Merry merry!

Wishing everyone and every-dog a very Merry Christmas!

We're thrilled to be having a white Christmas. This is winter wonder fun playland for them - this time last year there was zero snow and a pool in the middle of the yard. There's something quite awesome about seeing dogs play in snow. Space to run, leap, dig! Frolic!

For example, one of Moll's most fav things to do in the snow - she loves to catch snowballs or 'find' them after I throw them. I'll toss a big one in a drift and she will do a series hops that ends in one gorgeous leap, her feet and nose first in the soft snowpack. (Reminds me of a polar bear hunting for seals hiding under the ice/snow.) Then she'll dig like crazy... where is it? I know it's in here somewhere! She'll pop up her head, covered in snow, and ask for the next snowball.

Ben's job in the snow is to find the ground. Echoing Molly's thoughts... where is it? I know it's in here somewhere! Yep this guy will sniff the ground... and pick out a spot to excavate. And this guy, he'll dig til he finds that solid ground. And to make sure, he'll try a sample of that glorious mud and grass concoction that he unearthed from the depths of that white cold stuff.. Yep that's the ground alright. We're all good it's still there. But lemme check o'er here to be sure. Proud Ben. And more digging commences. Messy yes, fun to watch? You bet.

I have the dogs riled up because shortly we are expecting the original snow dog himself, Mr. Shada dog, the ginormous husky and Borris the silly floppy labradoodlesomething. I'm looking forward to clutching a mug of hot something and snapping a few pics of dogs reminding us to enjoy ourselves this holiday season.

The patient one

Snowz a coming!

Hey Molly!

Heeey whasup?

It’s going to snow Molly, a lot! Your favorite... snow-snow!

Snow???? Where?!

Yes! Weee haaaaa! The forecast is calling for snow starting late tonight to Saturday evening. Last night our forecast for the area was 4-6 inches. By noon today they said 6-10 inches. By 4pm the forecast changed to 8-15 inches or more with some areas getting up to 20. You should have seen the graphic posted by our local news titled “Snowfall Impact” which showed large color bands over the mid-Atlantic region. It showed the snowfall impact as “Very Disruptive” or “Paralyzing”. Paralyzing? I think that’s a bit extreme.

Sometime in the middle of the night (cuz we’re freaks like that) I’ll be walking in the snowfall with the dogs. That’s one of my favorite things to do... You can actually hear it fall it’s so quiet. So quiet and peaceful that is until the dogs have had enough of the peaceful and then go about breaking the quiet with outbreaks happy-i-love-snow-barking and dogzoomies. At which point I would kick myself for dropping their leashes as they play cheetah and antelope across the plains of someone’s pristine fresh snow covered front lawn. I whisper yell (cuz it’s after midnite) to them (as if they could hear me) and they eventually circle back to me eyes wild and tongues dangling. That would be when I look around to see if any neighbor's lights have come on and inspect the footprint laden lawns and realize there’s still lots of snow left to fall so by morning the game trails would be covered up. If not, maybe they’ll think it was a big bunny. :)

On finding the good spots

Many of us dog people know that our dogs have detectors for finding the good spots to lay their furry heads for a nap. This time of the year (brrrr) most of the good spots involve judiciously chosen cozy, fluffy, warm spots. Rather, I should say cozier, fluffier, warmer spots. The higher the better. A spot next to a human pretty good, sharing the warmth and all. But the more recently vacated by a human, even better. Examples...

Ben, who can miraculously change his weight from 45lbs to 90lbs to become an immoveable mass of black dog, centered in the middle of your bed on a just fluffed comforter using your legs as a bolster Points for elevation, the fluffy factor and human presence.

Molly, on the pile of towels emptied onto the couch which were just removed from the dryer to be folded. Points for elevation and the cozy factor. Bonus points for warmth.

Ben, hunkering down on top of the heap of down pillows and down comforter as I change the bed linens. Points for the fluffy factor. Bonus points for elevation.

Molly nestled into my still warm bed, her head on a pillow, after eating her breakfast. Points for elevation, warmth and the cozy factor.

And most recently, on a cold brrr night... Watching TV wrapped in an electric blanket, getting up for a cuppa coffee refill and returning to my spot now occupied by a snoozing dog. A dog pretending to be fast asleep. I mean how fast can you fall asleep in 20 seconds? A dog thinking... how cute an innocent can I look so that there’s no way my person will move me out of the way?

Ben gets points for cozy and fluffy. Elevation good, add a point. Warm spot, add another. Occupation of spot recently used by a human, bonus point. But the taking of a cozy and fluffy electric warming blanket also previously occupied by a human and looking super cute? Total WIN!

Now you see it...now you don't!

Bye swimming pool. You were good to us but the time has come.

On Day 2 of pool demolition, I let the dogs into the backyard to inspect the "new" space. Well, at first they inspected the perimeter of the now gone pool. Then it hit them that they can RUN into that space! Dogzoomies!

Then the rain came.

And it didn't stop for 3 days. So it's a little bit... muddy out there. A lot muddy. The work will resume on the yard after things get a chance to dry out of bit (grading, topsoil, seed, fertilize and straw). Even though Ben gives me sad puppy eyes to go play in the mud (he LOVES mud) I can't bring myself to let him have at it. He's okay, no worries, all the gazillion extra leash walks make up for it.

So for now, we will dream of the "new" space. And cross all our fingers and paws that we get some grass to grow back there before winter rears so we're not looking at mud the entire winter.

If this doesn't give you the puppy fever... nothing will.

Last week we returned from a week of Camp at Glen Highland Farm... 40 serious dog-lovin' folks and their dogs getting a dose of the countryside while engaging in a plethora of canine sports and invigorating lectures on dog behavior (Leslie McDevitt of Control Unleashed, gave 2 fascinating lecture/demos), canine nutrition and alternative health.

Whilst at Camp, we came across an 8-week old bundle of border collie puppy deliciousness. Skeeter, also affectionately known as "The Puppy." The Puppy was an owner surrender to Glen Highland Farm's Border Collie Rescue – playful 8-week old purebred BC + resident senior Chihuahua - do not a great combo make. So Puppy was looking for a new home. And boy was everyone (including me) going gaga over this one. Chubby wiggly smiley. Puppy had definite plans for his next home and in short order he picked his new person. Puppy, who couldn't sit still for a second suddenly was focused and calm when he made his choice. For the rest of the week he followed his new person and his new packmate, a BC Aussie cross, like they had been together for years. It was a really cool thing to witness. When the fit is right... the fit is right. For a young pup he sure knew what he wanted, as did his new person, who had arrived to the Farm looking to add to the family.

I was high with puppy fever and smitten, as a lot of folk would be. But we knew Puppy was not for us. Heck we weren't even 'looking' and I would not be amongst those who acquire a pup or dog or any animal on a whim because it was "sooooo cute", without a second thought of the commitment and responsibility that comes along with it.

That chubby wiggly smiley puppy face. I have photos of The Puppy face. And that is all fine by me. And Ben and Molly second that.

A Study in Contrasts

With those differences... there's a bit of this:

and this:
But not to worry. Even though they playfight with a super gnarly teeth display, there's plenty of this (which by the way, is a 2x daily ritual of Ben - to clean Moll's face and ears... quite... ummm... thoroughly):

and this:

Oh these two... they've had years and years to know eachother and worked out any issues a loong time ago. At the end of the day, these guys are pretty much "nose to nose" on things. :)

Ok I cheated on that last photo... I posted a slightly different version in the past. It's an oldie but definitely a goodie.

Ben takes ya along for a vacation Pt. 2

Ben takes ya along for a vacation. Pt. 1