Eva's Debut on Richmond Pet Lovers (dot) com

On this last day of adopt-a-shelter-cat month, Eva (pictured sunning her spoiled self above) has agreed to make a guest appearance over at Richmond Pet Lovers (dot) com's blog. (Note: She is a hard gig to book.)

Why not pop on over there, hear her out and maybe shoot her some fan mail?

Some not so great photos of some really great dogs - at the dog show

I have many other great photos from our Cardigan Corgi "social" this past weekend, but those are saved for another day this week. These photos were taken inside the dog show venue (which, by the way, was painted an off white color and had poor lighting; therefore, my camera was struck dumb and only managed these poor excuses for pictures) and I'd really like to share them with you. :)

Jon Farleigh has just asked me to "pinch him because this can't be real."  :)

Jon Farleigh's sister, Georgia, in the show ring. Such a pretty girl!

Dewi still under the influence of Oscar Mayer wiener (after the CGC test)
(If you click the photo to enlarge, you'll see that Dewi's got a Belgian Sheepdog wanting some of that "good stuff" too.)

The pretty Pembroke Welsh Corgi who was Best of Breed on Sunday

This lovely rear end belongs to an Irish Wolfhound. Oh, by the way, that was no small Doberman Pinscher either.

Three little pigs French Bulldogs - so cute!  (Not as cute as Benny and Lily though.)

German Shorthaired Pointers

I JUST ADORE...

Wirehaired Dachshunds!!!!!

This is the devastatingly handsome Rush (the Cardigan Welsh Corgi) and his owner/handler, Heidi.

Rush was Best of Breed on Sunday, which earned him a place to compete in the Herding Group. He placed fourth! Here he is lined up with the other Herding Group winners: the Pembroke Welsh Corgi (3rd), Old English Sheepdog (2nd) and Border Collie (1st) - all gorgeous dogs! We had so much fun!

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I hope you get to do something fun today!

It's Almost Wednesday Wordless Wednesday???

It is late here and I am unable to string coherent thoughts. So here is a photo of Dewi:

This was taken right after we left the CGC test venue on Sunday.

Just so you know, he would've had the same expression even if he had failed. :)

Angel-faced, poop-eating squid-dog is also a Good Citizen (with the help of Oscar Mayer's miraculous powers)

If you read last Friday's post to the end, you might recall that I mentioned the dogs and I would be attending AKC all-breed conformation shows this weekend (as spectators to cheer on Jon Farleigh's sister Georgia). (I also promised photos from the event, which, incidentally, will have to wait until another day because I'm still sorting them out and mulling over them.) Anyway, what I did not mention - because I was chicken - was that Dewi and I would be taking the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test - being offered to the general public - on Sunday afternoon at the show venue.

Some of you - who've been following the blog for a while (at least since February) - might remember that I had a bit of a struggle with Dewi in his Basic Obedience class. But in case this is news to you, let me summarize: Dewi is a brilliant, and also HIGH-ENERGY. He also (sometimes) loves other dogs more than they might love him in return. On the last day of obedience school, however, under the influence of an Oscar Mayer wiener, he transformed into the obedient dog I paid $90 for him to be, and graduated like a champ.

But enough background.

So at 2:12 p.m. (not that I was cognisant of the exact time) yesterday, Dewi did it again. That is, despite huge odds against him in Vegas (okay, not really, but I wouldn't have bet on him) and in spite of himself (and my huge nerves), he passed. He is a Canine Good Citizen. :) (Yay!)

Now, let me tell you what happened before the test

(remember the test was administered within a dog show venue crammed with hundreds of dogs and people):

1. Dewi dragged me halfway through the parking lot toward the first dog he laid eyes on.
2. Once inside the venue, Dewi continued to pull toward the faces (and butts) of most every dog in our path.
3. I had serious doubts about going through with the test.
4. Dewi spotted a familiar dog (Jon Farleigh's sister) and lost all his marbles.
5. I decided that humor would be the best response to Dewi miserably failing the test. (I might as well give the evaluator a good laugh, no?)
6. Dewi's fairy godmother (aka: Oscar Mayer wiener) popped out of my bag.
7. Dewi temporarily forgot where he was and performed a brilliant sit-stay.
8. I slipped Dewi some fairy dust (courtesy of Oscar Mayer "pharmaceuticals").
9. I repeated #s 7 and 8 several times.

