Dogs on Propps

School?

2009-07-28T19:23:00.002-06:00

As August draws near, we begin to hear more discussions in our house about school. While the Dogs on Propps are fond of education, we believe that this 'school' thing should be outlawed. We believe that when the upright walkers are talking about school, this refers to the place they go for very long periods of time (it could be days as far as we know). When they leave, they put Holly and Madden (and sometimes Ella) in the crates in our garage, where they are forced to sleep on blankets and chew bones filled with peanut butter all day, rather than being allowed to play outside and run about the house. All we can figure is that the people are at this school place, and that means our fun is over until...the weekend. On top of that, the oldest boy is talking about going to UNM, which sounds really far, and we are concerned about how often we will see him. (especially Ella)

Ultimately, the Dogs on Propps officially vote 'no' on returning to school.

Dogs on Propps at the Dog Park

2009-06-30T20:01:00.008-06:00

We love the dog park!

It's long been promised, and today it finally happened...Dogs on Propps (sans Ella, who is too nervous to visit locations like this) took a trip to the dog park!

The visit began as it normally does, with Koko, um, having to go potty urgently upon arrival and Madden announcing our arrival. (BARK BARK BARK WE'RE HERE, THE DOGS ON PROPPS, YOU'VE READ ABOUT US ONLINE AND NOW WE'RE HERE)

The trip was far better than the last, as Madden mellowed out pretty quickly and found other dogs to chase, Holly ran around and got tired quickly, but Koko was picked on by a springer spaniel named Max. (We'll see you next time, Max, and you'd better bring reinforcements)

Koko says, "If you see that dog Max, you tell him he's a punk. I'll kick his butt."

The star of the dog park this time, though, was Paolo. Visitors to the dog park were curious about his breed, and wanted to know about how dogs like him behave. (They bark a lot, in case you wondered, and they have horrible breath. Other than that, good dog investment.) He was a hit with the other dogs, and was involved in a rousing game of chase, and had dogs gathered around him at one point, waiting to see what he would do. (He was hoping to sign autographs though no one ever asked for one.)

After a half hour, the Dogs on Propps time limit for attending any event, we packed up and headed home with four tired, hot, very happy dogs. (see evidence below)Madden didn't even make it home before he fell asleep.

Holly, being Holly

Paolo was worn out by the attention from his admirers but was able to muster a smile for his family

Summertime...

2009-06-18T19:13:00.006-06:00

Holly, enjoying the end of the graduation party. She was told she was posing for a catalog.

...and the living is easy.

We are back! After a long hiatus, (that included remodeling, a high school graduation, and a lovely wedding), Dogs on Propps are back.

This summer, we have dedicated ourselves to: running, hiking, walking about the neighborhood, barking at other dogs who walk by, killing birds (ahem...Sammie), wrestling with Holly, being protective of the humans, and sleeping late. We have not gotten to take a trip to the dog park yet, as the upright walkers still have not recovered from the last jaunt there.

It's good to be back - now you can follow us on Twitter!

A Warning

2009-05-19T11:13:00.002-06:00

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen...the most dangerous piece of equipment in your homes.

The tall upright walkers in my house call it an...'ironing board'. I don't know what that means, but I know it makes this loud squeaky noise when it gets opened up at my house. It's not used that often, but when it comes out, it screams at me. It screams at my family, too, and they don't even care. They just act like it's no big deal. They stand there and drape their clothes on it and smile at me. They have no idea how dangerous this thing is - if only they understood the words it uses when it opens up! I hate it. I loathe this thing, this ironing board thing, and I want it to die. I will continue to bark at it and nip at its legs when it sits in our kitchen, because it needs to know that it is not welcome in our home. How do I make it leave? What do I do?

Please, if you do nothing else today, make sure that you drag this thing out of your house and out into your front yard. It is the only way to keep your family safe.

Yours truly,

Madden

Coming soon

2009-05-15T10:40:00.002-06:00

Just in case you were wondering if we were still around...we are. We have been remodelling the house for the upcoming wedding reception and the oldest's graduation...well, pix will be posted soon..the dog's are doing well and the family even better.....

bueno bye

Post-Bath: Holly Style

2009-03-12T19:22:00.003-06:00

Ah, Holly...

