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So the other morning while my human was walking Frodo and I in the dark at 5:30 AM, in the cold, with her headlamp, wearing her giant mittens, and juggling both of our leashes, she started thinking that she needed an invention to solve a winter problem.  A winter dog walking problem.  More specifically, she wanted an invention that would keep her fingers from freezing off when she takes her giant mittens off to pick up our dog poop.  It’s quite the dilemma in the winter – especially if you have multiple dogs.  Who like to poop multiple times.  I call it surploop – n.  the extra or surplus pooping that we do two minutes after we initially poop – and our human has already tied a strong knot in the poop bag.  And of course, when we have a surploop, it requires opening another bag – and freezing ones fingers even more.  So she was thinking and thinking about this.  And then, as if the internet read her mind – the following video popped up in her newsfeed on Facebook.  Beware – it IS rather gross…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwk031vYhF8

But it’s brilliant!  And you never have to worry about cleaning the actual mechanism – as the bag covers the edges.  And lest anyone think this is a joke – here it is on Amazon!!!!

https://www.amazon.ca/Power-Shovel-Pet-Cleaner-VACPARTSTOGO/dp/B004OX5CAC
Now there DO appear to be a few glitches with the technology.  For example, the bags are rather pricey and are supposed to hold a weeks worth of poop.  Maybe for a chihuahua.  One bag would NOT cut it in THIS household.  Not to mention – where do you store the thing for a week when you are collecting your poop?  In your closet?  Ewwwwww.

The other issue would be carrying this thing down the road.  I mean our neighbors undoubtedly think my human is crazy enough to have the THREE of US – so imagine if they saw her carrying a vacuum cleaner?  For poop?

So there ARE some problems – but it certainly would solve the frozen finger dilemma.  I think I’ll put it on HER list for Santa.  Wonder how many of these he delivers….

We have TWO Picards.  Yup.  There’s Elroy aka the FG aka Jaws aka Astro.  This Picard is VERY sweet in the house.  He loves to give kisses.  He is quite happy if you pet him.  He sits and waits when his meals are being served.  He goes to bed in his crate every night and settles down right away.  He adores Frodo and is getting used to me, and my sometimes cranky behavior.  He’ll even share the bed with me.  He does have a tendency to jump on people.  And on the counter, but all in all he’s a pretty cool Picard.  And then there is the OTHER Picard.  The other Picard is the “outside” Picard.  The second Picard does not know his name.  He will not sit when asked to do so.  He pulls on his leash and tries to chew through it. He races through the woods with reckless abandon.  He bites Frodo’s tail and tries to bite mine – which is daring as my tail is SHORT.  He digs.  He pounces on the snow and buries his nose in it and searches under it – like he is looking for buried treasure.  This Picard does NOT like to have his photo taken and will look any other direction than at the camera. He doesn’t stand still for very long so ANY photo of him outdoors is a miracle.  And although he does NOT want to stay outside by himself, he doesn’t want to come indoors.  I think he would like all of us to live in a tent outside.  Good luck with that this winter Buddy.

The second Picard is a bit of a challenge – but the first one is not so much.  And you put the two of them together – and well I guess you have one perfectly typical Picard puppy.  Yup.  He’s just perfect… and he’s mine…

And I think I’ll keep him….

Dear Santa.
I had better finish my letter soon – as time is running out.  Before I do “the ask,” I have a few warnings for you.  I want your visit to our place to be as pleasant as possible – so I thought it important to mention the following:

