and ear scratches. It’s been awesome. Except for the Boss this morning….

It had snowed a few inches overnight and the world looked like a winter wonderland.

Unfortunately, despite the picture perfect backdrop, the snow was wet. And wet snow equals soccer ball sized snowballs on PON feet. The Boss did NOT want to walk. Sue was walking him – so she had to keep stopping to try and break up the snowballs.

The Coyote doesn’t seem to have as big a problem with snowball formation. Instead, he needs to be redirected from acting like a snowplow with his open mouth. He believes snow is meant to be eaten. And IF you eat enough, your innards freeze up and then you barf. But not to worry- someone will clean it up.

Meanwhile, while the Boss was walking like a wet bag of potatoes, and the Coyote was acting like a snowplow, yours truly was trotting along looking like a guy who rode his horse way too long. I was all bow-legged- but that didn’t stop me! Nothing stops me. I’m never tired. Ever. And stopping to take a photo does NOT make me happy…

But despite the less-than-peaceful walk for the humans, we canines DID enjoy ourselves. When the Boss knew we were headed for home, he definitely picked up the pace. Snowballs and all.

So here we are we bidding 2023 good-bye. Au revoir. Do widzenia. Adiós. Arrivederci. Auf Wiedersehen. Dag. Adjø. Hej då. Antio. Farvel. Sayonara. Dasvidaniya. Adeus. Namaste. Atiu. Do pobachennya.

We welcome 2024 – hoping it is filled with good health, lots of treats and happy memory-making moments!!!! We’re not making any resolutions- because we’ll likely break them by next week. Instead, we’ll keep it simple. Live large in 2024. Be grateful for every day – even when you’re weighed down with heavy snowballs. As long as you can still smile and wag – do it. Even for a minute.

Thanks for reading – see you next year!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos! Squirmy here on December 26 – also known as Punching Day. At least that’s MY name for it. Other people call it Boxing Day. It’s the day after Christmas when everyone recycles their boxes. Or so they should. But that’s not REALLY why it’s called it. You can read about the origins of Boxing Day here:

https://www.almanac.com/boxing-day

Boxing Day is also a day when stores have big sales so that those dog toys you bought before Christmas- and which are now all chewed up – can be bought for a cheaper price! Except not in Nova Scotia. We don’t have Boxing Day sales until the day AFTER Boxing Day. Today everything is closed. Confused? Me too. Good thing I don’t shop!

We had a quiet Christmas. The Warden was home with us and we pretty much relaxed all day. BUT we also did open presents! You see us seriously waiting to grab them in the photo. You can’t see us shaking because it’s not a video. After the photo we were semi-calmly moved into the dining room where we shredded the paper. We got some cool chew things. At one point I decided they were all MINE. Guess what. They weren’t. And the Warden quickly reminded me that I need to share. Blah blah.

So it was a quiet Christmas- with the Warden spending an inordinate amount of time on the phone. “Catching up” with friends. Meanwhile we chewed our new toys.

But TONIGHT – Christmas happens AGAIN. Because Sue and Keith arrive!!!! Yee-haw!!! Ricochet targets return!!! We can’t WAIT!!!

We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas making merry memories. We hope you continue to enjoy this festive season for the next few days. Eat the cake and cookies and biscuits. Visit and call those you love. Don’t pee on the Christmas tree. And don’t break or destroy your new toys. At least not until the New Year.

OK. Gotta go for the morning walk – it’s finally light out. Hey – the days are getting longer! I’m spending every extra minute causing chaos. How about you?

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos!! Squirmy here – on CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

I’m not sure WHERE December went, but by now all the stores look like they have been hit by a hurricane. Or a pack of hungry PONs looking for a treat.

Rumor has it that Santa MIGHT be bringing us some chew toys. It was suggested I put that on my list. So I’m thinking we MAY get some. The Warden and Santa seem to have some weird “connection.” Maybe because they are the same age.

I was discouraged from putting a puppy or kitten on the list – simply because “they” say Christmas is NOT a good time to get a pet. Bla bla.

I DO know SOMEONE who IS getting a PON puppy right after Christmas – but it’s a BIG secret. I can’t WAIT to blab the news!!!

Meanwhile, the Warden has stocked our fridge like we’re waiting for a pandemic. Something is up…Could it be company….