As one of the bigger Dogs on Propps, Holly tends to gather a lot of, well...dirt. She loves to play outside, and likes to chase Madden, and roll in the dirt. Apparently, in the dog world, that is the 'shiznit'.

So last week, Holly got a bath. She got a good scrubbing that made her shiny and made her smell pretty. She was absolutely having none of that. Being clean is for suckers.

The next day, while we were relaxing in the living room, Holly came in with a little bit of dust on her. She had gone out to play, and had an unfortunate incident with the dirt. I wiped her off, and went back to watching TV. Five minutes later, my sweet black dog came in disguised as a brown dog. My wiping her down had obviously been a challenge, and she had to make herself dirty - fully dirty with dust falling off of her as she trotted through the house.

You gotta get rid of that bath smell. It's gross to dogs.

By Popular Request

2009-02-18T09:05:00.002-07:00

The dog least seen on Dogs on Propps...Ella, up close and personal. For D.

2009-02-18T08:49:00.002-07:00

Um, yeah...uh...this looks bad, doesn't it? Yeah. Well, see, the reason I'm on this filing cabinet is that the cats wanted me to...you see, there was no more food for the...um, I was worried that the kitties weren't getting enough, you know, nutrition, and I felt like I should, uh...yeah. Yeah. About me eating the cat food....

New Year's Eve Dog Park Visit

2009-01-16T10:04:00.005-07:00

Over the break, the Dogs on Propps took a visit to the dog park north of their home. They wanted to ensure they celebrated the last day of 2008 in spectacular fashion, so off to the dog park it was.

To begin, it must be noted that only four of the dogs on Propps actually get to take the trip to the dog park. We have discovered, after several unsuccessful trips, that Ella hates the dog park. She loathes it with a passion that burns like a thousand suns. She is overwhelmed with all the smells, and feels like she needs to protect her family from the other dogs, and it wears her out. She gets an automatic pass to stay home.

So...Holly, Koko, Paolo, and Madden piled in the car with the girls and the grown-ups, and off we went.

Getting out of the car was half the battle when we arrived at our destination. Koko, as the largest, could see what was coming from a mile away. She saw the other dogs, and immediately began whining. Not a polite, 'aww...look at the cute other puppies' whine, but a 'OHMYGODGETMEOUTOFTHISCARTHISINSTANT' whine. She pulled and pushed and scratched legs (sorry M) in order to be the first one out of the car and into the park.

One adult got out of the car, blocking all other dogs except Koko.

Other adult held back two dogs while oldest girl child tried to get out with Holly (gotta go in size order to avoid injury). Then, adult grabbed Paolo's leash to try to help him out. Paolo, wild with anxiety and excitement at this point, was prancing about, attempting to get out to meet other new dogs. Madden was carried out by the youngest girl, knowing not what he would encounter upon entering the dog park.

It is a sight, I imagine, to see people arrive with four dogs (and one left at home), and the energy that they contain when they get into the ante area of the park. We entered, and were immediately greeted by a myriad of dogs.

Knowing that dogs are pack animals, and that they always figure out who's in charge, it's interesting to watch them work. Some like to go to play, some explore, some are shy. Our dogs at home, of course, have certain personalities that we see daily. Koko is in charge, and really not interested in much except being in charge. Paolo is anxious and cranky, and does not like new people. Holly is friendly and happy, and Madden is usually easygoing and laid back.

Upon our arrival at the dog park, however, we noticed significant changes in these behaviors. Koko gets nervous at the dog park, but will run around. Holly stays about the same, exploring different dog odors, (and the source of those odors, if you get my drift), and Madden and Paolo do a super doggie personality switch at the gate.

Paolo, who is not interested in anything else but his human dad and sleeping, declared himself Official Park Greeter. He waited by the gate for new dogs to enter, then wagged his tail and jumped and played with them. When not talking to new dogs, he would go to meet new people...jumping on their legs, asking them to play with him.

Madden, who never met a stranger, declared himself Protector of all things Dogs on Propps. He would not go far from us, but when he did, he was chasing other dogs away and yelling at them for approaching any of his family members. He was not letting anyone get near his family. GETAWAYGETAWAYGETAWAY.

