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Howdy blogaroos! Remember me? Squirmy here- with my sidekick the Coyote.

We’ve been pretty quiet lately, and we hear some people were starting to wonder what’s been going on. Well, if you look at the calendar, you’ll realize we are currently in the “threatening” stage of the year. The time when humans threaten “if you don’t behave, Santa won’t bring you anything.” I think it’s pretty coercive- but I’m not taking any chances, so I’ve been fairly well-behaved. Fairly being the key word. So when we’re well-behaved, there’s not much to write about!

Mind you…there WAS that little incident with an “escape” a few weeks ago. My hope is that Santa is way too busy to remember that small infraction.

It was a day when we were visibly bored, despite several long walks, some find it games and some exhausting chewing on a bully stick. The Warden had to drive to the pharmacy to pick up one of the Coyote’s medications. So she asked us if we wanted to go for a “car ride.” We flew to the garage door and jumped in the back of Ludwig. We weren’t in crates because this was a short drive.

Mind you – we knew nothing about the short trip. We envisioned some visit to a pet store or a park or hiking trail. But no. We went to the lousy pharmacy and stayed in the vehicle while the Warden did the pick up. And then we went home. It was a rip off ride.

Anyway, when we got home, instead of pulling into the garage, the Warden parked outside- because she planned to walk us to the lake. The Coyote was wearing a leash – because of his flight-risk status, but yours truly was restriction naked.

Now when either of us is in the back of the vehicle on our own, we never get out until told to do so. But there’s this uncontrollable mob mentality when there’s two of us, and instead of waiting when the hatch went up, we both jumped out in tandem. Remember the Coyote is on leash. BUT he realizes he is free, and before the Warden can grab him, he takes off up the driveway. Being the helpful brother, I chased after him in an effort to herd him back home. At least that’s my version of the story. The Warden took off after us. She was relieved to see the Coyote stop to poo. She was within about two feet of him, reached to grab the leash, and he bolted- heading for the road. It might have been mid-poo, but who knows. He takes off with yours truly in tow. The Warden ran back home to get the vehicle, jumped in and drove up the driveway. She could hear barking on the road.

As she was driving, she suddenly saw yours truly heading down the driveway, on my way home. She jumped out of the vehicle, tossed me in the back like a load of laundry and headed to the road. And it was there she saw the gathering….

One neighbor had been driving on the road, and narrowly missed making yours truly into a pancake. His wife jumped out of the vehicle, and went to get the Coyote because another car had stopped and was going to pick him up. And let’s face it, Mr Sociable will go with anyone. Across the road, another neighbor and her twin boys and their sister watched in dismay. One of the twins raced into his house to see if he could find a leash to lasso me. While Mr Sociable was loving the attention, that’s when yours truly aka Mr Aloof, decided to head home. It was too much drama for me.

The Warden thanked the neighbors profusely for grabbing the Coyote. And there he was, standing and wagging his tail, enjoying all the attention. We have great neighbors- they all figured something happened to the Warden (like maybe she fell and couldn’t get up!) so they were about to head to the house when she appeared. After more thank-yous and apologies, we headed home. And into the garage before the hatch was opened.

And speaking of falling- that DID happen too. But not to worry – yours truly came to the rescue this time.

We were on our early morning walk on the trail, and we were walking ahead of the Warden on leash zigzagging back and forth sniffing for other dog pee-mail, wildlife, and the odd pile of wildlife poo.

As we were busy in olfactory overload, the Warden thought there was someone walking behind us. So she turned to look. There wasn’t anyone but as she turned her head forward, she didn’t pay attention to a large rock on the trail, and boom – the next thing you know, she’s on the ground. She hit her knee, and rolled onto her butt to assess the damages. Insert dramatic music. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to be a hero. Ever see the video of the dog who jumps on his human’s chest like he’s doing CPR? Well, I tried that move- but the Warden wasn’t having a heart attack. And I didn’t exactly jump on her chest. She had to cover her head to fend off my wild jumping and she tried futilely to push me away. Here I was vying for one of those “dog hero of the year” awards and she’s thrashing at me trying to protect herself from my medical intervention. All the time she didn’t dare let go of the Coyote because he’d be gone. Good times. Despite a ripped pair of pants, and a pretty scraped up knee, the Warden got up and hobbled home. I think she was able to move due to my quick medical intervention. The Coyote said she got up because she didn’t want to be pummeled any more.

Since Christmas is right around the corner, our house has been invaded by a small army of Santas, elves, angels, snowmen, some Kings, shepherds, sheep, a camel or two, and Mary and Joseph. Baby Jesus isn’t in the manger yet- but I suspect he’s hiding under some hay until the big Birthday Bash. We are not allowed to play with any of the aforementioned characters. I told ya things have been boring here.

What else is new? The Coyote is STILL inconsistent in his eating. He’ll decide he likes something, and eats it for a few days and the Warden gets all excited, and she goes out and buys a whole bunch of whatever it is that he is eating. Then (because I swear he sees her bringing the bounty home) he decides the ___________(insert steak, freeze dried raw food, chicken, pork, potatoes, delux kibble) is no longer interesting and he refuses to touch the stuff. They have QUITE the battles. Otherwise, he’s happy, energetic, likes to pester me, sounds like a ferocious watchdog when the daily Amazon truck arrives, and loves to go for walks. The Warden hasn’t weighed him – but she thinks he’s about the same weight. That’s because when his appetite changes, she still gets food into him. She says her main wish for Christmas, besides world peace, is for a month with no force feeding. Maybe if you all send good vibes, it will come true!

I’m not sure what I’m putting on my list for Santa. The Warden is making some suggestions, and I’m thinking there’s a strong correlation between what she suggests and what Santa brings, so I might as well follow her suggestions. As long as it’s not clothes. Or educational toys.

We had our first real snowfall of the season today. So the Warden figured she could get our “Christmas photo.” And I thought it was a great idea too because I could smell the yummy treats in her pocket. And that was all grand. Until the snowballs started forming. Like a weird plague in a sci-fi movie, I was suddenly covered in these baseball size balls that made movement rather difficult. Like a cowboy who had been riding his horse for 36 hours, I ambled into the house. The Warden could barely lift me into the dog tub to rinse off the orbs. Some people say using a whisk works. The Warden didn’t feel like rifling through the kitchen drawer that contains the little-used utensils to find a whisk. So she sprayed warm water on my legs and nether regions to melt away the obstructions.

You’ll note the brushes on the bench behind me in the photo. Because we had to look presentable before we went out. Clearly that was a waste of time. Mind you, the Coyote didn’t look TOO bad at the end of the shoot. It pays to be tall and lanky.

So that’s our news for now. We’re looking forward to company over the holidays – Aunt Sue and Keith are coming for a visit. Maybe the Warden will have some reason to use a whisk – other than snow removal!