As we await Jesus’s birthday bash, I figured you could all use a neat dog- related Christmas story. Straight from Newfoundland, Canada. Give this one a read – and well, the video may bring a tear or two. (Don’t worry – nobody dies).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/scott-jewison-christmas-surprise-1.7066360

We are all ready here for Santa, and we celebrate a melting pot of Christmas traditions in our house – combining our Polish, French, Canadian and American heritages. This website gives a great overview of international traditions- check it out (starting with Traditions in Poland) .

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/poland

The Warden grew up with Wigilia on Christmas Eve. No meat was eaten – but the Warden never knew it was to remember the animals with Baby Jesus in the manger. Fish are OK to eat, because Baby Jesus had no aquarium. I particularly like the Polish legend that at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals can talk! If the Boss starts talking more than he already does, we are all in big trouble.

You know, I had a long want list for Santa, and then I started rethinking things. In September, we learned the Coyote was very, very sick – and honestly, the Warden wasn’t sure he would live to see Halloween…

At the same time, three years ago, the Vet said that with his heart condition, the Boss MIGHT live to see his 12th birthday. As you may recall, he turned 13 LAST January…

So Santa, I don’t REALLY need any toys this Christmas. While I don’t have any IN the house, I do have lots which I have managed to scatter outdoors.

Treats would be nice – but let’s face it, I get plenty every day.

I don’t want attire – I already have a suit that makes me look like some kind of weird gymnast and a raincoat that’s a nuisance to put on.

Instead of asking for anything else this year Santa, instead I would like to say THANK YOU. Thanks for granting my Christmas wish which I made back in October – that I would get to celebrate Jesus’s birthday bash with both the Coyote and the Boss. They are both here – living their best lives. The Warden says that’s the BEST gift ever. That and the fact that we all actually sat for this Christmas photo…

We won’t go into the specifics of how we got this shot. It involved some serious treats. And a stiff drink for the Warden when it was over.

We also ask Santa, that every single person reading this, has a joyful, happy Christmas. The gift of celebrating with those you love, is the greatest gift of all.

From me, the Coyote, the Boss and the Warden we wish you a very Merry, memory-filled Christmas! Thank you so much for reading ❤️

Wesołych Świąt! Joyeux Noël!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos!!!! It’s me – Squirmy! Still here and still causing chaos!!!

I’m not sure Santa is going to be pleased with the current weather outlook here in Nova Scotia. It’s raining. And it’s windy. And more of the same tomorrow. And Wednesday. Santa will have to come in an ark.

Well it’s the time of year for the annual Christmas photos. Not a CHANCE we would ever go together to the Mall to pose with Santa. First off, the Warden would need another pair of hands to control us. Even then it could be sketchy. Remember the time she and Joanie took the Boss, the Coyote and Viktor to get a special blessing on St Francis day? The Coyote jumped out of the vehicle and took off. There was a commotion trying to catch him. When the dust settled and they were all under control, the Warden requested an exorcism before the blessing. Such great memories…

Anyway, taking us to the Mall is CLEARLY not possible. Seriously, do ya think I’d get any gifts if I tried to pull off Santa’s gloves. And all that fur on his suit? I’ve seen pictures. The guy is just asking to be swung around by a Malinois.

Anyway, the Warden thought instead of antlers, she would try mouse ears. Mouse ears! I guess in reference to “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” There were ZERO photos worthy of a Christmas greeting.

Case in point, this beauty. Usually the Coyote just looks sad with head gear. Here he looks almost mad. And I’m definitely sneering. Even Mr Happy Picture Taker doesn’t look all that thrilled…

Here I stick out my tongue while the Coyote agrees to pose – for a profile shot:

Here the Coyote is smiling. Because he’s dreaming of me falling backward off the rock. And I can read his thoughts. The Boss is in poser mode.

So then the Warden concedes defeat – and actually rethinks the whole mouse thing. She admits it was a moment of Dollar Store weakness.

So then she decided to try individual shots with the wreath around our necks. Of course the Boss was a willing participant. And even the Coyote looked at her. But yours truly? I looked mad or sad in every shot. Here are a few examples:

She told me to smile. I wouldn’t. She can get the Boss to smile by telling him to speak. That’s her smiley trick with him. But me? I don’t speak on command. I prefer to talk when I initiate the conversation. So the Warden had this not so bright idea of having me play fetch a bunch of times. She figured I would be breathing with my mouth open after a few runs. And I was. And I looked smiley. Until she put the wreath around m neck. Then I wasn’t smiling. Not to mention the fact that every time I fetched the toy off the wet grass, my face got more and more dirty and wet. THIS was the result:

She had to quit and fluff me all up again and take me out later.when she got the photo you see above.