After thirty minutes of corraling and chastising and doing a constant head count, it was time to go. Madden and Koko had each been involved in minor scuffles, (one involving Koko chasing a screaming child...stop running away, Nathaniel!) and Holly and Paolo had made some new friends. We leashed everyone and headed out the gate, tired from the experience.

They can't wait to go back.Madden, ready to kick some ass. Look away lest you want your eyeballs ripped out.

Holly had already been for a run that morning. She was So Very Tired.

Paolo on the meet and greet track. Notice his sleek physique and friendly attitude.

Koko telling Other Dog who's boss. She then spit on him and kicked sand in his face.

No Photography Please

2009-01-12T17:28:00.003-07:00

I just want to be left alone. Why can't you people understand that?

Mouse Killa

2009-01-07T20:38:00.006-07:00

Sammie!

I said it's Sammie! S-A-M-M-I-E. Not S-A-M-M-Y. If you're going to hassle me, man, at least get my name right.

Middle name? Yeah, I got a middle name. It's Louis. Why are you laughing? Why the HELL are you laughing? I'll mess you up.

Look, I'll tell you again. I didn't hurt the mouse on purpose. He was in my yard. MY yard, dude. What else was I supposed to do? He walks onto my turf, I gotta protect it. Nothin' in the law against self-defense, is there? I didn't think so.

So, no - he walks into the yard, and I thought I'd have some fun with him. You know, rough him up a little bit so the other mousies know to stay away. So I chase him. He wasn't real fast, short legs and all...anyway, I caught him, obviously, and I pinned him down. All I said was, "NEVER come back to the Dogs (and cats) on Propps house". He started breathing fast, and looked at me, like he was going to say something. That's when he got all still. I batted him around a little. I'll admit it. You know, just to see if he was alright. I was trying to help was all. He twitched a couple of times, and then he just stopped moving. I don't know, it all happened so fast.

Yeah, I moved his body. I didn't want that garbage dirtying up the sidewalk for my family. I just dragged it up to the door, though. I didn't want them to miss it when they walked out. I wanted to make sure they gave him a proper burial. Yeah, I guess I had something to do with it. Sid, though, the cat from next door - he delivered the final blow.

I promise I'll never do it again. You tell the mousies, though, that if they come in this yard, I'll take care of 'em. I'll take care of 'em real good.

Paolo Alfredo, Badass

2009-01-05T16:15:00.007-07:00

Paolo loves to be groomed.

Let me make myself clear. Paolo hates the actual grooming part. He enjoys himself tremendously when said grooming is over. In fact, he goes way nuts - running around the house, wagging his tail furiously, jumping all over the other dogs to tell them how lucky he is to have gotten a bath, or had his nails clipped, or whatever.

So on Saturday, during the ARI/ATL playoff game, I decided it would be a good idea to try out the newest addition to the Dogs on Propps accessories collection, a Pedi Paw. (it won't hurt my feelings that you didn't click on that link - I don't click on 'em either. However, for those who wanted more information, it was available. So there.)

Anyway, for the uninitiated, this Pedi Paw thing is essentially a mechanical rotating emery board (nail file, boys) for dog nails. As we have five sets of dog nails to tend to, (ten, counting the back feet) I thought it would be a grand idea. Nails are hard to clip, and I'm always nervous that I'm going to cut past the quick, and the idea of that makes me faint just to consider. Pedi Paws to the rescue!

Paolo was first. We knew that if he was able to handle it, the others surely would. He is anxious and we were hoping that if the other dogs saw it was no big deal, they would feel the same way. His nails were done quickly, but the emery portion, essentially cheap sandpaper, wore down fast, and took three times as long to do the actual job. I decided to try the Pedi Paw on Koko, but fifteen minutes into the job, I gave up and went back to the clippers. Everyone got their nails done, and when we let all the dogs back in, Paolo was overwhelmed with joy. He wanted to share his excitement with everyone...especially Koko. In his joy, he jumped on Koko, who in no uncertain terms then told him to back off. (in fact, I believe she dropped the f-bomb, but I can't be sure.) He wouldn't take no for an answer. He wanted to tell her how happy he was about his nails, and he went back for more. He jumped at her one time too many, and Koko, who has the opposite feeling about grooming, went nuts. She attacked Paolo, fitting his entire head into her mouth, and took a chunk out of his head in front of his left ear. He screamed like a little girl. (in fact, allow me to quote: YIPE YIPE YIPE)

He is fine. We cleaned him up, applied the appropriate meds, and let him rest for a day or so. Though he swelled up like Marlon Brando about 8 hours afterwards, the swelling is down now and he is back to his normal, prissy, dainty self.