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

Hey blogaroos. It’s been a long time. Probably our longest break EVER. We were going to tell you this story about how the Warden won $1million on the lottery – and we are lying low until we figure out where to spend most of the biscuit money. But seeing as she rarely buys tickets that seemed unlikely.

We’ve just been rolling in the leaves, bringing in the leaves, watching the Warden vacuum the leaves and then repeating the whole sequence. Over and over and over again. We actually need an indoor leaf blower.

And here we are. It’s the end of October and we are dressed in the obligatory Halloween attire. I’m not exactly sure what we are supposed to be. I think fairies. Because the intricate costume which came from the dreaded Dollar Store also had some kind of magic wand. Note we weren’t given the wands. There wasn’t a hope in heck that they would have lasted more than 2.3 seconds.

As usual, the photo shot was chaos. I didn’t want to sit and the Coyote hates to put his ears up. Top it off with the fact that he is in one of his super fussy eating stages and he kept spitting out the rewards – which I would then dive to retrieve. Well not really retrieve. It’s not like I gave them back to him. It was more hunt and devour. While he would sit there looking smug. Good times.

One would THINK that posing two dogs would be easier than three. But we can’t forget that the Boss LOVED to pose. So even though it was three – he was easy. Meanwhile, the Coyote and I didn’t want even want to be brushed – and although we look rather adorable and sweet in this photo, it was the only good one of 148 taken. Just kidding. It was only 139.

So what’s new here at the Asylum? Well Sue and Keith were here for a week at the end of September en route to New England. And after a few weeks there, they came to see us again on their way back to Newfoundland. As always, we have a great time while they are here. Aunt Sue goes with us on our morning jaunts and also joins us on our pre-bedtime pee walk. She walks the Coyote because he’s “easy.” But- you do need to divert him from drinking out of puddles and licking every plant yours truly has left my pee-mail on. So walking him is not THAT easy.

Last weekend I went to another scent workshop. We didn’t start off looking for treats like we did the last time. We were just supposed to detect certain scents. I think the instructor assumed we did lots of training since our last workshop. Wrongo. The Warden started sweating like she did when she was a kid and she went to guitar lessons and she hadn’t practiced. Bluffing your way through guitar cords is one thing. But sending your dog to look for a scent when he hasn’t a CLUE what he’s looking for – and well – it doesn’t look pretty. Still, I managed to save her by at least pretending to sniff. Clearly we need to do more practice….

The Coyote is the same, although there have been some real eating challenges again. So he doesn’t want to eat, and the Warden says “OK – one day without food won’t kill you.” Problem is, although he does eat some the next day, it’s still not the amount he SHOULD be eating. So she has to force feed him. Because she can tell that a few days of not eating his full amount, and he starts losing weight. He’s fine otherwise – his energy and attitude is good. But what was once his FAVORITE FOOD (like potatoes) are now not so interesting. One never knows what the flavor of the day will be.

The Warden bought loads of treats for Halloween. For the three kids from across the road who will brave our long dark driveway with the spooky sound of hounds baying at the moon. That’s the Coyote and me. We’ll be sequestered away from the front door. So we don’t scare the kids. Or steal the treats.

We hope everyone reading this is doing well. Stay safe if you’re going trick or treating.

We’ll close with one more holiday photo. So we had the fairy costumes. And we also had these lion costumes. They weren’t much of a costume – just a headdress that on a chihuahua would probably look cute. Or even on a Labrador. But two shaggy sheepdogs? Judge for yourself. The Warden told us to look fierce and mighty. And this is what she got….Before you look, start singing this song….

A wee ma way, a wee ma way, a wee ma way, a wee ma way.
A wee ma way, a wee ma way, a wee ma way, a wee ma way.

In the jungle, the mighty jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
In the jungle the quiet jungle
The lion sleeps tonight….

Have a roaring great Halloween!

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

Howdy blogaroos! Did ya miss us? We’re still here – enjoying the last days of summer – but also anxiously awaiting our annual Fall Leaf Rolling. That and “Find the Poop” are two of our favorite autumn activities. We play the first game and the Warden plays the second. We COULD help her with her game – but it’s more fun to watch her straining to see where we left a small monument in the leaves. Great fun.

So. What have we been up to…

Well Aunt Sue has come and gone. Every morning we took her on a walk. Usually, she walked with the Coyote. He doesn’t zigzag as much as yours truly.

Mind you, while walking him, one has to be aware that he will drink from disgustingly gross puddles if given the chance – so he needs to be “guided” past puddles quickly. Very quickly.

In addition to our early morning walks, Aunt Sue also joined us on our late night jaunts. And she got to see how crazy we can be if we smell a foreign creature on our property. One night, I kept pulling toward a big rock. And the ladies spotted the source of my interest.

Two glowing eyes. Which we think belonged to a kitty cat. At least we HOPE it was a kitty. If I had been let off leash I could have found out.

And speaking of nighttime visitors, the Warden is currently tormenting the local raccoons. She puts things in our organics green bin – and to combat the critters getting in it, she has attached a bungee cord to the lid so it can’t be opened. That doesn’t stop the dudes from trying. They routinely knock over the whole huge can. We haven’t seen them but we picture a couple of them shoving it with all their might – thinking the lid will fly open. But nope – it’s firmly attached. The Warden woke up the other night and swore she heard a repeated “twang” sound. She figured the masked marauders were plucking the bungee cord in an effort to get into some corn cobs. The Coyote heard them and gave one “BOOF” and went back to sleep. We’re not exactly good garbage guards.

What else? Oh. Oh. Guess what I did?! You’ll never guess so I’ll just tell ya. I went to my very first scent workshop! And I’m here to tell ya – that’s my thing. Sniff out treats in a box? Hello? Is this for real? At first I thought it was a joke. I mean COME ON. Make a PON look for food? I thought I died and went to doggie heaven. I had a blast! By the end of the 3 hours, I could even find the box which didn’t have a treat – but did have the scent of Wintergreen. Yeah – I caught on to the game pretty quickly. Mind you, you will recall that the summer before last I sniffed out over 500 golf balls in the woods. So I do get the whole “ use your nose” thing.

Shortly after Aunt Sue left, a friend of the Warden’s from Virginia came to visit. Alice was here two years ago – and we like her very much. Even though she’s a cat person. Good thing she doesn’t live in Ohio…

Anyway, Alice clearly liked us too. She called me a Wild Man – which I don’t totally understand. But whatever. She let us lick her yoghurt container – and that makes her a goddess in my books.

While she was here, she and the Warden took off for a few days leaving us to fend for ourselves. Just kidding. We had our dog sitter/trainer – Saint Jane come to stay with us. She brought along her two shaggies – Kwik and Fidjit. And we all got along great.