We know you like bloopers – so we decided to take a little trip down Christmas Memory Bloopers Lane. Enjoy.

And our all time favorite Christmas photo, entitled It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

The Warden says we are not done yet. She might not be – but trust me – we are. At least I am. And so is the Coyote. But the poser will do anything. Including this one.

Seriously. The guy will do ANYTHING for a treat. Needless to say, she didn’t try the box shot with me. Or the Coyote.

Apparently, Christmas baths are on the agenda this week. Does Santa REALLY care how we smell?! I mean those reindeer can’t exactly be fresh as a daisy!

OK. Enough for today. Happy last minute shopping!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Yo. Blog people. Elroy here. You haven’t heard from me in some time because the Imp likes to blabber on more than moi, and well, I wasn’t feeling all perky and happy for a while there. As you probably know, I got bit by a tick and became pretty darn sick. Yo. I’m a poet. Anyway, I got tick sick.

As you may know, I’m not exactly what one would call a “foodie” at the best of times – and when I was sick, eating was the LAST thing on my mind. I lost about 12lbs in a very short time.

I want to forget my days in the vet hospital -although I definitely have PTVS- post traumatic vet syndrome – because now whenever I step into ANY vet clinic, I shake. And I squeak. Continuously.

Throughout the month of September and October, getting me to eat was like a science experiment. Or maybe an Olympic sport. That required LOTS of endurance. While I probably should have adhered to a low protein diet, that requirement went out the window. The goal was to get me to eat. Anything. Absolutely anything. Her Highness knows the people who work at every single pet store in the region – and probably every butcher shop too. And of course, the attempts to find something I liked, resulted in some pretty interesting bowel movements. If I do say so myself. Some of which were NOT very nice. Or controlled.

Yo. Enough about that. From September to the end of October, Her Highness accounted for every single calorie I ate. If I ate a biscuit, she checked the bag to see how many calories were in it. She wrote down EVERY morsel I ate. We never shared this – but in September, our vet had said that if I didn’t maintain a certain caloric intake, I would be “starving to death.” So Her Highness was on a mission to be sure that didn’t happen.

Now some days were pretty brutal – with her syringing liquid food into my mouth. It wasn’t nice for any of us. And finding things I would consistently eat was a challenge. Mind you – that’s ALWAYS been an issue for me. My tastes change. Rapidly.

There were – and continue to be, ups and downs in my eating. Like the past three days (leading up to my vet visit) I decided supper should be optional. But since November, I have generally been eating two meals and a bunch of snacks each day. I will eat sweet potatoes ANY TIME. And I feel good. I love to go for walks, and car rides and I still like wrestling with the Imp. As long as he doesn’t bite me. He’s a rough wrestler.

Anyway, today I went back to the vet. She had not seen me since mid-September.

Despite the fact that I practically needed to be dragged into the clinic, I did get on the scale. And I weighed 7 1/2 lbs more than the last time I was there. Call me the Hulk. Hardly – but a guy can dream. While I was waiting for the vet to come into the room, I literally shook from head to tail. And I squeaked. A loud squeak that could be heard throughout the clinic. Her Highness tried everything to calm me down. She tried petting me. Didn’t work. She tried cajoling me. Didn’t work. She gently held my muzzle. Didn’t work. She tried ignoring me. Didn’t work. I wanted OUT.

I was fine with the vet, although the entire time Her Highness and the vet were talking, it was over my incessant squeak. The vet examined me, and all seemed fine. She said she was pretty surprised to see how much weight I had gained. She wanted to do some blood tests and she also wanted to take a look at my pee. I was great for the technician who took my blood, and I willingly peed outside for another tech – whose hand I peed on. But she did catch enough in a bottle to analyze the yellow stuff.

The vet called a few hours later and she said “well- he’s defying the odds. His kidney values are better again.” Overall I had a few anomalies in my results – but as the vet said -“nothing horribly alarming.” So we stay the course. Her Highness will continue to jam 6 pills down my throat each day. Yeah – I have an incredible talent for finding pills in anything. Peanut butter. Bread. Pill pockets. Yogurt. Heck- I can even spit them out if you don’t put them all the way back in my throat. It’s my special talent. So they have to be jammed way in. I’m used to it.