And his fingernails? They look fabulous.

Paolo's nails, brought to you by the Dogs on Propps manicurist. Ignore the nail on the left that is longer than the others.

Paolo Wins! Paolo Wins! Paolo Wins!

2008-12-31T17:38:00.005-07:00

Thank you to everyone who voted for Paolo, who is now the official favorite Dog on Propps. He would like to thank all the little people, etc., etc., etc.

Paolo, unimpressed with his win

Stay tuned for the new year when the Dogs on Propps will update their activities from over the break. In the mean time, have a very very safe New Year's Eve, and much peace, love and happiness to you and your family and friends. Besos from the Dogs on Propps!

Bath Day

2008-12-23T10:54:00.003-07:00

Everyone knows that the best place to dry off after a bath is in front of the fire.

Holly and Madden, relaxing

Welcome

2008-12-22T09:44:00.003-07:00

Dear Dogs on Propps,

Please be advised that when we have visitors, the following behaviors have been noted - please read the sections that apply to you.

Holly - When people enter, they do not want you to jump on them. Though you are thrilled to meet them, and feel that you've never met a stranger, they do not feel the same way. In fact, it is upsetting and downright frightening to have a forty pound dog charge at you when you enter someone's home.

Ella and Madden - When someone comes in, do not stand and bark at them. Though it's totally natural for you to want to protect your turf, if we are greeting them, they clearly have been invited and are not axe murderers. Your continuing to alert us to their presence is really just redundant.

Koko - Please, please, please pick up your toys prior to people visiting. No one wants to sit down on a chewed bone when they are seated on our couches.

Paolo - You have come so far in the past few months. I mean, look at you - you occasionally bark at our guests (a la Madden and Ella), but now you usually sit next to new people and gaze at them with love. Your ability to immediately fall in love with new people is awesome. They probably don't like for you to stare at them though. It can be rather offputting.

All dogs - when our guests are enjoying refreshments, please refrain from wagging your tails or wrestling near the tables where their beverages are resting. It is just bad manners to knock over their drinks. Also, when they are eating, go sit down. In fact, lay down. Take a load off. Rest a little. No one, and I mean no one, enjoys being stared at while they eat. Even if the guest says a kind word in your direction, that is not an invitation for you to approach, nor to remove food from their plates (I'm looking at you Holly) when they are not looking. Also, please don't stand on people's shoulders while they attempt to finish their snack. (cough cough Ella cough cough) Terrible form, that.

A final thought - when people come over, in general, they are not here to visit you. Feel free to hang out around us - lay down, even take a nap. People love to look at napping dogs. Just behave yourselves.

For the love of God, behave yourselves.

This means you, Holly.

VOTE

2008-12-19T09:09:00.005-07:00

There is a dead heat in the current Dogs on Propps poll...and twelve days left to vote! Before you vote, consider these things:

Koko - Currently has the least votes. Though she is a big girl, (she prefers 'husky' - OH I kill me) she also is an exemplary guard dog. For instance, when people visit, she stands at the window barking madly at them. She looks like a tough dog, which makes people think twice about wanting to actually ring the doorbell. Also, she sits on the couch and sheds during the day, anxiously awaiting the return of her family.

Holly - Though Holly is a yarn hater, she is a playful and fun little girl. If you would like assistance in ridding the trash can of excess dog or cat food cans, Holly's your girl. If you would like for someone to rip the covers off of you while you are sleeping in an attempt to get under with you, she's the one for you. Really though - if you want to go for a run, she's the dog you want. She can run like a champ, and prefers trail running to street running. She's an excellent pace dog if you find that you begin going too fast. If there's a rabbit or coyote around, though, all bets are off - she's going after that and leaving you in her dust.

Ella - The Tinkler. Ella is madly in love with her boy, and pretty much doesn't care about anything else when he is around. She believes the sun rises and sets in his eyes. If you approach her, she will piddle on the floor.