   
   

   30 minutes and 1.5 wieners later...
   
   

   

   This is Dewi's brain on crack Oscar Mayer wiener.

   
   
10. I plunged my left hand into the wiener baggie and coated it with "Eau de Smoked Hot Dog."
11. I gave Dewi one last hit of crack fairy dust wiener the second before entering the test ring.
12. The test evaluator reminded me of the "no treat" rule and then (somewhat playfully) motioned for me to show him my open palms (which I did). He also (visually) examined my person for pockets/treat dispensing devices.  

So let me just recap (for those who might have a dog with similar temperament to Dewi and aspire to get your dog CGC-certified):

• Attend obedience training with your dog.
• While in obedience training, experiment with drugs treats.
• When you find one that makes your dog look at you with the expression in the above photo, stockpile it (if needed) and use it ONLY when you need a miracle from said dog.

Happy training! ☺

Fight, Flight or Turn into Jell-o?

Answer Key

Cat: Fight

Jon Farleigh: Flight

Dewi: See below.

Dewi????

In the relatively short time that he's been in my family, I only know of three things that Dewi isn't fond of:

1. Going in the x-pen when the humans are leaving.
2. Going "night-night" in his room crate.
3. The Dremel.

However, instead of running away and hiding from these things (like Jon Farleigh - who, incidentally, is perfectly okay with the x-pen and going "night-night" ), or scratching my eyes out (hyperbole), like the cats, Dewi prefers to drop to the floor, roll over and transform into a tentacled, gelatinous blob, as illustrated below:

"Did you just say 'Dremel'?"

"I won't look."

"Aieeeeeeeeeee! Help meeeeeeeeeee!!"

"I'm still not looking."

So Dewi chose to lie on the floor like a limp squid. It was his only defense.

And because Corgis are long-backed dogs, needing proper hind-quarter support when being lifted, it is impossible for me to get him out of this position (without risking spinal injury - to us both) unless I roll him back over and hoist him up -- like a wayward barn animal on a cliff being air-lifted by a helicopter. 

It is hilarious. :)

What does your dog(s) do to get out of doing something "unpleasant"?

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Hope your weekend is pleasant and "squid"-free (unless it's battered and fried, with a squirt of lemon)!

(P.S. The dogs and I will be ringside this weekend watching Jon Faleigh's sister Georgia (Dewi's old flame) compete in an AKC all-breed conformation show. We can't wait to see her and all the other dogs (of all breeds). Look for photos on the blog next week.)

On the Road Again with Jon Farleigh and Dewi

This is how dog art happens.

All photos in the slideshow are courtesy of Oldest and Youngest Children.

If given the choice, would your dog(s) stick its head out the window, like Dewi, or watch from inside the vehicle, like Jon Farleigh?

(P.S. The windows were only down for a short, neighborhood portion of the ride.)

Of course it's dog art!

It's even layered...over a cityscape...

And a concrete overpass.

What?! You disagree?? :)

Okay, so Youngest Child took a bunch of photos from the backseat of the car this morning. (More photos - with dogs - to come later.) I hadn't realized the dogs had been doodling so much on the windows. :) I wonder if it's obvious from the outside?

Oh, who cares. :)

Are your car windows decorated?

The Face of an Angel Dog



Dewi at 19 weeks

This dog would never pick up poop and then force his mom to pry it out of his mouth with her bare hand. No, not this dog.

Ew.

(Personal note: The Kids, as of yesterday, are officially on summer break from school. Madness ensues and I am upside down with the blog posting/visiting. Please bear with me while I attempt to recover some of my marbles.)

An Attempt at Humility and Grace (and a shameless plea)

Oh geez, I've broken out in splotchy red hives all over my chest and neck. If you could actually see me, I think I'd hyperventilate and then throw up. But, here goes...