The Warden had been worried that the Coyote would go on a hunger strike because we know he doesn’t deal well with change of any kind. But he decided to shock her – and ate all his meals. And Saint Jane didn’t even need to stand on her head!

Now there WAS a brief moment of panic when Saint Jane texted the Warden and said the Coyote refused to open his mouth for his daily assortment of pills. And Saint Jane has LOTS of experience giving pills to dogs. The Warden had forgotten in her 30 page list of instructions to mention the magic word “open” used when prying his jaws open. And voila! It worked! So all was right with the world!

The Coyote had a semi-annual vet check a few weeks ago. His blood work showed some changes in his kidney values- but nothing critical. His weight is steady and he weighs exactly what he did before his health crisis began. He never WAS a heavy boy – weighing only 56lbs at his highest weight. We never shared this – but last September when he was diagnosed with the often fatal Lyme Nephritis, he was down to 44lbs. He was literally skin and bones. He was one very, very sick boy.

But – we have passed the one year “anniversary” of that scary time – and here we are – back to his pre-diagnosis weight. Now please don’t be fooled – he and the Warden still have food wars – and he still needs to be force fed at certain times. Not fun for either of them. But he’s happy, bouncy and he LOVES playing Humpty Dumpty games with me. The vet was pretty impressed with him and as she said “he looks like a normal dog!” I think that’s going a bit far. He’s never been totally “normal.” At least in my opinion. But I’m here to tell you- we do like each other. And he’s pretty tolerant of my rough play. I’m pretty lucky.

Good news in the obedience world – Canada has introduced some rule changes to come into place next year.

Currently there is an exercise at the Novice level where dogs are lined up and their handlers have to leave them and walk a mile away while they stay sitting for one minute. Then they do the same thing in a down position for 3 minutes. (Note: it isn’t really a mile – but it feels like that to some of us). Anyway…I am NOT great at that exercise. Frankly, I find it boring. I look around, check out the dog next to me and IF I don’t know them, sometimes I go to say “hello.” This obviously is NOT cool. Just because I’m friendly, it doesn’t mean the dog next to me is friendly. So my “innocent” exchange of pleasantries could cause a huge problem. Now it never has – because the Warden KNOWS this is an issue for me- and besides class, and a few matches, she would never put me in a real trial. And thankfully, during my occasional walk overs in class (or in one match), I never caused a huge ruckus. Still – the Warden was wondering if I would ever be able to be in a real trial. But ta da – the rules have changed – and dogs are now on leash for the exercise. So obviously, the handlers are only 6 feet away. We did it in class the other day and I didn’t move an inch. I’m no fool. I know I’m on leash!

So now- maybe when the rules come into place in January, I’ll FINALLY be able to compete. Or I’ll think of something else to do wrong. Just for fun…

Otherwise, we have no other boring news. Sadly, our neighbors with the cats have moved. Not sure where the Coyote will go if he ever escapes now. That was his favorite destination. In fact….a few weeks ago, before they moved….he did just that.

A friend was coming to visit and the Warden went to greet her at the door. Here’s the thing about the Warden – she’s a hugger. If she hasn’t seen someone in a while – she hugs them. So she hadn’t seen her friend, proceeded to give a hug and whoosh- the Coyote saw it as a perfect opportunity to race past and out the door. Her friend jumped in her car to search while the Warden grabbed a leash. She raced up the driveway, shouted his name – and lo and behold he ran out of the bushes from the direction of the cat neighbors. Clearly the cats weren’t out. The Warden did that “hey buddy!” in the fake voice that sounds like she’s happy but you KNOW she wants to strangle him – and he ran over to her. She leashed him wearing the fake happy face telling him how great he was to come over to her (meanwhile her blood pressure had finished climbing). She grabbed her phone and called her friend who was cruising the road on the lookout for the escapee – and told her the emergency was over. I tell this story lest anyone think he doesn’t feel well with his kidney issues. There’s still PLENTY of energy there!!!

So that’s it. A rather long review of our pretty ordinary lives.

But this blog would not be complete without some “other” news. If you didn’t know it – it’s an election year in the US. Cough cough. And here’s the thing – NEITHER Presidential candidate owns a pet. Not even a goldfish. Who are these people? BUT both Vice Presidential candidates thankfully own dogs- so all is not lost. And it appears that one of them is a dog who I can totally relate to.

https://www.today.com/pets/minnesota-governor-dog-locked-bedroom-rcna122484

Eating glasses and locking out humans are seriously cool actions. Scout is my hero. But then again, he’s not running. And I can’t vote. But if I could….

OK. Gotta go lick some body part that will drive the Warden crazy.

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

Howdy blogaroos. Greetings from the asylum. Squirmy here. Yes – we are still here- tolerating the heat while being deafened by fan noise. It’s all good.

In a few weeks, it will be a year since the Coyote was given the death sentence. We hope we don’t jinx things by writing about it – but really, 11 months is a huge deal. Every day is a bonus – so why not celebrate now?! Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring so party hardy today!!! Biscuits all around!!!

Yup – tubby continues to maintain his weight even with his fluctuating appetite. Sometimes he needs to be force fed – but afterward will come into the kitchen looking for more food. Go figure. Potatoes, which were the magic food for a few weeks have fallen out of favor. His taste buds then favored steak. And some days it’s awesome- others not so much. The Warden has tried everything short of standing on her head to feed him – different bowls, different food, different feeding times, different feeding locations – you name it- it’s probably been tried. In fact I think she DID try standing on her head. Once.

Otherwise, he’s doing great. The above photo was taken this morning after our 6AM hike and subsequent wrestle mania match. We have to hike early, before it gets too hot. AND before the kamikaze deer flies start dive bombing us. Part of our walk is on a wooded trail and the Warden calls it “running the gauntlet.” Can we get through the trail before the flesh biting monsters attack. They go for the Warden’s head – and my head too. They don’t seem to bother the Coyote quite as much – we think it has to do with hair color. The Warden and I have darker hair. Mine being natural. But I didn’t say that.

And speaking of the gauntlet – lest anyone thing the Coyote lacks energy with his kidney issues- I’m here to tell you he is FAR from lethargic. And lest anyone THINK he’s become well behaved in his “veteran” years – wrongo again.

So about two weeks ago we were up bright and early – but we canines were more “bright” than the Warden. We set out on our walk – and get this – she forgot poop bags. Seriously. I think she was sleep walking. We weren’t far up the driveway when she realized- so she tied the Coyote to a tree and told me to wait. That return to home put us slightly behind our schedule – so when we arrived at the parking lot at the head of the trail, there was a car there. There’s usually NO one around in the morning – BUT it was Saturday and we were a bit late. There was a man beside his car and he walked to the back and opened the hatch. And the Warden spotted the terrifying contents in his vehicle. A dog crate. With a dog.