Madden - New nickname: Sir Lix-a-lot. Madden continues to adapt well to the Dogs on Propps family, though that means that he is asserting himself a lot more often. This little 9 pound boy believes that if he nips at Holly's heels while dinner is being prepared for them that he will get to eat more, and sooner. His growl is reminiscent of the creatures from 1984's Gremlins. He often will jump in your lap and 'kiss' you when you least expect it. It is an admirable skill, if you like to be licked in the face.

Paolo - He's Italian. Why the hell would you not vote for him? Pshaw. He doesn't need your vote anyway. Who do you think you are?

There you go...hopefully this information has helped you make a more informed decision when you cast your ballot for your favorite Dog on Propps!

Bless You

2008-12-10T13:37:00.006-07:00

My name is Madden, and I have a tissue problem.
When I first came to live with the Dogs on Propps, my people complimented me on my good manners. Though I licked a lot (ok, a LOT), they told me that I was good. Occasionally I had accidents, but I never, never chewed anything.
Until the first time.

My human mama was walking into the room when she found me. I had her brand new phone in my paws, and was, well, chewing it. I don't know why she was so upset - it still worked and all, but she couldn't use the zero key, which I guess was pretty inconvenient for her. Whatever.
After that, it was like a whole new world had opened up for me. I began finding things all over the place that were chewable. There were pieces of fuzz here, plastic sections there, you know, the normal stuff on the floor. But then the day came when the boy went to throw a tissue into the trash can and missed.

It was a whole new ball game.
I got that tissue, and I shredded it up into little tiny pieces. I spread them around the floor, and then went back and ate each individual piece. I was in heaven.

As time has gone on, I have discovered that these people have whole boxes of brand new tissues
all over our house. Initially, I tried to hide my problem from them. When they would walk out of the room, I would snatch a tissue surreptitiously from the box. They often found me on the couch, eating a brand new tissue, and then they had the nerve to take it away from me! I mean, if they're sitting out, aren't they meant to eat?

I guess the problem really got bad this last week. The human mama was sick...soooooo sick, as she kept saying, and she had to blow her nose a lot. She had her new tissue box and her old tissues scattered about, and I guess I got a little out of hand. I kept pulling them out and trotting across the floor victoriously, thinking about the feast I was about to engage in. Sometimes she would catch me, but most times she didn't.
The last few times, though, she has told me I'm a...how did she say it? Oh yeah, I'm a "bad dog" for eating tissues.

You know, I'm not bad. Sometimes I can't help myself. It's not like it's a problem or anything. I can totally stop anytime I want.

Madden leaves destruction in his wake

2008-12-03T10:31:00.005-07:00

There comes a point in a pet owner's life where they find themselves questioning the value of pet ownership.

Last night was my night.

To begin, let me point out that I am not complaining about the number of pets we own. I knew what I was getting into from the beginning, and have happily accepted responsibility for these animals. We just happen to be a family who loves animals.

When Mike and I first met, it was quaint that Paolo slept under the blankets. He (Paolo) is bathed often, so it isn't a terrible thing, and sometimes it's fun to have a warm dog on your feet.

When Madden moved in, because he was so small, and also bathed regularly, and in need of bonding with his new family, we also let him sleep under the blankets, because, hey...everyone likes a warm dog on their feet.

The problem, however, is that the bigger dogs have begun to believe that they are also able to sleep under the covers, which leads us to some problems. Holly, who is around 40 pounds, has developed an urge to scratch at the blankets and nose them out of the way in order to get under the covers rightnexttome while I am sleeping. She whines and scratches until she has some measure of success, which usually means her hip is covered, or her head, though usually not her whole body. Koko (at a svelte 65 pounds) believes firmly that she belongs on anyone's feet, or tangled up in their blankets. As long as she renders us immobile, she's fine.

As I slept last night, suffering cold symptoms, Holly and Koko both decided simultaneously (you know what we should do, Holly?) that they should attempt to get under the blankets and/or rearrange the creature balance on the bed. To be fair, they did take turns, Holly scratching and whimpering, and Koko flopping as hard as she could right next to my head and breathing in my ear. At approximately 2:24 this morning, I decided it was time to make some different sleeping arrangements. After cajoling and yelling and getting not very much rest at all, I have made an official decision.