So keep those prayers, healing vibes and positive energies coming this way. I thank each and every one of you who have sent them – they CLEARLY have worked. I’m defying the odds. Go figure. The Boss says that’s no surprise as I’ve always been odd.

Guess I can start thinking of a letter to Santa. And I MAY even pose for some Christmas photos. We’ll see….I’m not big on antlers.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos! Remember us? Holy moly- we have been very tardy in writing lately. Not to worry – everything is fine. 

So what have we been up to? Well, the Christmas explosion has gone off at our house – and the place is FILLED with more Santas, elves, trees, Baby Jesuses, and ornaments than a Christmas market in Germany. We’ve watched the Warden lugging boxes around the house – usually while moaning and groaning. Fa la la la la. On Saturday, she hauled in the Christmas tree – purchased at a local tree stand. Why she didn’t just cut one down in the woods I’ll never know. Sure – the bought tree is pretty, but it’s so dense, it was hard to hang the ornaments. Lesson for next year. 

She set it up in the former DFZ. That’s Dog Free Zone in case you don’t know. But the name has changed. It’s now called Frodo’s Lounge. Once she started allowing him to go in, there was no stopping him. He rattles the gate to go in- even when she’s not in there. And trying to tell him “no” is fruitless. He is completely milking his “senior dog status” .  He refuses to take “no” for an answer. With everything. He just stares at her and persists at yelling out his demands. Whether it’s going into his Lounge, demanding a treat, or reminding her when it’s time for bed. Oh – and speaking of bed and sleeping- he has now entered into that phase of life where he sleeps SO soundly, you literally have to shake him to wake him up. The first time it happened, the Warden thought he was a goner – and then she realized he was snoring ever so quietly. When he sleeps, he SLEEPS. But back to the tree.

On Saturday night when it was placed in the stand, he walked in the room and was immediately annoyed. It was in the way of his “favorite snoring spot” and he didn’t know WHERE to settle. He wandered around the room, trying to find THE second best spot. He plopped down in a hmph. 

Yesterday, after the Warden lugged the ornaments from downstairs, he was even more annoyed. Now he had to navigate around boxes. The nerve of her impeding his movements. So what did he do? He plopped down two feet in front of the tree and spread himself out like a bear rug in his Lounge. As a result, the Warden had to literally  step over him to jam 4,000 ornaments on the tree. Half way through the ordeal, he made the task even more “fun” by letting out a series of aromatic “puffies” while asleep. Even the fragrance of the tree couldn’t mask that smell. The Warden held an ornament in one hand and the other hand grasped her nose. Meanwhile, he wasn’t the least bit aware of the challenges he was creating. Or maybe he was….

Today we got our first REAL snowfall.  It is deep AND heavy. The kind of snow that causes branches to bend with the weight. And snowballs in PON paws. Fun for a few minutes. And that’s about it – as we walk inside weighing 10lbs more.

The Coyote was the first one out for his walk. Everything looked so pretty and Christmasy. And it was picture perfect – until the Warden looked up our rather long driveway. Branches were bending over in a lovely arch. Creating a nature made tunnel. Now most people would say “awwww.” But not the Warden. She said something I can’t print here. And why the less-than-happy exclamation. Well. Early in the fall, the Warden contacted Larry, our very nice plow guy to see if he would be plowing again this year. Yes indeed, he was. He did mention to the Warden that he had a brand new truck, and he was asking that the trees along the driveway be pruned back two feet. Sure! Easy peasy. While Sue and Keith were here, they helped with the branch removal. The Warden contacted Larry to say it had been done. A few weeks later, Larry came by to see the results. He wanted more cut back. So, the Warden went out one day and pruned back more. She figured a tractor trailor could drive through, so it should be fine.

Until this morning. She had pruned back, but not up. As she’s walking the Coyote, she’s reaching up and shaking branches- causing an avalanche of snow on the two of them. The Coyote thought the whole snow thing was GREAT fun. He doesn’t care about snowballs on his feet or in private areas. The snow doesn’t seem to stick to him as much as us PON snow magnets. He didn’t want to come in after his short walk. 

Next it was the Boss’s turn. This time, the Warden armed herself with this long pruning thing- to grab and shake more branches. The Boss was NOT impressed with any of this. He trudged about 20 feet from the front door, barely squatted and pooped. He didn’t care to go further. So the Warden picked up his deposit and took him off leash. She knew he wasn’t going anywhere- and she proceeded to shake more branches. She worked her way up the driveway – while the Boss was lying in the snow supervising. She was all proud of her work until she stepped back and started second guessing if she had done enough. She brought the Boss in and when she took me out, she had clippers. I thought the snow was cool, but didn’t want to sit around supervising. I went back in the house after my walk while the clipping continued. 