1.  Our fireplace is propane.  So the pilot light is always on.  Be careful when you come down the chimney.  I’ll leave some band-aids out – just in case.
2.  We have a LOT of wildlife around us.  And some are more troublesome than others.  For example – the moles.  If your reindeer touch down in the backyard – tell them to watch out for holes.  And then there is the porcupine.  I haven’t seen him in a while – but you would NOT want your reindeer tangling with one.  In the event that happens, I will leave the number for the Animal Emergency Clinic.  Tell them I sent you.  And put the bill on my tab.
3.  Frodo will likely bark when you arrive.  Actually – Frodo WILL bark when you arrive.  Please don’t let that deter you. Just tell him “quiet.” It probably won’t work – but it’s worth a try.
4.  Elroy will likely jump on you when you arrive.  Actually – Elroy WILL jump on you when you arrive.  Tell him “off.”  It probably won’t work – but it’s worth a try.
5.  I’m not making any promises about leaving treats for you.  You know we will eat them.  And I suggest that IF you are bringing any edible gifts for US, that they be left somewhere out of reach.  Like on top of the fridge. Or in the garage.  But be sure the door is closed.

Those are the major warnings for now.  In my next segment, I’ll finally put in my requests…

To be continued….

Today is December 12.  It’s Edvard Munch’s birthday.  Edvard Munch was a famous Norwegian painter – who like many artists, led a rather tormented life.  He actually painted a few dog pictures, but is best known for his painting “The Scream.”  I have a new title for that painting.  “Linda when she tries to get a photo of Viktor, Frodo and Elroy – all together.”

So we had a little snow the other day.  And of course, my human THOUGHT it would be fun to get a Christmas picture of the three of us outside in the snow.  That alone is not a good idea since the FG is just getting used to this whole new snowy world.  No – she had to make it even MORE difficult.  She put these fuzzy collar things on each of us.  And of course, the FG had a slightly bigger version…

Keep in mind that getting him to sit still – outdoors in particular – is a BIG challenge.  And once he discovered his attire – that was IT.  He looked down – saw it, craned his neck to grab it, gave it a pull, and OFF he went.  There was NO catching him.  I mean NO catching him.  Even I tried to grab the now soggy red attire as he raced past.  It was IMPOSSIBLE.  So my human had another plan.  AFTER she eventually caught him.  She put him in the house.  Then she set Frodo and I up in position. And she told us to stay.  Which we did!  She had those liver treats again.  Then she went inside and got the FG.  She kept repeating “Just be calm.  Just be calm.”  And she put his attire on.  Again.  And repeated “Just be calm.”  And she gave him liver treats. And he was watching her. And sitting when she asked.  While Frodo and I were patiently waiting in position outside.  Trust me – those liver treats are worth it. So he was calm.  And walking nicely (now on a leash) to the door.  And wearing his attire.  And as soon as his foot hit the ground outside the house, his brain again exploded.  He had NO interest in sitting for a photo.  But this time, he couldn’t run away – as he was on a leash.  So she attempted to get him to sit next to Frodo and I who were STILL in position.  By now she was plying all of us with liver treats – rewards for Frodo and I for staying – and as a bribe to get  the FG to sit.  Every time my human would step back to take the photo, he would stand up.  The photo you see was caught just after he stood up for the 45th time.  If we look serious – it’s because we WERE.

But in the end, she DID get ONE shot that was card worthy.  She’ll post it soon.

She also DID get photos of Frodo and I alone which turned out well.  

Who would have EVER dreamed that I would be well behaved?  At least for photos.  I’m figuring this may get me back on the “Nice” list. Speaking of which – I MUST finish my letter to Santa…

So when I posted yesterday about the dreaded Christmas bath, an old friend of my human’s sent her a note and asked about brushes for us PONs – or any long haired dog.  So my human thought that would be a good topic for my blog.  Note SHE thought it was a good topic.  To me, it’s like writing about instruments of torture.  And let me tell you – she has a whole arsenal.  And heaven forbid when she goes to a dog show.  She slinks around looking at whatever tools people are using.  And then she HAS to get them.  We have fought many a battle in the war on mats – but some of our ammunition doesn’t work all that well.

Although there are LOTS of options, she has a favorite group of artillery. Now keep in mind – there are MANY people who have been grooming PONs for a LOT longer than my human – so she is NO expert.  And NO doubt there are other tools out there that work even BETTER.  (Heaven forbid – she’ll get more ideas when we post this.)  But these are the “go to” tools in our household. These are the tools that if she can’t find one, she begins panic.  