From now on, I will sleep on the floor.

The dogs can have the bed.

The Holiday Spirit

2008-11-28T17:56:00.005-07:00

Today the Dogs on Propps kicked off the holiday season with a bit of decorating and smidgen of cookie baking.

After our late afternoon nap, (which ended abruptly when Paolo heard the dog next door barking some sort of announcement that Paolo felt the need to return) we awoke refreshed and ready to make the first batch of molasses cookies for the season. It's always a fun affair - flour and sugar and molasses everywhere, Christmas music playing, and the dogs doing every possible thing listed in the Dog Rule Book to be in the way. (Koko's favorite is to stand in the middle of the kitchen where everyone is trying to walk, Madden's is to sit immediately in front of the oven) Regardless, most of the cookie baking was uneventful, until we made a discovery.

For weeks now, the Dogs on Propps family has had somewhat of a renaissance in the yarn crafts arena. One of us crochets, while a few of the rest of us knit. We are currently all working on individual projects - one hat, one scarf, one practice project, and one phone holder. On a few occasions, we have neglected to put these projects away immediately when we have finished working with them, and have later looked outside to see a mangled skein of yarn in the backyard, torn to bits. I spent the better part of last night rolling two large balls of yarn that had suffered this fate. For a few weeks, we have blamed Madden, as he is a playful sort, and you know, puppies do those things. D has consistently blamed Holly.

Today, during the cookie baking, we discovered the culprit. In cleaning the kitchen table to prepare for the holidays, I moved the yarn attached to the hat to a computer table about dog mouth height. I looked up just in time to see Holly dragging the grey yarn out the door, with the hat skittering behind. After much yelling and screaming to prevent her from getting all the way out the dog door, she was sufficiently frightened and dropped everything and ran.

Mystery solved. Holly hates yarn.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:29:00.004-07:00

It seems reasonable on this day for the Dogs on Propps to be reflective of the things for which they are grateful. What follows is a hastily compiled list based on what each dog is thankful for:

Koko - being able to shed on nice red couches on a daily basis, not having to be crated during the day, "Koko Bites" (extra pieces of tortilla from Taco Bell burritos), being in charge of all of the Dogs on Propps, and for sleeping all day.

Holly - running, chewing things up, bones, pushing covers off of people who are sleeping, her human mama, running, and chasing rabbits. She is also thankful for the elaborate routine her humans need to undertake in the morning in order to trick her into getting into her crate. This process involves going outside and refusing to come in until cajoled by at least three of the humans. At this point, she has the process at about twenty minutes, but she believes she can get it to thirty minutes by this time next year.

Ella - thankful for her boy (D), bones, her boy, sitting on her boy's lap while he watches TV, and for occasionally being allowed to spend the day outside of her crate. Also, her boy.

Paolo - thankful for barking, bones, sleeping under blankets, looking at PostSecret on Sunday mornings with his human mama, "talking" to people (a RAH rah), chasing cats, and standing in the sunshine.

Madden - thankful for his new home, his new sisters, brothers, dragging new yarn into the muddy leaves, bones, and for whatever trash he is able to find on the floor that he believes is edible.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Dogs on Propps!

Seriously? What were you THINKING?

2008-11-25T20:32:00.004-07:00

So it seems that with all the excitement and warm and fuzzy (get it? fuzzy? I slay me!) feelings about the new blog, it seems appropriate to explain how we ended up with five dogs.

Dogs on Propps began simply: Koko and Holly. Koko had entered our lives in the summer of 2001 when a neighbor had found a litter of puppies abandoned at a ranch they own and asked if we wanted one. D's friend had shown the puppies to him, and when D walked into the house, he carried that puppy in his arms, set her down in the backyard, and she never left.

Holly (above) was adopted from the city shelter about a week after Lily's death. She arrived when a huge snowstorm hit, and her first exposure to her new backyard was with a fun romp in about two feet of snow with her new big sister Koko. She was playful and excited to be around people and loved everything around her. Koko had been grieving over Lily's death, and I really believe that having a puppy move in helped her tremendously.

Soon after, we all moved and the dogs became the foundational group of the Dogs on Propps.