A half hour later, the Warden came back in, sweating and with fogged up glasses. The wonderful Christmas tree scent was now overpowered by the smell of wet dogs. We love winter.

What else is new? The Coyote has a vet appointment on Thursday- just to check his status. Overall, he is eating OK – although he has become a bit “spoiled” with “toppers” on his kibble. No toppers. No eat. He eats half his breakfast when he gets up. And the other half mid-morning. Supper is the same. He eats half – and then it’s anybody’s guess of he’ll eat the other half at bedtime. There’s been a LOT of begging going on some nights. But it’s not for lack of appetite. Because he has one new FAVORITE thing (besides bully sticks) that he will NEVER refuse. Even after he refuses his meal. Sweet potatoes. Yeah – those dehydrated, dried pieces of orange goodness. He absolutely LOVES them. We were going through so many bags of sweet potatoes that the Warden decided she had to make her own. A small bag (which in this house can be gone in three days) is like $15 – so she had to do something. She doesn’t own a dehydrator- so she just sliced them and baked them in the oven at 250 for like 3 hours. They are not EXACTLY like the ones you buy – the store bought ones seem more tough to chew. But, the Coyote doesn’t care. He LOVES when she takes the bin out of the refrigerator. They say they can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks. But they are usually gone in three days in this house. Two GIANT potatoes, when thinly sliced will fill three baking sheets. BUT they do shrink. A LOT.  Still – they are a cheaper alternative to the store bought kind. See me for more recipe ideas. Who am I kidding? We PONs don’t need recipes. Just give us the raw ingredients- we’ll eat anything.

Speaking of which, when the Warden was FINALLY putting the ornament boxes away last night, she had a huge pile and dropped one. When she put the other boxes down, she returned for the dropped box. Yours truly was no where to be seen. Which she thought was odd, given my curiosity about ANYTHING. She picked up the box, which had some cotton batting that had been wrapped around the ornament. Just as she picked it up, I raced by with my jaws clenched tightly. But she could see tiny bits of white stuff on both sides of my mouth. Prying my jaw open to get the cotton batting was no easy task. “And that’s why you aren’t allowed in while I’m decorating,” she exclaimed . Who is she kidding. While she’s decorating? I’m not allowed in Frodo’s Lounge EVER. Probably because I do stuff like using the sofa as a trampoline. And I love to steal pillows. 

Haven’t started my letter to Santa yet. I have more research to do first. In this household, it’s critical to read reviews on any dog toys. They basically have to say they are approved for play by pack of hyenas and an angry grizzly bear to withstand the wrath of us guys. Hey – maybe I could start doing reviews and they could be “Wojtek approved.”  Mind you- the list would be small.

OK. Time to squeak to go out. Just because we can.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe, JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos! Squirmy here on what is Thanksgiving weekend in the USA. Days to be thankful and to eat EVERY morsel put in front of you – because you’re grateful for the food on your table. And let’s not forget being thankful for your canine “kids”.   To show your appreciation, make sure you share your Thanksgiving meal. At least the parts we CAN eat. Like plain mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and turkey without the skin, bones or stuffing. Rolls are fine too…

We’re in Canada and although the Warden and I are dual citizens, of both the US and Canada, our Thanksgiving celebrations were pretty low key this year. Although she did share some of her baked potato the other night. Even the Coyote was excited about that!

The Coyote continues to do well – and the Warden took the scary step of actually weighing him.  She held him in her arms while she stood on the bathroom scale. And IF her calculations are correct (keeping in mind that math is not her strong suit) it APPEARS he has gained 5-6 lbs!!!! Which is about half of what he lost when this  whole health thing began! 

So he’s got an appetite and is eating better – although he DOES still retain his Picky Picard attitude.  For example, dinner time he will eat half his food. So then the Warden offers the rest near bedtime. Some days he gobbles it down – and others, he says “meh.”  BUT – he WILL eat bread, or dehydrated sweet potatoes after he refuses his meal. So he’s clearly being picky. Which means – he’s almost back to himself!  He is back to playing Humpty Dumpty with me – so I know he’s feeling better.  But please don’t let those “healing vibes” and prayers stop – because we are so aware that anything can happen with this illness. But for now – we are THANKFUL!!!