She commented as we passed the vehicle that we would start out ahead of him on the trail- and we are always on leash. He said they would be running- so they would probably catch up to us. So the Warden suggested they go ahead of us, and the man said “sure.” And then the man did something that I doubt he realized would be the catalyst for at least 30 minutes of drama. While we were patiently waiting probably 20 feet from his vehicle, he threw open the crate door and his dog flew out and raced toward the trail. She didn’t even look at us – but the sudden action of her racing out caused a spontaneous explosion in both our brains. How do you spell prey drive? The man shut the hatch and ran after the dog – leaving a woman with two Tasmanian Devils howling and tugging at the end of their leashes. The Warden waited and all was OK. But once she started moving, something about physics and momentum made the ability to hang on more difficult. I pulled to the large rock at the head of the trail and slowed down but the Coyote had all engines on high speed. He pulled and the Warden, in a split second, realized she would be facing a possible concussion with the large rock – or she could let go. She let go. And he was off.

The trail starts and makes a sharp left turn. The Warden and I ran to see where the Coyote was. We turned the corner- and there he was about 20 feet away. No sign of the dog and runner, because the trail is twisty and you can’t see far ahead. The Warden saw the Coyote and did the “Hey buddy- there you are. Come here- we’re going THIS way” – in the fake sweet voice that humans do to entice us to something “fun”. Like a bath. He wasn’t falling for it . He looked at her – and gave her the paw – and took off. So we continued to “run”. Really, I was running and she was trying to catch up. It wasn’t pretty. She’s futilely calling his name – AS IF he would come back. Suddenly she hears the sound of two dogs having an…altercation. She can’t see them but she’s shouting to them. The noise stops and we keep running. Still no visual on the Coyote or the runner or dog.

After about 1/2 km of walk/ running we get to the place where the trail passes the golf course. No signs of anything. She’s still shouting for the Coyote. Suddenly, we hear the sound ahead of another dog altercation. She figures he has again met with the dog and runner but she still can’t see them. Now instead of shouting his name, she starts shouting “Tie him to a tree. Tie him to a tree!!!!!!” The Coyote was dragging a long leash – and she figured if the runner would just STOP and tie him, we could catch up.

We came around a bend and saw the man, holding onto his dog’s collar. The Warden apologized, explained that he got away (clearly) and she’s no runner (clearly again). There was no sign of Usain Picard, but then she spotted him ahead. He realized he was busted and walked back to her. She said he hoped he didn’t do anything to his dog. Not that he would – he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. BUT, his pushy, friendly behavior isn’t appreciated by all dogs. The runner said “no- but she probably gave him a few good nips.” The Warden grabbed his leash and grumbled “well, he deserved it.” The man said “enjoy your walk.” Right.

The Coyote was panting – but FINE – no signs of injuries. We backtracked and started on our walk on the golf course – which was our initial destination- and then realized in the frenzy that the Warden had lost all the poop bags out of her pocket. So we had to retrace our way back down the trail. We found the bunch of bags near the parking lot. And there we also found ANOTHER vehicle- which the Warden recognized as belonging to another dog and owner…

The Warden said “let’s go HOME” so we started our way back down our road. And who do we see but the OTHER dog. Now Frodo once had a run in with that dog when Frodo was on leash – and the dog was off. So the Warden knew to steer clear. She placed the Coyote’s collar and leash in a death grip and repeatedly said to me “leave it.” After some grumbling and tugging we passed the dog and were able to cross over to the correct side of the road. We walk no more than 50 feet when a woman jogging with a husky approaches on the other side of the road. The Warden said aloud “for the love of God…” That woman knew enough to keep her dog on a tight lead so it wouldn’t go ballistic like it usually does. We passed by without incident- probably because the Coyote was experiencing anoxia, and I was just tired from all the excitement.

By the time we got home, the Warden was exhausted. I don’t think she’s ever “run” that far. Within 10 minutes the Coyote and I were ready for another walk. She locked herself in the bathroom.

Other than that, things are pretty quiet. BUT….drumroll….Aunt Sue is arriving on Wednesday!!!!!! We know she is going to LOVE going on our 6 AM hikes, dodging the deer flies! On second thought – don’t warn her. She may change her mind.

The Warden says she has a surprise for me at the end of the month. A surprise…. What could that be? I hope it’s edible. And no – before you start thinking PUPPY- she said it’s definitely not that. Maybe a kitten! Could you imagine that? No. I doubt it’s a kitten. We’ll see….I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, send good vibes that the Coyote’s appetite improves. Then again, if it gives him MORE energy, maybe things should stay just as they are….

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

Holy moly blogaroos. We just looked at the calendar. It seems that when humans retire, they don’t know what day of the week it is, let alone day of the month!!! We are REALLY getting slack – no July 1st or 4th headgear photos! The Warden says it’s partly because she has no time orientation- PLUS – since her easiest photo model is no longer with us, she’s left with two sour puss pups. Neither the Coyote or I like the idea of photos. Although if food is involved, I CAN appear more interested. Him – it’s a coin toss on whether food is attractive on any given day. We’re still in a period of VERY PICKY eating – so the treat for one day may be poison the next. Good thing he’s cute.

So let’s see what’s new… Hmmmm- I’ve had a bit of a naughty streak lately- but that’s not exactly new for me. Mind you, the actions WERE new for me. First, there was this little “incident” at the vet- and then there was just a wee little incident with counter surfing.

So let me begin the vet story with an explanation. I want to set the stage and explain myself. As you may recall, I went to see the Vet a few weeks ago to get a Lyme shot. And while I was at first a bit hesitant, the Vet took her time with me, sat on the floor, and gave me a chance to get to know her. Within a few minutes I was following her commands, taking her treats and even heeling with her across the room. We were official buddies.

So THIS visit I needed a booster shot and a blood test. And this part was to be done by a technician. The very nice girl came out to greet me – and when she saw I was a bit apprehensive, she offered me treats and took her time with me. Instead of whisking me away, she said the Warden could stay with me and we would go into an exam room. I followed along happily.

And that was fine. HOWEVER…I did NOT expect another technician to come in suddenly. And when she saw my adorable face with my hair pinned up in a topknot kinda way, she simply could not resist the overwhelming urge to pat my sweet head. She reached out- and in a flash I realized she was about to touch my freshly coiffed do – and I snapped at her. Yup. I snapped. I didn’t hurt her- but the Warden felt awful. She knows I’m not fond of head pats from strangers (it’s a thing I have until I get to know someone) – and she should have warned the technician- but it happened so quickly- she flubbed the guardian test. Anyway, the Warden always carries a muzzle to vet appointments- because let’s face it – it’s a freaky environment, and ANY dog can potentially react negatively. Some more than others. And I’m in the “others” category. So she put it on me. Keep in mind – I had never actually used the Hannibal Lector attire before – and remember- not at ALL when I had my exam by the Vet. It’s all about timing with me. So you can imagine how impressed I was.