I am honored (and humbled) to have been recently recognized by three separate peers, on three separate occasions, as a blog/blogger of particular merit. :) Here are the particulars:

Kristine, the amazingly articulate author of the highly engaging blog, Rescued Insanity, called me a Versatile Blogger. (Secret reveal: I'm honored that she, along with many of you, even subscribes to my blog :).)

I'm supposed to now tell you seven random things about me to illustrate my versatility. Here you go:

• Cooked spinach is a favorite vegetable.
• I can hold my breath swimming underwater for 25+ meters.
• I have never been without a pet.
• My first pet as a legal adult was a "pound" cat named Buster.
• I have terrible handwriting.
• I liked to write plays when I was little (and forced friends and siblings to act them out, in costume).
• I only read the ending of the last Harry Potter book,  and would do it again. :)

Now I'm supposed to name some other Versatile Bloggers, but since a few weeks ago I already did (and it included all of you), I'll just be moving on.

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So then last week, Hawkeye (Hawk), the handsome and multi-talented Chesapeake Bay Retriever at Brown Dog CBR, and Oscar, the adorable and pawsome young student-Miniature Schnauzer at Oscar the Pooch, both said I was inspirational.

Now that was humbling, since the only things I hope to inspire, with my blog, are a few smiles - and a laugh or two, if I'm lucky. Thanks again, Hawk and OscarBlogger, you inspire me, too!

Speaking of being inspired, I must also pass this award along to 10 other blogs. But let me tell you, there are way more than 10! But rules will be rules, so I went down my list of blog subscriptions and picked 10 blogs that have actually inspired me into action. Yep, these blogs/bloggers have had some tangible influence over me in some way, and here they are, in random order:

• Life with The Horde - Author, Red Dog Mom, is one of the main reasons I'm still around. She, her red dogs and her sense of humor inspired me to tap into my own [sense of humor], and all I can say is, "Who knew?"
• A Tail of Two Cardis - Author, Taryn, inspires me to be a better leader for my dogs. She is passionate about training, her dogs adore her and she makes everything look so easy!  
• Darby's Daily - Author, Boo's Mom, makes me want to spin yarn out of my dogs' shedded hair. (Well, not exactly - although I did roll some hair into a cute ball once - but she does make me want to make pretty things - and I'm not exactly crafty.)
• The Daily Corgi - Founder and editor, Laurie Eno, is a dog blogging phenom. Her selfless outpouring of all-things-Corgi and for-Corgis is simply unmatched in the pet blogging world. She makes me want to be a better person. You'll just have to see it to believe it.
• CorgiPals - Author, Paige Davis, started this blog - a sister to The Daily Corgi - purely out of a desire to help Corgis (including mixes) in need. From the homeless to the infirmed, she, along with her vigilant community, is there for the dogs. How can that not be inspiring?
• Little Dogs on Long Leashes - Georgia Little Pea and Her Typist are hilarious (and so doggone smart). How can I say this...they both inspire me to just be me (and by that I mean the me who is crude and probably offensive). They rock!
• According to Gus - Author, Lori, is one of the best reviewers I've ever encountered. I can't wait to follow her gang - including Gus the pooch - on their travels across the U.S. If you've seen (or see) a review on my blog, it's by her example (although, I'm not nearly as good at it as she is).
• Something Wagging this Way Comes - Author, Pamela, inspires me to put on my Thinking Cap (yes, I sometimes have to take off the Dunce Cap first). I always look forward to her insightful (and often amusing) tales about Honey, her Golden Retriever.
• Of Pit Bulls & Patience - Author, Jenny, is a dog trainer, owner of rescues, Skye (the Pittie) and Parker (the Schnauzer mix), and a sometimes foster dog-mom. Let's see...she has the "patience of Job," a heart of gold, is funny and takes amazing photos. She inspires hope in humanity. :)
• George The Lad - George (the Welsh Terrier) and his Mom are among the best tour guides in Great Britain. Not only are they witty, but they have a way with photographs that makes me want to sell bloody everything and move across The Pond! (Is that wrong?) 