Our house was TOTAL chaos yesterday. I mean more than the normal daily chaos. We had extra insulation installed in our attic. Not that we didn’t HAVE insulation – but we just needed more – because of the age of our house. 

Anyway, the insulation guys were supposed to arrive between 8:00AM and 8:30AM. Which meant we all needed to get up at 6:00 AM and do our daily walks in the dark before they arrived. Good thing we did. The guys arrived at 7:30 AM. Well. The chorus greeting was probably heard within a 5KM radius. And THEN – when they started walking overhead in the attic – we continually needed to sound the alarm. NOBODY is ever up in our attic – so we kept listening and warning them to vacate the premises.  They didn’t listen – so the Warden had a less-than relaxing breakfast. Our breakfasts were fine – we could ignore the trespassers while eating. We could ignore a colony of rabbits and a flock of sheep while eating. Even a clowder of cats. (The Boss gave me those group names. Clearly I didn’t think them up!)  Well – we PONs definitely could ignore those distractions while eating. The Coyote – he still doesn’t need anything to distract him during mealtime.  Food is, and always will be, a necessary evil in his mind. Poor guy.

But back to the insulation guys. When they were almost done, one guy came in the hallway – on the other side of a strategically placed gate and remarked “what lovely dogs.” “Yeah” the Warden said, “just don’t try to pet the grey one. He’s unpredictable.”  Me? Unpredictable? Just because I ricochet off people without warning, I’m unpredictable? Just because I might attempt to nibble someone’s fingers in an attempt to protect my home and loved ones?  Unpredictable?  Sometimes I get no respect.

Now that Thanksgiving is over – tradition says that the Christmas season has officially begun. You can ignore the fact that the Dollar Store has had both Christmas and Halloween items out at the same time for months.

Anyway, I’ve been searching for items to put on my Christmas list. And I found this article with lots of suggestions:

https://blog.homesalive.ca/dog-blog/top-christmas-gifts-for-dogs

One can skim through and find all kinds of kinds of ideas for gifts. But Santa, if you’re reading this – there’s a few things you need to know…

Anything stuffed is a no-go in this household. That “adorable” box of stuffed doughnuts wouldn’t be nearly as adorable 5 minutes after we got ahold of them. This is the destructo household. We have the curious minds of forensic pathologists. We NEED to see what’s inside. No stuffy is safe in this house. Skip the adorable doughnuts and anything else on the list that can be shredded. ANYTHING.

Those mental stimulation, educational toys fall flat here. The guys got three different types a few years ago – before yours truly arrived. They are still taking up valuable real estate in the closet. Educational toys require attention and patience. Are those words you would use to describe anyone in THIS household? I rest my case.

Now everyone in this house enjoys a good odor-free bully stick.  But as for the “long lasting” Monster sticks – I’m here to tell you they are all the same to me. Yeah – those sticks that are supposed to last for “hours” – it’s 20 minutes for yours truly with a 12 inch Monster.  The Warden usually puts a timer on – so we get to enjoy the $11.99 treats for more than a day. We all start out the same and after 10 minutes, mine is down to 6” while the other guys are still at 8-10”.  So they get rotated the next day, with me getting the longest one. The Warden calls bully sticks manna from heaven because they give her 10 minutes of freedom. 

So Santa – keep odor-free bully sticks on the Warden’s list. Note I am emphasizing ODOR-FREE. Ewwwwww-eeeee the regular ones stink. At least the Warden says they do. All the same to us. 

The Beef Esophagus looks interesting- but that’s a 3 minute treat for me. Hardly worth the expense. And the Yak cheese chews – sure they last longer. But the Warden calls them Yak Crack because they are so hard- she envisions the associated dental bills. That’s why there are no yummy antlers in this house any more. And why the Boss has a broken canine tooth. Actually, two broken canines. We are not gentle eaters.

Tug toys are always good. As long as I win. 

Any of those indestructible rubber toys are boring. There. I’ve said it. Non-toxic, FDA approved- what’s the fun in that?

We guys laughed hysterically at the thought of the Warden making DIY dog toys. Can. You. Imagine. She would work for hours and we would have them destroyed in 5 minutes. Hardly worth the effort. 

I’ll continue to look for gift lists. I still have lots of time to email my wishes to Santa. Treats are always a sure bet. Not long lasting- but nothing is.