After the shot and the blood letting, the Warden removed my bondage, and I happily took treats. Mind you, the second tech who I snapped at kinda threw them at me. She’s a quick study. She values her fingers.

So the Warden apologized about a dozen times after the whole incident. Frankly, I think it was a bit over the top – it’s not like a took her hand off. How would you like a stranger coming up to you and flattening your new hairdo. I bet you’d slap their hand away. Mind you, you likely wouldn’t use your teeth. I know- I SHOULD NOT be that way. But it’s a quirk. And here’s the thing-head petting isn’t just taboo for me – apparently there ARE other canines in my cult. Yeah – I know some dogs don’t care – like the Coyote- but some of us really are conscious of our personal space. And we need time, and we need to feel comfortable with a stranger.

https://search.app/rnKXNi4quArF576n8

Anyway, that was my FIRST behavioral boo boo. Then there was the counter surfing thingy.

So. The Coyote is, as I mentioned, still in his ultra picky eating phase. Sometimes he starts eating a meal, then stops and waits for the Warden to add something “better.” Yes. He has her VERY well trained. So while she went in the hallway and mixed some yummy addition to his meal, yours truly saw it as a great opportunity to help with mealtime cleanup. There was this 1/4 stick of butter – just waiting for removal from the counter. Which I did. The Warden walked in the kitchen and saw my downward head posture- clearly eating SOMETHING. She raced over and she could see the metallic colored paper from the butter sticking out the sides of my mouth. She said “drop it.” She might as well have said zippideedoda- because it didn’t matter WHAT she said – I was in cholesterol heaven. Licking and chomping. She attempted to pry open my mouth – but I sure had that stick of goodness in a death grip. She finally managed somehow to get her fingers in and pulled out what remained of the paper. I looked at her smacking my salty lips. “NO” she shouted. I shouted back (in my head) “TOO LATE.” She stomped off to see if the Coyote finished his supper. Which of course, he hadn’t. I believe that’s when she let loose the primal scream. I hadn’t heard that in a while – but it’s not completely rare here.

Of course after my novel dietary sampling, the Warden had to Google what would happen to me. Apparently, nobody in this house has ever eaten butter. Socks, mittens, grass, and bird suet with seeds have been consumed in the past by other canines – but no butter. LUCKILY I didn’t eat THAT much – so I wasn’t in any danger. Although, I DID produce some pretty dangerous farts that evening. The Warden just glared at me. And I smiled back. It was worth the gas.

Otherwise, not much new. We’ve upped our walking each morning and some days, the Warden can trick the Coyote into eating his entire breakfast along the way. Other days he takes a bite of kibble, walks a few steps and spits it out. For me, he’s like a walking gum-ball machine. I follow him closely.

No wildlife run-ins. We’re getting so used to seeing bunnies on our walk, we don’t even pull. Mind you, if they’re on the front lawn, and I go out off-leash- the chase is on. Haven’t caught one yet. Yet.

We have no big plans for July – but some company may be coming to visit in August and September. No news on who it is. They will likely be forewarned about petting me. Unless, of course I know them. Then I just bite them and they don’t even have to reach out to touch me. It’s my special way of greeting those I know with love nibbles. What can I say, I’m mouthy.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer – and each day you can think of one thing to be thankful for. It’s a good habit to get into. And it doesn’t have to be something huge – like a vacation or a new car. It can be simple. Like picking some fresh lavender. Or sitting in the sunshine. Or going for an early morning walk. Or eating butter….

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

Howdy blogaroos! Squirmy here to brighten your Thursday. Because let’s face it, for people who are working, Thursday is just Thursday. It’s not the dreaded Monday. Not is it Wednesday- which is hump day. And it’s not quite Friday. So we are here today to provide a thrilling Thursday.

See the puppy in the photo? Isn’t he cute? And do you know what breed he is? He’s a Norwich terrier! And his name is Rowan. And he’s the BEST!!!

But now we admit the Click Bait. Nope – he’s not living here in the asylum. He’s living with our Old English Sheepdog buddy, Declan -and with a “seasoned” Boston Terrier by the name of Leroy. His new jailers- Allan and Heather are in for some good times with the new addition. The Warden went over to meet him on day 2 – and said he’s so comfortable in their home – it’s like he’s been there forever! The Warden said he’s SUPER smart. Apparently that’s a trait of terriers. Just like PONs. And… OK – Picards are smart too – they just don’t always choose to demonstrate it. The Warden says Picards are like the kid in class, who before the exam says they didn’t have time to study, and they don’t know the material, but they ace the exam. Mind you, they turn it in 5 minutes late, because they were still “thinking.”

Anyway, the Warden smelled like terrier when she got home – and we went crazy. We literally sniffed off ANY scent of puppy that was on her body.

We are looking forward to hearing all about the adventures of Rowan – and we are SURE there will be many!

As a puppy postscript- for those wondering if a third musketeer will be added to our ranks – the answer is a sad, but firm “no.” The Warden has lived with a household of three canines for MANY years – but she says it won’t be happening this time. Because the Coyote has ongoing health needs – she says he counts as 1.5 dogs. And with my bigger than life attitude, I count as 1.5 dogs. So we’re hypothetically a household of 3 canines. Remember though, that math isn’t her strong suit.

Meanwhile, here in the asylum, the Coyote has decided potatoes are now boring. He has unfortunately, once again, become reacquainted with the practice of force feeding. Oh – it’s not that he won’t eat ANYTHING. In fact, if you call him into the kitchen and offer him a bite of potato, he’ll eagerly eat it. In fact he’ll eat two pieces. Three… But put the potato in with his vet diet food (which he happily ate last month), and he shoves the bowl around and tries to hide it in the closet. Oh. And after his force feeding ritual, he’ll happily eat biscuits or freeze dried sweet potatoes. Or blueberries. Go figure.

The crazy (but good thing) is that his weight is excellent, his energy is great, and he’s a happy guy all around. Except for mealtime. Back to the drawing board!

The Warden signed up for an interesting veterinary webinar series all about Canine Kidney Disease. If you’re interested in a variety of veterinary topics, you can join in the webinars for a very reasonable fee. She’s attending 4 sessions for less than the cost of a SMALL bag of dog food! You can check out their presentations under the Continuing Education link at

https://search.app/dQG8ZNtrgzHJzy5e6

The info is designed for vets, but pet owners are welcome to attend. The Warden said some of the info in the first session was “a bit” over her head – BUT she did learn some things about blood pressure and Kidney disease – and she can now ask our vet some questions about one of the 100 meds the Coyote is on. Our poor vet…. Arm a pet owner with a bazooka full of info and the vet will feel like they’ve been bombarded. Ah for the good old pre-internet days….