The first is her favorite.  The cheapo, One ‘n Only Argan Heat Professional Argan Ceramic Volume Detangling Comb.  No.  I didn’t make up the name. For those who have been following my blog forever, you may recall that I wrote about it before.  My human still swears by it. It is THE comb that she uses when she begins our marathon brushing routine. She likes that it has a handle – it’s easier on her wrist.  And it gets out loose mats very easily.  And the best part?  It’s cheap.  As opposed to other tools in the arsenal.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/argan-detangling-comb/SBS-345719,default,pd.html

Now when she comes across a mat, which she occasionally does (cough cough), she pulls out the ActiVet Red and Purple Tuff Zapper brush http://www.groomershelper.com/buy-activet-brushes/  

OR the Les Pooches Mat Zapper. http://lespoochs.com/product/mat-zapper/ Honestly, these things are crazy expensive.  For heavens sake – it’s a BRUSH.  BUT – they work. You will note that they tell you which breeds they work for. http://www.groomershelper.com/pdf/ActiVet-Information.pdf

If you use the brush on the wrong breed, their hair falls out.  JUST KIDDING.  But it seems helpful, or it may just be trick advertising.  But we DO use them to get mats out. And even Frodo AKA King Mat doesn’t mind this brush.  One other note – there ARE cheaper versions of this brush on the market. And yes – we have those too.  Of course we do.  But for us, they just didn’t work as well.

Next we have the Greyhound Pro Ultra-Lite 10″ or 7.5″Poodle Comb CANDY.  http://greyhoundcomb.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=11  

Another crazy name.  I mean we are NOT greyhounds and certainly NOT poodles.  And again – the price on this comb is  crazy.  BUT we have had it forever – and the teeth do not bend or fall out. It is used during the battle AFTER the other comb.  

And next  we have the more reasonably priced 4.5 inch Safari 558 comb– Seen here on a UK site, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safari-Pet-Products-DSFW558-Comb/dp/B0002AQUQG
and here on a John Deere site http://www.scruggsfarm.com/coastal-safari-45-medium-fine-comb-w558.html   I picture lots of guys sitting on their tractors, brushing their dogs…  Anyway, this comb is GREAT for ears.  And feet.  Which we hate you touching.  But that’s another blog.

When at Crufts, my human talked to a PON breeder who was using the Mini Rake Untangler.  So you KNOW my human had to find one.  And it does work to get out those mats in awkward areas.  Which I won’t elaborate on…
http://www.theuntangler.com/products/rakes/rakes.html

And LAST – which we honestly don’t always even use – but we have it – is the  #1 All Systems Pin Brush. We have the Oblong version – but there are obviously LOTS of options.  http://www.1allsystems.com/doc-eng/brush_comb.html 
We use this when the major torturing is OVER and my human wants to brush us down more.  But it’s really a waste of time – we just shake ourselves off – and that’s that.

So that’s the PON arsenal.  And Astro?  Well my human is just beginning to experiment on him.  So far she could probably get away with JUST the purple comb!  He’s a pretty “wash and wear” kind of dog – his grooming requirements are MUCH easier!!!!  The ActiVet brush does actually say “Picards”  in the list and she has used it on him – but he doesn’t really mat like us PONs.  Time will tell as he gets older.

So that’s my Vik-Advisor review for today.  Tomorrow I think I would rather review dog treats…

Have a good one!



 

 So the countdown begins…But I’m not sure just when the big event will be.  Or should I say the “dreaded” event.  What’s the event?  The annual Christmas baths.  For each of us.  I don’t get it.  I can’t IMAGINE that Santa’s reindeer smell all that great – so why do we dogs need to smell all flowery and fresh?  I mean – we don’t care.  If given the choice to roll on a dead rodent or some rotting vegetation – OR have a bath – guess what WE would pick?