A few months into our stay on Propps, we went to my brother's house for a Sunday full of football games. Because his wife was pregnant, they were thinking of getting rid of some of their dogs, and did I want to take this one home? D immediately said yes, and she was placed in the car to take her ride across town to her new home.

That made three.

On the ride home, there was much discussion regarding her name. My brother had named her Cha Cha, but it had never seemed right for her, and we wanted to symbolize her new life. We bandied about possibilities until we arrived at the new name: Ella. To this day, D swears that she was named after John El(El-la)way, though I stand by the story that she was named after Ella Fitzgerald.

And then one fateful day, Mike came to visit with his dog, Paolo. There had been concerns in the past that Paolo wasn't exactly "fond" of other dogs. He had some social issues, and didn't really seem interested in being anything but an only. When he walked in the front door, Ella was the first to notice. (although in retrospect, I believe the look on her face indicated, "what the hell is this?") She and Paolo approached each other, and nothing major happened, except for the normal smelling of each other's...er...rear ends. Being concerned that all of the dogs wouldn't get along, we followed them all over the house. There was much sniffing and revelry, and within fifteen minutes, it was clear that whatever issues Paolo had prior to now were of no concern. He had found himself a band of women with which to live. He was home!

So yeah, there were four. And that was cool for awhile because what's four dogs, right? It's just more chaos at feeding time, and besides, this is plenty.

And then there was the trip to the mall. Mike and I had run errands that day, and went by the mall to purchase a refrigerator as part of our errands. We stopped in a few stores, and when Mike stopped to look at a sports collectibles store, I told him I was going to go down the mall to look at the animals in the city's satellite shelter. It's a lovely place, meant to look like a pet store, but the animals there are shelter residents. Our city has done wonderful things for animals.

But I digress.

We walked through the store, looking at different dogs and reading the information about them on the signs. This one didn't like other dogs. That one hated children. We reached the end of the kennels then...at the end...one of the last dogs we would look at. This little chihuahua with a bulbous head was sitting on a pillow, looking back at us. He liked kids...he liked other dogs...and he liked cats. "Could we hold him?" The employee there said they discouraged just holding for holding's sake, but if we were really interested, we could go to The Bonding Room. Mike and I exchanged glances. That didn't sound good at all. The employee asked Mike to sign some papers saying he was interested in the dog, and we all went to the aforementioned bonding room. I was telling Mike that I didn't need to leave with that dog when the puppy was handed to me. Before I could even sit down with it, Mike was taking him from my arms, cooing at him and letting him lick his face. It was love at first sight. I knew then that we weren't leaving without Madden.

So yeah, five dogs. Because what's one more, right?

No more. I swear it. Five dogs is the limit.

A Tip of the Hat

2008-11-24T20:19:00.004-07:00

...it has been almost two years since we had to have Lily put to sleep. Though she was never a "Dog on Propps", (she was more of a Chapala girl) she most certainly would have qualified. Lily was one of the happiest (though that is not evident from the picture above), most relaxed dogs ever to walk the earth. Her first day at home, she made a headlong leap into our pool and had to be saved from drowning. After a day of rest and a visit to the doctor, (turns out she had parvovirus when we brought her home), she settled in to an easy life of laying in the sun and sleeping on the couch. Lily truly smiled. Sometimes you see pictures of dogs who are panting, or running, so they look like they're smiling. Not Lily. When her family would arrive home, she would run to the door with her tail wagging so hard that her whole body shook, and would pull her lips back into one of the biggest smiles her face could muster. On the day she was put to sleep, she was still smiling. She was a gift, and there will never be another like her. Somewhere, she's smiling for us, and also probably wondering what the heck we were thinking getting a fifth dog. She is greatly missed.

It's New Tag Day! It's New Tag Day!

2008-11-24T17:55:00.006-07:00

After a long wait, today was finally the day. It was time to purchase new food for the dogs (wet and dry) - the larders were bare. Off we went, to replenish the supply.

While standing at the register it occurred to me that the dogs were in need of new tags - only Paolo had one, and his was from his old house. I noticed that the pet food store sold tags, so why not? After the ten minute process of filling out information for all five dogs, and a fifteen minute creative process, all of the dogs had shiny new name tags.