What else… Oh – Happy First Day of Summer! AND the longest day of the year!!! We got the Warden up extra early so we can enjoy every minute of daylight. And it’s going to be a HOT first day of summer. We were back from our almost 3 Km walk before 7 AM. It will be too hot later to do much of anything so it was good we got our exercise in early. Carpe Diem. Which I think means “early breakfast.” Or something like that.

We know that lots of places are experiencing high temperatures right now. Here’s an important article about heat and us canines:

https://www.vets-now.com/summer/your-dog-walking-temperature-guide/

Hey. Do you know what movie was released on this day in 1975? Here’s a clue. This is the theme music. Do do (pause) do do (pause) do do (pause) do do do do do do do do…..

Here’s another clue. It’s about an ocean dwelling creature.

Surely with those clues you know it was Jaws. And did you know that I still have my nickname- the Shaggy Shark. Wojtek is my name – and biting is my game. My obsessive use of my teeth begins at the crack of dawn. I put 2 feet on the Warden’s bed and stare into her face. She”ll groan “good morning” and will scratch my ears. And the minute she stops- I start using my pearly whites. I attempt to bite her hands – OR I grab one of her slippers and make a run for it. Dental communication is in my DNA. The Warden says it’s a good thing the Coyote has such a good temperament. Any other dog would have clobbered me by now with my frenzied play biting. People look at photos of me and say “ oh he’s so cute.” Little do they know – I’m a shark in disguise.

Well, time to find another good spot to lounge. Hope you can stay cool today- and that every minute in this long day is great!

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

Hey blogaroos. Squirmy here to provide news, updates and info about life here in the asylum.

It’s been a bit roller coaster-like the past couple of weeks. First we had the big-eating Coyote- who thought that after 8 years, food was GREAT – if it contained baked potatoes. And all was happy in foodland for several weeks. Until the broken nails….

So all was right in Coyote World. He was eating more than ever, happy as always and ever-ready to wrestle with yours truly. BUT he was licking at his leg. A lot. The Warden examined him and saw that his dew claw had broken and half had lifted off – like a pair of scissors. Yowza. She sent a photo to the vet, and they suggested cutting it back. Well hello. Mr. Don’t-Touch-My-Feet does not allow ANYONE to clip his nails. The Warden can dremel his nails, but she didn’t think that would work in this case. So off to the vet he went.

Now we all know about his dramatic behavior at the vet. He basically needs to be pulled in and then he begins to exhibit a combination of shaking from head to toe and a loud incessant squeaking that is worse than a Saw Whet Owl looking for a mate. (See our previous blog post if you have no idea what we are talking about).

He was SUPPOSED to be seen by a technician and while two techs did initially look at him, they decided the vet should really take a look at it.

The vet (who is quasi-new to our vet clinic) is someone who the Warden knows from WAY back – like in the days when Paxton was in Drill Team. They actually did Drill Team together! The Warden LOVES her – and was so happy when she heard she joined our clinic. Anyway, Dr. L came in, looked at the Coyote, and easily removed the loose piece of his nail with a quick tug. He never even squeaked. So all was again joyful in the Coyote’s world. He gave kisses and tail wags to everyone in the room, and he went home with instructions to keep the nail clean, keep him from licking it, and watch for signs of infection.

The nail was quickly fine. And all was once again right with the Coyote World. But then…the Warden noticed him licking ANOTHER nail. Sure enough – it was also splitting. But it had not separated like the first nail. It was kinda partly split and one piece was overhanging the bottom part. The Warden thought “THIS I can dremel.” Wrongo. One tiny rotary movement and it started bleeding. Off to the vet. AGAIN.

This time he was seen by the techs, who were able to cut back the overhanging piece. They unfortunately said the best thing to do would be bandage it until it grows out a bit more…

So the Coyote is sporting a bandaged foot which is changed daily. He is NOT impressed. And we all know what happens if the Coyote is not impressed or if something changes in his world…he refuses to eat. Yup. He’s on a hunger strike. He runs over to his food dish at meal time, and then says “meh.” He doesn’t even want baked potatoes….

So the Warden has upped her own blood pressure medication. JUST KIDDING. But it IS stressful- especially when he was doing so well…

In other less stressful news, we think there’s been a bear visiting our compost bin. Isn’t it funny that a BEAR is less stressful than the Coyote not eating?! Anyway, a neighbor on the road took a photo of a visiting bruin and our can has been knocked over twice – even though there’s not much in it. He must be really hungry. Wonder if he’d attempt to eat a PON? The Warden says one look at loco me, and he’d run the other direction. See. It pays to be crazy.

What else? Oh yeah – the new plants. So, if you may recall, the Warden gave up on her little vegetable garden the year after I arrived. Probably because I saw it as a FABULOUS place to run and dig. So now her “planting” is limited to a few large pots of annuals she puts by the front door – and in a planter in the middle of the backyard.

A couple of days ago she bought some plants for her planters and a friend dropped off a few as well. She had these giant bags of soil to fill the planters and she worked at it after supper the other day – in the front of the house. The Coyote and I were inside because a. He couldn’t be loose outside in the front of the house because he would take off (bandaged foot and all) and b. I would stay around for awhile, until I got bored, and then I would go bunny hunting. So she was doing her work without supervision. Frodo was her usual supervisor for such projects. He wouldn’t take off. She misses his supervision….even when he was Bossy.

So she fills several planters, and then drags the remaining soil and plants to the backyard planter. Our backyard is fenced. The deck door is open – so the Coyote and I race down to see her.

She puts the plants down and turns to get the bag of soil. At which point, yours truly promptly “waters” the new plants waiting to go into their new home. “Hey” she shouts, just as the Coyote walks by and also attempts to “christen” the newcomers. “Aggghhhhhhh” the Warden screams. Now she gets to plant the wet specimens. Good thing she wears garden gloves.

I’m still going to my obedience classes, though one would never know it at home. Since the Boss is gone, I have totally ramped up my barking. It’s like his barking soul has entered my body. I have a LOT to say. But in class, you’d never know just how maniacal I am at home. I play a good part.

And speaking of talking, have you read the latest research on dog talk? Check it out:

https://search.app/?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecbsnews%2Ecom%2Famp%2Ftexas%2Fnews%2Fdo%2Ddogs%2Dtalk%2Duta%2Dresearcher%2Dworking%2Dto%2Dfind%2Dout%2F&utm_source=igadl%2Cigatpdl%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F5

The Warden says if they need subject dogs to get a speech sample, she’ll gladly send me off. She thinks she’s funny.

What else? Oh – the Warden replaced the fabulous magnetic screen door to the deck – because SOMEHOW, it got a hole in it last summer. Don’t look at me. I think it was a faulty screen. Anyway, BEFORE the “L” shaped tear, which I eventually put my head through, the screen was working like a charm. This wasn’t one of those cheapy screens you can buy at the Dollar Store. No. It is made of like space age fiberglass or something. And the price reflected that technology. And it DID work great. Until the L. And then the giant hole. So she bought another one- and put it up. You know that famous saying by Einstein: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ Welcome to our home. Let’s see if this one makes it through the summer. We’re taking bets.

