By Popular Request

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

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

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

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

Mouse Killa

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

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!

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

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

Holly and Madden, relaxing

Welcome

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

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

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

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.