Blog Feed

Time for a review of the morning monologue that my human had with us the other day.  I say monologue because we don’t speak human, although Einstein is very good at bark-speak.   So here we go…

“Frodo be quiet.  Frodo I’m getting up.  Seriously – it’s 4:45.  REALLY?  You CAN’T wait until 5:15?  OK. OK. I’m up.  Now wait while I get dressed.  Viktor stop licking Frodo’s ear.  Viktor STOP.  VIK-TOR STOP!!!!!!! Frodo no wonder your ear is a mess.  Don’t let him do that to you.  Stop him.  Elroy off.  Just WAIT while I get dressed.  Give me two minutes. (which by the way is more like 10 minutes…)

OK. Frodo be quiet.  Elroy goes first.  Elroy sit.  Elroy come back here.  Elroy SIT while I put on your harness.  Elroy SIT.  Good sit Elroy.  Frodo. Viktor here is some kibble.  Frodo be quiet while we go out.  Elroy the door is open.  Go out.  GO out.  Good pooping Elroy. No.  We can’t go down the trail now.  It’s too dark.  It’s TOO dark.  Let’s go back home.  Let go of the leash.  Stop it.  I’m going to fall.  Stop it. Wait – was that a bunny (which distracts him long enough to forget about tugging on the leash). Here’s the paper.  One drop and it’s mine.  It’s mine.  Frodo be quiet. ( from outside and up the driveway she shouts.  She opens the door).  Frodo I said BE quiet.  Viktor wait. Viktor put on your harness. Sit. Good sit.  Frodo be quiet. Elroy stay.  OK let’s go. Wait. Don’t pull.  No we are not going down the trail. It’s too dark.  That’s what you get for waking me up so early.  Good pooping Frodo.  Hurry up Viktor.  Good pooping again Frodo. Hurry up Viktor.  Frodo are you kidding me?  What were you eating?  Again?  Viktor hurry up.  VIK-TOR HURRY UP.  Good pooping Viktor.  Finally.  Let’s go home.  Whoa slow down. 

When my human was a child, she remembers her mother using the term “screaming meemies.”  My human though it was in reference to a child who was having a temper tantrum. When you look up the term, though, you see it can actually mean nervous hysteria.  Or the other spelling of Screaming Mimi actually referred to a type rocket used in Germany in WWII.  I suppose that type of Screaming Mimi could give you the other type of Screaming Meemies.  Anyway, why the discussion of this term anyway?  Because the FG had a case of the Screaming Meemies the other day – and my human thought of the term.

So how do the words driving, mustering and boundary go together?  They are all words having to do with herding. And given that my human lives with three herding dogs, she has become very interested in the different types of herding styles exhibited by different herding breeds. Not that they probably can’t be trained to do all of them – but some breeds are definitely better at certain aspects than others. For example, the term driving refers to moving livestock from one area to another – like through a gate and into a pen. Mustering refers to the retrieving of livestock from far away – and bringing them back to the farmer.  Boundary herding refers to the patrolling around the livestock – kind of like border patrol.  They keep animals from breaking up and wandering out of a certain area.  They also guard the flock. One site that talked about these behaviours noted that German Shepherds are great at boundary herding while border collies excel at driving and mustering.  But as I said, herding dogs can probably be trained to do any of these tasks. 

Trivia question: How long does it take two PONs to eat a BIG bag of dehydrated lamb lung that is left on a counter?

Today is April 20 and it’s National Look Alike Day.  Now I certainly have shared LOADS of photos of me and Einstien – because despite the difference in our colors and the fact that his coat mats as soon as you look at him (and mine doesn’t!)  – we are full brothers – so we DO look very much alike.

You can look back at this old blog to see more of our look alike photos!

https://viktorsviews.blogspot.ca/2015/04/national-look-alike-day.html

So today, let’s take a look at some photos of the FG – and his extended family and see if they look alike….

So here is the FG…

And here is his mother, Hally Berry…

And here is his half-brother, James Bond…

Are we seeing similarities?  And check out these shots of his grandfather, Flox…the first when he was younger and the next two as he is older…

And then we ALSO have his Uncle – Lughan!  Check him out!