The other day we got a parcel in the mail.  We were all excited – assuming it was something from the pet supply mail order place.  Something like a cool toy.  Or a big antler to chew on.  Or some treats.  But no.  It was some “detangling” spray.  My human bought a bottle of this stuff called  “Knot Sure” by a  company called Animology when she was at Crufts.  And she’s been using it on us whenever we are groomed.   She LOVES the stuff –  but of course could find it NOWHERE in Canada. But not to worry – the Google Queen found the stuff on Amazon and voila – here it is.  Oh goody.

Wonder who will be the first bath victim.  Doesn’t matter to me if we go youngest to oldest or the other way around – I’ll still be second.  UNLESS we go in alphabetical order.  THEN I would be last.  And let’s face it – after my human has given two of us a bath, the third victim may or may NOT get the full treatment.  He may end up with some waterless spray shampoo and a quick blow dry – just because she is so tired.  I’m voting for alphabetical order.  

Well it’s the weekend – time for some quality time with my human.  Hope you have a good one!

Miracles happen.  I know.  I have seen them.  For example – bunnies turn WHITE in the winter. It’s a miracle of nature.  Making them easier to see in the dark at 5 AM when your human is walking you and she is holding onto two leashes and four full poop bags (I warned her about those liver treats) and she is wearing a headlamp to illuminate that bunny so he is even easier to see. And you know if you pull hard on your fluorescent leash, because she is juggling poop bags and leashes while wearing her giant mittens,  that you are free to go and chase that bunny…

I’m not sure which is the bigger miracle.  The fact that bunnies turn white.  Or the fact that my human could find me in the dark, stuck in the woods because my fluorescent leash was caught on a branch.

Today is December 8 and according to the crazy calendar it is National Christmas Tree Day.  I guess it’s a day to go out and get your tree and then sing Oh Tannenbaum. In the US, while over 33 million real trees are sold, only 2% of people go out and cut their own trees.  In Canada, one of the top three provinces for Christmas tree production is Nova Scotia.  Over 1.8 million trees are harvested annually – and 95% of them leave the province!  As I mentioned the other day, my human went out and cut her tree this year.   She took Frodo to cut a tree once.  The operative word being “once.”  He started harmlessly but incessantly barking at a family out for their festive hunt, while my human was trying to grab him and profusely apologizing and explaining that he “just wanted to say hello.”  Frodo was also appalled by the fact that a Christmas tree farm is very wet and muddy.  I have never been to a tree farm – but I did go to the tree lot last year.  I went with STRICT instructions NOT to pee on any trees.  It was tough.  

But this year none of us went.  Just as well – too many rules.  

So now that the thing is decorated, my human wanted to get a photo of the THREE of us by the tree.  Picture the three of us- who are NOT allowed in the DFZ – with the dog tree and the REAL TREE with all glass ornaments.  And old toys under the tree.  Some of which are STUFFED toys.  Almost as good as letting us loose in the pet store.

My human had to really think this one through.  She got THE best treats she could find – freeze dried liver.  We’ll probably all have the poops for the next three days after she freely doled out the stuff to keep our attention.  First she let me and Frodo in the DFZ.  And she set us up by the tree.  We are PRETTY good at “staying” but once Astro comes in, all control goes out the window.  He has the attention of a gnat and so since HE doesn’t follow commands, I then pretend I don’t know them either.  The photo you see is one of 5, 487 taken.  OK.  That’s a bit of a stretch.  It was actually closer to 6,000.  And no – she did not place our paws that way.  It was during one of the quick “down” commands, that we all actually did together – and that’s how we ended up.  I  must say, it does look good.  But the liver treats were better.

Anyway, whether you have a real tree, an artificial tree or even a photo of a tree – enjoy it today!  And all you dogs – whatever you do – don’t pee on it…

It must be close to a full moon.  Elroy aka the FG aka Astro has been extra crazy lately.  It started with that walk on the weekend – and so it continues.