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Lastly, but definitely not the least, Oscar the Pooch's person, OscarBlogger, has kindly nominated me for one of these, in the category of Funniest Blog or Blogger:

I have to admit, I didn't know much about Dogtime's Pet Blog Awards until recently - and I would have simply accepted the nomination quietly - except that the winners each get $500 to donate to an animal shelter of choice - and well, since somtimes I'm funny - I'VE DECIDED TO BEG FOR MORE VOTES. :)  How's that for humility? :)

P.S. You can nominate as many pet blog/bloggers as you like, in any category. I have even nominated another blogger in the same category in which I've been nominated. Nominations close on June 29, 2011. Thank you.

*****

And, thanks for being the best blog friends and readers a girl could ask for!

'In the throes of a mid-life crisis, Tigger decided to cover her pesky gray hair'...

...was the phrase that came to mind when I spotted Tigger like this, but...

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

...then I found this photo of Ann-Margret on Tigger's iPhone*:

Image Source
Ann-Margret: "Kitty, I have a catsuit in that same spotted pattern."
Kitty: "Nice dye-job, Girlfriend."

...and I thought, well, this explains a lot; at least she [Tigger] has good taste in style icons.

And then I remembered June is officially
 Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month,
so maybe I should tell people to go adopt a shelter cat...

But then I remembered that I write a mostly dog blog and that no one's gonna want to hear me preaching about adopting cats.

Tigger working her "best" side

But then I decided that I shouldn't care so much about what people think. ;)

Aerial View

Okay, so for all you "dog people," did you know that cats and dogs make excellent sparring partners, and that cats can assist with dog training make excellent dog cushions, and are easily entertained?

Still unsure about mixing dogs and cats? Well, do not - I repeat, DO NOT - look HERE!

Can I take this off now?

* I actually found the photo of Ann-Margret on Dewi's iPhone. You might remember he once had a thing for redheads.

(Tigger photos courtesy of Middle Child :).)

*****

Grab a friend (human or animal) and do something rejuvenating this weekend!

Shiny Happy Dog

I dare you not to smile back. :)

P.S. He got the tongue from his dad.

Mission Not-So-Impossible - Toilet Paper Heist (M:nsi-TP)

AKA: Why We Keep the Bathroom Door Shut at All Times
AKA: Bad (yet cunning) Corgis

Oh, just see for yourself.
Hint: Best viewed in Full Screen mode.



Or, click HERE if you prefer to watch at YouTube.

Begging, Coveting or Simply, Wishful Thinking?

What do you think?  :)

Captions are welcome (but not required)!

Because I'm Dragging My Feet, Here Are Some Feet

Dragging my feet regarding today's post, that is.

It's hard to sit in front of the computer thinking up stuff when it's sunny and 78 F (26 C) right outside my window. (Last week, in comparison, was 20 degrees warmer.)  So, I've decided not to think, but to show you some feet. :)

Don't you just love furry feet (animal not human )?

^--^

Wacky Blog Stats, Keyword Searches and a Note for the Reader Who Certainly Didn't Find the Right Answer

My blog stats have been peculiar over the last 36 hours. I'll just say that there's been "oddly excessive traffic." Has anyone else noticed this with your own blog?

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While on the same topic of blog stats, some of you might recall the post I wrote a while back concerning strange search words readers have used to find my blog. Well, it shouldn't be surprising to anyone, who's read more than three of my posts, that readers might still (occasionally) hit my blog with some seriously out-of-context search word strings, for example:

"there's a turd in the herd"
or
"fat guy wearing a cardigan"

While it's doubtful that any of these searches amounted to more than a passing blog glimpse - and I'm totally okay with that - I just hope the people eventually found what they were looking for. (Because they certainly didn't find it here.)