I think that’s it from the asylum. We’ll keep you posted about the Coyote’s apathetic appetite. Paws crossed he gets back on track. But not to worry about food ever being wasted. That’s why every household should have a canine composter aka PON. And some people think that title goes to Labs. Ha! They just don’t know PONs!

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

Howdy blogaroos! Did ya miss us? It’s Squirmy here to share our latest exploits. Where to begin….

Well Aunt Sue was here for two weeks, and we had a blast. We dragged her on walks each morning at 6AM – which she thoroughly enjoyed. OK. We enjoyed it. She tolerated it. And she did smile some mornings. Actually, she even joined in singing our “Good Morning” song several days. She may have been half asleep, but she did join in.

She walked the Coyote- and had to monitor that he didn’t drink out of puddles, eat too much grass, or eat goose poop. It was a grand time.

We also did nightly walks with her and the Warden decked out in glowing jackets, and us dogs also lit up like walking Christmas trees. Plus the humans wore such bright headlamps that we were lucky a 747 didn’t try to land on our road.

After Aunt Sue left, the Warden took us out one by one for our nightly walks – but yesterday she had to turn off the headlamp for fear of being bopped in the head by a flying ping pong ball. Yup. Although it’s still May, the dreaded June Bugs are already out. The large beetle like creatures come out at night – and are attracted to lights. You can hear them bouncing off window screens if lights are on in the house. So for the next few weeks, we’ll be walking around in total darkness in the house- on the off chance one could squeeze his way under a screen. Heaven forbid one of the kamikaze ping pong balls gets inside. Been there. Witnessed the chaos and pandemonium. I still have PTJBM. Post traumatic June Bug Memories.

So Aunt Sue left and we were sad. She’ll hopefully be back later in the summer… We can’t wait. Nothing like a good aunt to give you extra treats, or let you lick her empty yogurt container or smuck you in the butt with water from a squirt gun if you’re acting like a raving maniac when your meals are being prepared….

What else is new… Spud is still very much in love with warm baked potatoes – and he continues to eat more food than he has in his 8 years of life. Go figure.

The Warden says the Coyote is like….a tire repair. So you drive over a nail that puts a hole in your tire. And you get it repaired. But you still keep wondering – will that repair hold? EVERY SINGLE TIME the Warden puts the Coyote’s food dish down, she waits with bated breath. Will the air start leaking out of the tire today? Or will we be ready to roll? So far, the potatoes seem to be holding the tire together. It’s nothing short of a miracle.

Meanwhile, yours truly went to the vet this week. I went for two reasons – to get my paw checked and to get a Lyme vaccine. I’ve been licking at one paw incessantly and although the Warden examined it, she didn’t see anything causing the problem (like a stick or cut). One night she put cream on it and wrapped it in vet wrap. Although I walked like my entire leg was now in a full length cast, I adjusted pretty quickly. The next day when she took the bandage off, the area was less red. But within minutes, I was back at my incessant licking.

So I went to have my paw examined and to get “my shot.”

Now here’s the deal. I’m not exactly a Golden Retriever when it comes to meeting people the first time. I’m not Mr Happy-Go-Lucky like the Boss was. I’m super cautious around new people. And although I have been to the vet before, it’s been a long time. And because I’m nervous, the Warden gets nervous. So we make a horrible team. I feel her nerves and that makes ME more nervous.

Luckily, she was smart enough to fill her pockets with treats. She could barely sit in the car with her loaded pockets. And when the vet came in, she passed her a handful.

Thankfully we have a very patient vet, who sat in the floor with me and took her time with me. To help the vet examine my foot, the Warden did a wrestling move, flipped me on my side, and I was good as gold. I didn’t move a muscle as she checked all my feet. Some of us PONs have the don’t-touch-my-feet gene – and that’s kinda me. Mind you, the Warden can clip my nails with no problem. I just don’t love it.

Anyway, before the session was over I was following the vet’s commands and even heeling with her across the room. I never even felt the vaccine. I was perfectly adorable. And I came home with some new cream for my foot which already seems to be working.

Otherwise, things are pretty stable around here. No run-ins with the walking pin cushion, and no sight of the raccoon who we assumed knocked over our compost bin the other night. Unless it was a bear….

We did have an interesting wildlife encounter a few weeks ago, and our apologies to folks who already read this story on the Warden’s Wastebook page. But it’s worth a repeat for those who didn’t.

As you know, we live in a semi-rural area of Nova Scotia. Although we’re only 20 minutes from downtown Halifax (if there is no traffic) the area where we live is surrounded by trees and our road is the start of a popular hiking trail. As we have talked about many times, we have seen lots of wildlife in our area – from raccoons to deer to porcupines to the odd bear. We can sometimes hear the coyotes at night, and we know there are also bobcats in the area.

Add to the four legged friends, we have LOTS of feathered friends- including all kinds of songbirds, mourning doves, crows, ducks, geese, loons, hummingbirds, pheasants and even eagles.

So we’re pretty used to living in our own little “wild kingdom.”

Several kilometers away from our happy abode is a small industrial park. We can’t see it, because as I said it’s kilometers away. But about 2-3 months ago, the Warden started hearing this sound at night, like the beeping of a truck backing up. She was in touch with neighbors on our road, and others heard it as well. The sound went on for HOURS -and through the night. The neighbors and the warden started suspecting that the sound was coming from the industrial park. The Warden even audiotaped the beeping while walking us one evening. The sound was constant, and even in the house, if the windows were open, you could hear it. The Warden envisioned some truck driver doing repeated backward circles. WHAT could the driver be doing? The Coyote and I heard it, but it didn’t bother us. Which is interesting. Because when a delivery truck backs down our driveway, with the beeping sound, we go NUTS. I mean crazy nuts. But we didn’t care about this “truck”.

Finally, after nights of listening to the “crazy driver”, one of our great neighbors decided to contact one of our municipal councilors to find out info about local noise bylaws- and to see if the councilor could investigate the source of the sound. Who WAS this crazy driver? He/she needed to be stopped.

Everyone waited to hear who the offending driver was. The councilor worked quickly and it was no time before the culprit was revealed. We finally knew the source of the incessant beeping….

https://youtu.be/GwgTcxjLnTo?si=4O3sCMYp87VjBN5D

Whooooo knew that little guy could make such a racket. It’s crazy.

Now, we’ve heard this guy before…

https://youtu.be/6hG6465r0dQ?si=ksf5HjMGBo6uc6HF

But seriously- he sounds like an owl.