OK. Time to walk the Warden. If you have any great suggestions for my wish list, send them my way. But no clothing. Thanks but no thanks.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Howdy blogaroos. Clean, fluffy Squirmy here. And WHY am I clean and fluffy? Because the Warden looked at me and said I look like a sheepdog who has been living with sheep- but in the woods. My feet were brown, my coat was covered in bits of branches and leaves and my face looked as if I had been munching on sheep morsels. Not to mention the fact that my aroma was somewhere between “Christmas pine” and “stagnant puddle.” So yesterday was a bath day for yours truly. And I survived.

And speaking of survival, the Warden is counting her lucky stars today…

Each morning, the Warden and the Boss get up and she gives him his medication. Then she grabs a biscuit, opens the front door and lets him out for a quick pee. He’s quick about it because he wants that biscuit.

This morning it was still dark, and the Warden forgot one very important thing. Her glasses. She opened the door, and as usual, the Boss headed left for the lawn. But it was then that the Warden noticed that not 20 feet in front of her, on the driveway, appeared to be “something”. But it was dark and she didn’t have her glasses. As she squinted, her brain finally woke up – and the shape of the dark “thing” began to register. She stepped out of the doorway and waved the treat for the Boss – praying he would not notice “the thing” which appeared to be moving away. Good thing he’s so food driven AND at 13 years 10 months, his eyesight could use glasses like the Warden. He ran to her as she tossed the treat inside and slammed the door. She then peeked out, squinting in the dark. Sure enough – “the thing” was moving away. The Boss had come within 20 feet (or less) of a porcupine. Talk about dodging a bullet. Or should I say, dodging some quills. Lesson learned- glasses on and no more off leash pees in the dark. Ever.

In other news, I had class yesterday after a few week hiatus because our coach had a well-earned holiday. And truth be told, she wasn’t the only one on a break. Our training had a bit of a slow down the past few weeks, so the Warden was a bit nervous that I would be rusty in class. But I’m here to tell you I was actually above my usual mediocre performance. I was actually pretty darn OK. I guess a break can be a good thing.

The Coyote continues to eat, pee, poop, drink, bark and wrestle with yours truly. So to sum it up, he’s doing well. Very well considering everything he’s been through. Keep those positive healing thoughts and prayers coming – they have REALLY worked!!!

According to the crazy calendar, today is Guinness World Records Day. And Guinness is currently investigating some recent claims about a dog that they proclaimed to be the World’s Oldest Dog. Bobi was a dog living in Portugal – and I think we talked about him before. He reportedly celebrated his 31st birthday in May. Sadly, a few weeks ago, he went to the Rainbow Bridge. It is understandable that people around the globe were thrilled to hear about a 30+ year old canine. Everyone wanted to know Bobi’s secrets to his longevity. Did he eat special food? Did he take supplements? Did he drink filtered spring water from the Andes? Did he go to the groomer regularly? Did he go to the gym? Did he have a personal trainer. Nope. Bobi had the life of a regular dog. Eating table scraps and wandering freely around his home and property. Seems like a pretty good life to me.

And although Guinness has pretty strict rules for confirming their World Records, it seems there is some skepticism about whether or not Bobi really was 31 years old. One veterinarian likened it to having a 200 year old human. While the Warden says she sometimes feels like 200, she’s not quite there yet. Although as Viktor used to say, she knew Caesar. The original one – not the TV dog training guy.

Anyway, whether or not Bobi was 31 or 21- people were still sad to hear he was gone. Unless we canines live as long as you humans, our time with you is never long enough. But we add an extra special element to your life – that make it so worth it. Despite the fact that the Warden says I have taken years OFF her life. Just kidding. Sort of. Bottom line – enjoy every cuddly, wagging tail, happy.-to-see-you, watch-your-every-move, giant licks moment. We certainly do. And remember those song lines from Canadian band, Trooper (with a little improv on my part), “ We’re here for a good time – not a long time- so have a good time…and go walk you dog today.”

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ

Howdy blogaroos. Squirmy here. Bright and early today. And why are we up bright and early? Because once upon a time, some dudes who must have had nothing better to do, sat around and said – hey, we have an idea that is so simple but can totally screw up lots of people all at once. Let’s move the clocks! Just because. Well- I’m sure there was a reason, but nowadays it seems like most people don’t think it’s a great idea. Sure. In the fall it means you get to sleep in an extra hour. UNLESS you are owned by dogs. Yeah – we canines don’t look at the clock. We feel the rumbling in our stomachs for breakfast- and we are UP. So we had the Warden up and walking us at 6AM. By 7:15 we had all been walked and fed. And then we were ready for a little nap. Pity she was too wide awake to take one.