Holly was the first to notice something good had happened. Not only did we walk in with over fifty pounds of dog food (Holly's note to self: find a way to break in to the dog food bin later tonight) and twelve cans of duck and potato goodness, but there was this rattling bag. Rattling bags are always good news for the Dogs on Propps, so she followed me to where I began to assemble the rings on the tags. More of the dogs became curious, and one by one, as they came into the room, they all got new tags.

My bet is that Koko eats hers off first. She tends to not like things ringing around her neck, and as the wise consumer that I am, I purchased some lovely metal tags that all make noise...thus, when any of the dogs moves throughout the house, it makes a soothing dinging noise that reminds me of windchimes...you know, times five.

I'm positive that soothing feeling will pass quickly.

Other Members of the Dogs on Propps Team

2008-11-23T22:45:00.008-07:00

Jake. Striped cat who is currently in competition for worst animal breath in the 505. (see Paolo, below) A badass like Sammie, but once it gets cold, he has no desire to be outside. Loves rolling in the dirt and sitting in the middle of whatever it is you are working on.

Sammie.

Badass cat extraordinaire. Sammie is the Fonz of cats. He can sleep outside in the cold or take on any of the Dogs on Propps at any time. If you see Sammie coming, you'd better cross the street. Don't say you weren't warned.

Madden

2008-11-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

This is Madden. He is 10 months old at this writing and is a Chihuahua. He is one of the coolest dogs ever, if you are measuring coolness (coolosity? cooliciousness?) by length of time he will continue licking anything. He gets along with everyone and loves all the other Dogs on Propps. He knows he is the bottom of the totem pole, but loves his life. He was adopted in September from Lucky Paws. He enjoys spinning in circles, waking up early, playing with Holly, and going to sleep promptly at 8:30 every evening. Don't ask him about the Pumpkin Seed Incident...he is still a bit sensitive about it.

Ella

2008-11-23T14:52:00.001-07:00

Ella (w/ Paolo) is a Chihuahua and is the third oldest of the Dogs on Propps. She was "adopted" from Mari's brother in September of 2007, (you want this dog?) and came home as the third addition to the Dogs on Propps family. She is usually a bit on the outside looking in as far as being a part of the whole group and will play with Holly at times, Paolo at times and our newest Dog on Propps, Madden, preferring to think of herself as a renegade. She basically (read: not at all) does not get along with Koko and is imprinted heavily on the oldest child in the house (he's actually 18...but we are going to avoid names here.) She loves playing, sleeping, chewing bones, and is quite the escape artist.

Holly

2008-11-23T14:42:00.004-07:00

This is Holly. She is just over 2 years old and is usually 3 or 4 in the hierarchy of the Dogs on Propps, though she doesn't mind if she's at rock bottom. She loves her human Momma more than anything else on earth and loves to go running and for walks. She believes it is her duty to relieve the Academy trails of the rabbits that run wild there, and would someday like to be called "Rabbit Wrangler". We are not sure what type of dog she is. She looks like a purebred of some sort, but has the colorings of both Dobermans and/or Rottweilers...but we know she is not either. Holly loves to get in the trash, the recycling the laundry, etc. She likes to chew stuff up at times and help "clean" the litterbox. Helpful tip: Don't kiss Holly.

Paolo

2008-11-23T14:35:00.003-07:00

This is Paolo. He is an Italian Greyhound. He is going to be 6 years old in December...but we think he may be up to 2 years older than that. He was a rescue, so they may have fibbed about his age to get him placed. He has a lot of personality, sometimes too much...let's just say he enjoys himself a good bark, usually when you are most interested in sleeping. He believes that he is providing updates to the neighborhood regarding his family's activities. He is the 2nd oldest and shares 2nd place in the Propps Hierarchy with Ella. Fun fact: Paolo has the worst breath in the 505 area code. Imagine coffee, fish, and sewer all mixed up and left out on the counter to ripen. Yeah, something like that.

Koko

2008-11-23T14:25:00.001-07:00

This is Koko. She is the oldest, biggest and THE alpha Dog on Propps. She is part red Siberian Husky and looks like German Shepard. Koko's favorite activities involve eating dog food cans, sleeping on the end of the bed so that the covers are immovable, keeping the other dogs in line, and making sure that no one gets to chew a bone she wants. She is a bit cranky, a bit itchy, a bit overweight but still lovable.