Should I point out again, that we canines KNEW it wasn’t a truck. Shoulda listened to us in the first place!

I should also mention that although Mr Beeper can still be heard, for some reason, the sound just isn’t as irritating now. Interesting, isn’t it?

OK. Time to look for trouble. I hope you’re able to enjoy these longer days – and that they are filled with sunshine- and no flying ping pong balls after dark.

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

Howdy blogaroos!!!! Squirmy here. It’s a big day here – but before we begin talking about the reason for celebration, let’s start with a little quiz..

1. How many legs does a spider have?

2. How many arms or tentacles does an octopus have?

3. What is the atomic number of oxygen?

4. The Beatles thought there were how many days in a week?

5. How many Maids were Milking after Christmas.

6. In the 1970s, you were cool if you had this audio technology.

7. If you put this number sideways, you have the symbol for eternity.

8. Pirates once searched for Spanish coins known as pieces of what?

9. If you’re in a difficult or tricky situation, they say you’re behind what ball?

OK. OK. Did ya notice a theme here? All of the answers contained the number 7!!!!!! Just kidding. They contained the number 8. And WHY did we feature that useless trivia? Because it’s the Coyote’s 8th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! Can you believe it?! For those who have been reading this blog since the dawn of time, you may actually remember his arrival in our happy abode in what seems like yesterday. Or at least last week. Hardly 8 YEARS AGO!!!!! That’s way before my time.

It’s been quite the year for the introspective, Zen, observant, quirky randomly squeaky, laid back dude. Last September he came pretty darn close to taking the path to the Rainbow Bridge….but in typical Coyote fashion, he took off in another direction. And because he does NOTHING according to the books, he thankfully continues to defy medical odds – and not only is he doing well- he’s suddenly eating more than he EVER has. But it’s partly because the Warden discovered the secret appetite stimulant- which we mentioned before. Hot baked potatoes. I need to emphasize hot, because yesterday when she ATTEMPTED to give him a cold potato which had been cooked earlier in the day, he looked at her like she had two heads. She apologized, reheated the potato, and he ate it (along with all of his kibble) as quickly as you can say Mr. Potato Head. We’ve actually started calling him Spud.

We’re excited because Aunt Sue is here to celebrate the big birthday with us. She has been here for a week- and we’re having a super duper time. We make sure to get her up promptly at 6 AM to join us on our morning constitutional. She walks the Coyote – paying strict attention so that he doesn’t drink from muddy puddles – or eat too much roughage (aka grass) – because with the spring grass, he acts a bit like a cow or a sheep. He’s a grazer.

We haven’t seen the four-legged pin cushion lately – but we do keep watching for him. We’re not even allowed in our fenced backyard after dark now. The Warden isn’t taking any chances that some wayward pin cushion climbs the fence and comes to visit.

Since it’s the Coyote’s big day, we thought we’d share some of our favorite photos from the past year….

We know some of the photos are bittersweet- we miss the Boss too. Plus the poor Warden has to work SO hard to get a good photo with the two of us – the photogenic, willing model is no longer here to provide an example. Not that we ever watched him anyway. But it was nice to have at least ONE smiling dog. She’s got her work cut out for her now.

But despite the fact that we miss the big guy, it’s really made the two of us better buddies. Really. I mean we always got along- but let’s face it- he was the odd man out. So now we hang out together much more. And when I go off hunting for golf balls (I must be at about 50 so far and the season just started!) – he watches and waits for me. Before, he really didn’t pay the least bit of attention. But now he kinda seems to worry where I am. PLUS – get this – when I go mooching for food – and I stick my head in the fridge to take stock for grocery day- he sticks his in too! PLUS – he sits and stares at the humans while they are eating. Just like yours truly. AND he eats carrots now. He watches me and eats what I eat. Yup – our buddydom has gone to a new level. So it’s good. It’s really good.

Time to get the humans moving. And time to get ready for the festivities. Potatoes all around!!!!

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

Howdy blogaroos! Squirmy here on MAY 1! Can you believe it’s May already? The blackflies are anxiously awaiting their bombardment. Any minute now…

May 1st marks a day of many holidays around the globe including World Carnivorous Plant Day (huge celebrations around the world for that one), National Salad Day (yawn), Save the Rhino Day (now that’s a parade I’d like to see) and the most important- National Purebred Dog Day. The Coyote and I are expecting extra treats as a result.

If you want a little quiz about purebred dogs, here is a short one:

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/quiz-what-was-this-dog-bred-to-do/

The Warden did pretty well.

Now if you want to know what kind of purebred dog YOU would be based on your interests and behaviors, take this quiz:

https://heywise.com/quiz/ever-wanted-to-know-what-breed-of-dog-you-are/

The Warden thinks it’s a bunch of hooey. Take it, and let us know what you think. We’ll send a prize to the first person who correctly guesses what breed the Warden is. I’m not sure what the prize is, but we’ll figure something out.

If you’re really bored today, there are loads of trivia quizzes about dogs. We did the one on rare breeds. Unfortunately there were no PONs or Picards in the quiz. That’s why we only got 18/20.

https://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/animals/dogs/dog_breeds.html

Have fun!

What’s new around here…

Well, the Coyote is really relishing his newfound love for potatoes. I’m serious. The Warden now gives him plain baked potato in every one of his meals. He comes running when he smells her slicing them up. We have NEVER seen him so interested in a food. Ever. Now we realize it likely won’t last, but it’s great for now. Pretty soon we’ll be calling the skinny dude “Tubby.”

Oh – plus we dodged a ginormous disaster the night before last. We were both going out for our last pee of the night – and the Warden took both of us together on leash. It was dark, but she was wearing her trusty headlamp. Unfortunately, the battery needed charging – so it wasn’t QUITE as radiant as it usually is. So we’re walking up to the road, and suddenly, both of our noses hit the ground. And we got kinda frantic. The Warden looked up and with her dim light could see something waddling off the driveway and into the woods. We saw it too. It was a porcupine.

Did you ever hear one of those stories where someone is like trapped under a car and their friend suddenly gets superhuman strength to lift the car? Yeah well the Warden showed superhuman strength holding onto the two of us. She shouted “no emergency clinic tonight!!!” She managed to pull us away faster than she has probably ever moved in her life. Mind you, it’s not the first time she’s seen a four-legged pin cushion at night. But not walking both me and my compadre together. Plus I think Tubby is getting extra muscles eating all those potatoes. Anyway, no trips to the vet that night.

Oh plus guess who is coming to visit soon? Aunt Sue!!!! We don’t know when. The Warden won’t tell us because she wants it to be a surprise. Some time in May….

OK. Gotta go get ready for our Purebred Dog Day celebrations. Maybe we can watch a rerun of Best in Show. Plus there are plenty of Crufts YouTube videos to watch. As long as there are snacks. Besides potatoes.

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