So what’s new at the asylum? Well Sue and Keith abandoned us on Thursday. They were supposed to depart on Wednesday, but on Wednesday we had our first snowfall of the year, so they decided to wait. We did get a few inches of wet snow – but it’s now all gone. We hated to see them go. The Coyote will miss both of them – but I really think he is going to miss his running buddy, Keith. Every morning, we all went for our walks together. And because the Coyote is feeling better, he really likes to trot along the road. And if he trotted, Keith would run alongside him. They were always way ahead of us on walks. Particularly if the Boss was on a protest walk. He has never liked wet conditions and the older he gets, the more he protests. He walks like he’s in a funeral procession. So on moist days, you had the Coyote trotting way ahead, me in second place like a hummingbird on speed zigzagging with my nose to the ground, and in last place the sack of potatoes. Now on crisp cool days, the Boss easily kept up with me. But the Coyote was always in the lead.

The Warden was worried that when Sue and Keith left that the Coyote would be really out of sorts. We know he doesn’t do well with change. And while we are all sad, and he misses them, it thankfully hasn’t affected his appetite. Sometimes we almost hate to say anything- for fear of jinxing things – but we believe that the power of your prayers and good wishes outweighs the power of jinx. Whatever jinx is. Anyway, we are now two months past his initial diagnosis, and besides being skinny, he is doing great! He’s eating a bit more and more. For the past week he has met or exceeded his calorie goal. Now he needs to keep exceeding it – to put on some weight. But it’s coming. Keep those healing energies coming.

Halloween here saw a grand total of three super cute kids. Our neighbors across the road. It’s a good thing that the Warden prepared for 80 kids. With all the treats that she so happens to like.

According to the crazy calendar, today is National Donut Appreciation Day. So in honor of this day, here are a few recipes for your dog:

https://www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com/dog-donuts/

https://www.cookiedoughandovenmitt.com/apple-peanut-butter-dognuts-6/

We told the Warden that she should make us these since she has an extra hour today, and nothing else to do in that time. She said she has no donut pan. As if we care about the shape. I think that’s just a cop out.

Now that the pumpkins have been properly peed upon outside, it’s ALMOST time to start decorating for Christmas. Soon the assortment of elves and Santas and angels and Baby Jesuses will start appearing along with the moaning and groaning of the Warden as she moves 482 boxes, and we inspect each one. Good times. Gotta start thinking of my list for Santa. I’m putting a donut pan on the Warden’s list.

The Warden says this is her favorite time pre-Christmas. When stores are stocked with things you don’t need – and they are neat and tidy. In a few weeks, the shelves become a disaster – looking like a pack of puppies has been let loose. Enjoy it while you can.

OK. Time to make the most of this extra hour.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.

Happy Halloween blogaroos! Squirmy here. Do you recognize us in our scary dinosaur costumes?! In case you don’t – from left to right it’s me, the Boss and the Coyote. Some poor kids who went to the Dollar Store to find dinosaur costumes were out of luck. And instead the luck was ours. Although you can’t exactly tell by the Coyote’s expression.

Now one might think that little hooded costumes with a simple ribbon to hold it on – would not be THAT difficult. Guess again. Either we couldn’t see – so we would paw off the hood or the shiny fabric and spike things on our backs were just too intriguing to resist pulling. We could never have done these photos without the assistance of Sue. They had to cut holes in the Coyote’s costume for his ears. He didn’t really care.

In the first few shots, none of us was happy…

Then we realized there were liver treats and our mood improved…

Then the Boss realized there were not many treats left…

He was really not impressed…

But in the end we got a few cute shots out of the 458 taken – and the Warden called it a day. She thought for a nanosecond about a different location- but the look she got from Sue said she had enough material.

The Warden and Sue have prepared the 80 bags of chips and Cheetos and the assorted chocolates for the three kids who will brave our driveway for Trick or Treats tonight. We will be safely sequestered behind a gate so as not to traumatize any child with our Cujo-style barking. We know the Coyote is definitely feeling better because he again joins the PON choir if someone comes to the door . He’s even staring to bark if he’s hungry !!!! Go figure.

I tried to convince the guys that we should go Trick or Treating wearing our costumes on our road. Two against one I was voted down. I want a recount.

Anyway- have a safe and junk-food filled Halloween! And don’t forget extra treats for us canines!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.