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But on a serious note, I am a bit concerned for the reader who took a detour to my blog yesterday with the following search string:

"dog licking private areas constantly leaves puddles of liquid"

So with that, I say:

Dear Accidental Reader,

If by any chance, you are still searching for help (and note that I am not formally educated in any form of medicine whatsoever), I think that your dog might actually need to see a veterinarian (or therapist) about that. I hope it all turns out okay.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

*****

Has anyone found your blog using "strange" search words lately?

Does my butt look good in these pants?

I know you weren't expecting my butt.  :)

For the non-Corgi owners out there: Did you know the fur on the back of a Corgi's legs is called pants or pantaloons?

Dewi is shedding his undercoat like mad, and his pants are looking kind of patchy, but would you just check out those buns?!

My, my. :)

Halfway to Friday!

It's a SPAM Day

Full disclosure: I have spent the entire morning motoring through my Google Chrome Feedly app to catch up on many days worth of unread posts for my favorite blogs. Now, I am too tired to post anything interesting to my own blog. So, I've decided to take a SPAM day. That means that instead of skipping a post today, I'm going to give you some SPAM (so you won't wonder whether I've fallen off the face of the Earth). (I humor myself.)

So here is your SPAM. You're welcome.

On second thought, I think I will turn this into a dog-related post.

Will anyone admit to using SPAM as a dog treat? I'm thinking I could get Jon Farleigh and Dewi to play the piano and sing a duet to "You Are My Sunshine" for some SPAM. :)

What is the most "outrageous" treat you've ever used to bribe train your dog? Or, let me rephrase; what's the highest value (according to your dog's taste) treat you've used when training your dog?

For every loss, there are at least three reasons to celebrate (warning: extremely cute puppy photos)

First, I want to say thanks again for all the thoughts and kind words you've been sending my way. I almost didn't post anything about Charlie yesterday, but something told me that I'd be a dumb *ss not to share with the community who at least doesn't think I'm a whack job for going on so about my furry dependants. (I'm fine, by the way, if you think I'm a whack job for other reasons.) :)

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Disclaimer (sort of): I have no proof, scientific or otherwise, that there are at least three reasons to celebrate for every loss, as I have not experienced every loss. But, I'd like to believe that there are.  :)

Here is one:

This is my fluffy boy Jon Farleigh at approximately 16 weeks. Yes, he is standing in a pool of ICE, on a steamer of a day last year. Five seconds after I got this shot, he dropped to his belly. It was at that moment that I determined he would probably be fine living on frozen tundra. (Sadly for him, however, I would not.)

Here is a second reason to celebrate:

This is Jon Farleigh's handsome dad, Sam. He turned into a teenager (13) this past Tuesday, May 31. What a ladies' man. :)

Sam's having a proper birthday party/family reunion this coming Sunday and we can't wait to be a part of it! Of course, there will be pictures. :)

And a third reason to celebrate:

(Yes, I know I already used puppy JF. My memory isn't that bad, yet.)

This is The Hubby holding JF who was 10 weeks old.  The Hubby will have a birthday on Sunday, June 5. He will turn the same age as me, and I will rub it in for two months, until I am once again a year closer than him to qualifying for the "Senior Citizen Early Bird Special" at several local dining establishments.

The Hubby loves the critters almost as much as I do. What's that Hubby? Oh sorry, I meant to say that The Hubby is less verbose about them in public forums...and might think I'm a little off... Oh, darn it, I just want to say that without his money support and kindred soft spot for animals, I wouldn't have numbers one and two to celebrate. (And, for that matter, there would be no Dewi, Tigger, Eva or Lulabelle either.)  So, Happy (early) Birthday, Kind/Understanding/Generous Other Half!

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I can still think of a bunch of other things to celebrate, but I'll save that for my own private thought party (smile), except for one thing -
ALL OF YOU!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Charlie is perched high in heaven today...

...keeping watch over Buster and Albert, who despite their differences in life, no doubt, greeted her arrival with purrs of welcoming delight.

She was 20 years old and with the human she loved most in the entire world (her dad), in the moments before she was lovingly set free. 

1991 - June 2, 2011

Goodbye, Chatty Charlie. You rocked this place.


(I'll be back as soon as I can, y'all. This kinda sucks.)