Every morning, he goes out first for his morning constitutional.  And he brings the paper down from the road.  If the paper is in a plastic bag, all is fine.  But IF the weather is fair and the paper is left loose in the box, that’s when problems arise.  If given a loose paper, Astro will carry it part way down the driveway, drop it and the paper goes everywhere.  So when there IS no plastic bag, my human gives him one of the advertising inserts in the middle of the paper.  And yesterday it all started out fine.  He was holding tight to the rolled up insert.  And then he started walking faster.  And faster.  And then came the toss.  And the paper flew.  And as my human scrambled to pick it up, wearing her big mittens and illuminating the scene with her headlamp, and still trying to hold onto the main paper, Astro proceeded to grab and tear any part he could get his teeth on. So my human is holding onto the main paper, trying to pick up the loose papers, trying to hold back the Tasmanian shredding machine and still stay standing.  She finally gave up and dragged him away – leaving the remnants of the paper in the middle of the driveway.  Thankfully it wasn’t a windy day.  She picked it all up when she took Frodo and I out for our walk. So I have another name for the FG.  The Shredder.

Well today is Letter Writing Day on the crazy calendar – so time to work on your letter to Santa.  And if you write a letter and don’t like the contents, I have someone who can recycle it for you.

Have a good one!

December 6 and it’s Saint Nicholas Day.  Saint Nicholas was a Bishop in the 4th century – in a place called Asia Minor – which is now Turkey.  He did all kinds of good things and legend has it that he was known for secret gift-giving.  Saint Nick became the model for Santa Claus – so he is basically Santa’s predecessor.  Interesting – he was the patron saint of children and also brewers, repentant thieves and pawnbrokers.   Go figure.  He’s also the patron Saint of Greece. And in some places, this day is THE day to get gifts – not Christmas.  I am assuming we will get some extra treats today – or at least some extra banana.  Although I did see that gifts from Saint Nicholas are meant to be shared.  And not hoarded.  I’ll have to work on that…

December 6 also marks a sad day in Halifax, Nova Scotia  history.  It was 99 years ago today that the largest man-made explosion (before the atomic bomb) took place in Halifax harbor.  Two ships – a relief ship and a cargo ship carrying munitions collided in the harbor.  The resulting explosion could be felt more than 200 miles away – in fact windows 50 miles away were said to have shattered.  Half of the city was destroyed – and more than 2,000 people died and another 9,000 were injured.  But despite this terrible tragedy, humans DO help one another in times of need, and relief poured in from Eastern Canada and the North Eastern US.  In fact – the city of Boston helped so much, that to this very day, the city of Halifax sends a Christmas tree to Boston in thanks for all their help.  Check it out:
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/gallery-nova-scotia-christmas-tree-lights-up-boston-common
That’s almost as big as the tree my human cut down on Sunday for our house.  When she brought it home with some friends, Frodo, Elroy and I just looked at each other.  We figured there was NO way that tree would fit in our house.   My human sequestered us while they brought the tree in – as she had visions of one of us peeing on it.  And then the bungee corded gate to the DFZ was secured.  They somehow managed to do some minimal pruning – and the tree fit!!!  Later, while my human was decorating the behemoth, Frodo constantly tried to get in the room – every few minutes.  In fact, he was a bit obsessed with getting in among the 4,398 boxes of ornaments.  There was NO WAY my human could leave the gate unsecured.  But that’s the funny thing with Frodo – he does NOT take no for an answer.  In fact, when they FIRST got home with the tree, all three of us were initially sequestered in the dog run in the garage.  But it wasn’t long before Frodo and I were free.  Frodo managed to squeeze the door open – he’s a bit like worm – he can wiggle his way through.  And I followed him.  Elroy is too big- so he was still stuck in the run…

So once all of this decorating is DONE we are looking forward to sitting under the tree, by the fire and dreaming of sugarplums.  Whatever sugarplums are.   AS IF my human will allow the three of us in there.  At the same time.  BUT – one can dream of it…and if Frodo has anything to say about it, we’ll be in.  And Halifax will experience a second explosion….

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!!!