And here he is after playing in the mud.  It must run in the family….

 I think that there are DEFINITE similarities between these family members.  They DO look alike!  And so it should be.  If you have good breeding, you should see consistency within the dogs in a line. Thank you to Anne Saucier and Michèle Valette for letting us use the photos of the FG’s family – and for their fine job of breeding!  Although I think my human could pass on the FG’s love for mud and digging!

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!
Seizure-free days: 14

The day before yesterday, the world learned of the loss of former US First Lady, Barbara Bush.  Now I am NOT getting into politics and whether or not you liked her husband or son.  Politics aside, one has to admire the love between her and her husband which lasted 73 years. In addition, her passion and support for literacy will be her legacy.   She supported programs directed at literacy for preschool children as well as their parents.  

Personally, I like her because she wrote (or edited) two books with her dogs.   The first was  C. Fred’s Story – written by the family’s cocker spaniel who lived while Barbara’s husband, George H.W. Bush was Vice President.  The second book was  Millie’s Book – written from the point of view of the family’s English Springer Spaniel – who lived in the White House when George H.W. was President.  

Millie actually had a treasury of puppies, and two of them also lived in the White House.  George H.W. and Barbara kept Ranger and George W. Bush later lived in the White House with Spot Fetcher –  who lived to the ripe old age of 14. 

It’s clear the that Bushes love dogs.  And vice versa…Sorry. I could resist.

The really cool thing though, about the Barbara Bush dog books is the fact that ALL the proceeds went to charities supporting literacy.  THAT is cool.

We have continued to behave so far this week.  I should note the FG was not involved in the coat fiasco.  Not that he couldn’t have been – he was in the room.  But this is one of those times that being a picky Picard was a good thing…Mind you, he was busy in the dining room working on the carpet…

Have a good one.Peace and paws up!
Seizure-free days: 13

OK.  It’s time to share a really horrible story.  Einstein and I were bad.  REALLY bad.  And well, I started it.  It was my idea.  I might as well confess.  I’m hoping I get less time if I plead guilty.

On Sunday night, my human was doing some housecleaning and she went to put something in the bedroom.  She closed the door and then got distracted reading something.  She was reading for a bit, and then thought to herself that it was rather quiet in the house.  She came out of the bedroom and as she was coming down the hallway – saw Einstein RUN from the front hallway – with his tail between his legs.  “Uh-oh” she thought.  She went into the hall and noticed that the front hall closet door was open and a PON butt was visible.  She approached and realized what was happening…

For Christmas, my human got a lovely down coat from her mother as a gift.  It was PERFECT – the length, the size and the color.  My human LOVED that coat…

Well, unfortunatley….she left some kibble in the pockets when she took us out on our walk.  As she approached the closet – she saw the coat on the floor.  At first glance it didn’t appear too bad.  But as she picked it up…well…the entire lining which included the pockets was shredded.  The  pockets were GONE.  Completely gone.  And then she noted some puncture wounds in the shell which now had down coming out. 

I’m sure that neighbors within a 5 km radius could hear her mournful “WHAT did you DO?”  Einstein and I actually felt badly this time. I think we DID go a bit too far…

My human spent the rest of the evening searching for the exact same coat on the internet.  I THINK she found it…and she ordered it on Amazon.  She is waiting for it to arrive…

Countersurfing aside, this act was really not cool.  I’ve been walking around with a sad apologetic expression since then.  That’s probably why I was SO nice when Mighty Milo arrived – and I didn’t take off in the woods.   I think we had better be good for quite a while.  Well at least until Friday.   Good thing she didn’t put us up for adoption…We are very lucky dogs….

Have a good one.  Stay out of closets.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure-free days: 12

Well what a day we had yesterday…

Today the FG is going on an adventure.  He is going to meet a couple who is thinking they might like to someday get a Berger Picard.  They are meeting at a designated location downtown and my human told them they won’t miss finding him as he is larger than life.  Although he is Mr. Sociable, we know his manners could use some work.  My human suggested they wear a hockey goal tender’s uniform .  Or one of those suits used by the police in training  attack dogs.  JUST kidding.  Sort of.