My Family

There's a big holiday coming up - I know because Mom and Dad got a bunch of food!   Oh, boy, I can't wait!!!  We get to stay home all day together, me and my family.

I have furry family all over the country, too!!  Yep, I do!   I have two Golden Retriever nephews in Connecticut, Chance and Summer.   And guess what?  Chance is a real, live THERAPY dog! That means he visits people in the hospital to make them feel better!  He had to have special training for that!

I have a little niece dog, her name is Gidget.  She's getting on in years, she is a miniature Doberman and she likes to dress up in silly outfits.  She lives in New Jersey, like me.

Down in Texas, way far away, I have grand nieces and nephews, cats and dogs.  Want to see a picture?

  That's Cinnamon on top with my Mom's human grand niece, Lilli.  Isn't she cute?  She likes to dress up too, so she put pink sunglasses on Fiona!!! They are upside down, but she likes them that way!  Haha!

And way over in Florida I have a nephew named Gus.  Gus is funny, he likes to chase light reflections and sometimes he gathers up his toys all in one spot.  Here's Gus and his Mom.  He's pretty handsome, but Mom tells me I am, too.

And there is another little nephew is Florida, he's only 4 months old!!!   Just a baby!  His name is Winston.

He looks like a real smart little guy!  His Mom said he IS a smart little guy!

And Speedy is a Labrador, he lives in Idaho.  I don't even know where that is.  Wow!


I wish I could have my furry family here for the holiday!  That would be so much fun! 


Well, that's my furry family - I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Mixed Messages

Yummm.  Tomato sauce and broccoli.  Mmmmm.  Second dinner was tasty!  Now I'm going to sit on my couch.  I love  my couch, I can rest my chin on the side and look at Mom and Dad while they look at the picture box.  I don't like that box so much, sometimes it flashes and makes noises too loud.  So I sit and look at my family.  Maybe snooze a little......  Huh?  Mom is raising her voice.  She's pointing at the box.  Dad and Mom are talking a little loud and Mom seems upset.  See?  I told you I don't like that box!

It was a commercial for beer.  I had seen it before and was appalled, so when it came on with my  husband in the room I asked him if he saw it the same way I did.  He agreed.

The ad shows a dog being left alone at home.  The owner goes out for the evening.  The owner has too much to drink and someone drives him.........somewhere.  He does not go home.  The dog is left alone all night long.  Ok.  So I understand that it is a good thing not to drink and drive.  However, it is NOT a good thing to leave your dog alone all night long.  That is also irresponsible.  Why wasn't the owner driven home?  Why didn't the owner take a cab?  Why didn't the owner have someone else dog sit?  So, thanks, beer company, for pointing out to people that drunk driving is dangerous, but did you have to do it at the expense of an innocent dog?  Are we, the audience, supposed to "like" your fictitious owner?  "I'm home....I'm home."  Yeah, great.  That is in the advertising world.  In the REAL world, that pup might have messed in the house, on the rug, on the furniture.  He might have decided to rip up a piece of furniture or two.  Our "owner" wouldn't be too pleased with himself in that case.  This ad shows neglect and a lack of caring while at the same time showing a "perfect" dog in a "perfect" world, so it's alright to leave your dog alone all night.  It is manipulative and ultimately cruel.  

So, people who may go out for an evening and drink too much:  Please don't drive drunk.  Also, please do NOT leave your dog unattended throughout the night.  Get driven home by a friend or a taxi or call a friend to baby sit while you are out.  THAT is responsible dog ownership.

Harry's in the Doghouse

I don't mind when Mom and Dad go out.  It's kind of fun.  I always get a special treat before they leave me alone.  Yay!  They went out the other day and I got bored.   There were some good smelly things in the kitchen.  Mmmmm.  I just had to figure out how to get to them.  They were inside the big can.  So I got it open with my nose and mouth.  But I still couldn't get all the good smelly stuff out.  Hmmmmm.  

So I got my paws up under the top and guess what happened????!!!!!  The whole thing fell down!  BAM!  Then it was great!  I had such a good time!  There was good smelly stuff all over the floor!  Yippee!

I licked out a bunch of my meal cups - the yummy stuff Mom puts on my kibble!  Ohhh, then there was this bag that smelled like one of my favorite things - CHEESE!   I took that into the bedroom with me - up on the bed.  Mmmmm. Mmmmmm.   So tasty! 

There were some pieces of popcorn.  Dad likes popcorn and throws bits at me for me to catch - it's a game we play!  There were yummy bits of popcorn on the floor.   And some cracker pieces.  And some vegetables.   It was a BANQUET!  My tummy was FULL!!

Then Mom and Dad came home and ..........Dad sort of yelled - "Oh, no!"  And he kept saying my name over and over.  So I ran to the bedroom because something was wrong.  Mom and Dad put the big can back up and took all the good smelly stuff off the floor.  Mom acted funny - she didn't rub my tummy or my head and say sweet things to me. 

I was really glad when it was time for my big walk - my tummy didn't feel so good by then.  Mom and Dad weren't mad at me anymore.   Guess I shouldn't have pulled the big can down, cause when I go to sniff it now they yell, "No!"  Darn.  It was fun.  

We were gone for two hours.  I knew something had happened by the volume and tone of my husband's voice.  The kitchen floor was strewn with garbage, the stainless steel bin had been knocked down somehow and Harry had a little party of his own while we were gone.  A telltale paper trail down the hall and into the bedroom led to more emptied and licked waste products.  He knew he was "in the doghouse."  He got the cold shoulder from us for several hours especially as we cleaned up the mess.  He was up and down off the bed all night long, too, so I suspect his stomach was not feeling particularly settled.

We ran into his friend the Bassett Hound, Dora, on our walk.  She had recently eaten an entire bag of people cookies.  We - the Moms -- were both worried about tummy troubles.  Ah, well.  Dogs will be dogs.   Harry!!  You were a naughty boy!

Harry is a Hobbit

Oh, boy!  After my breakfast and morning nap, that's when I get second breakfast!  I love second breakfast!  It's always a surprise!  Sometimes I get to lick a bowl that tastes a little cinnamonish and warm and good.  Sometimes it's a buttery, crunchy thing, just a nibble.  Sometimes it's a soft buttery nibble.  Ohhhhh. Makes me drool.  And sometimes I lick the rest of the peanut butter off a spoon!  They're all yummy!

After my suppertime and big walk, that's when Mom starts second dinner.  I love that, too!  Green beans or broccoli or peas!  Oh, boy!  Tomato sauce is tasty, too!  Mmmmmm.  I get excited before second dinner and run around the house.  I can't help it!  I can't wait to find out what second dinner is every day!

Yes, we've decided Harry is a Hobbit.  Even though his "second breakfast" and "second dinner" are little morsels of our leftovers, he waits patiently and politely, with a pool of drool forming beneath his chin, for his tasty treats.  While the evening meal is being prepared he trots around from room to room, making a circuit that includes a trip through the kitchen to check on the smells and to make sure I'm actively getting it ready.  This boy loves his vegetables!  I guess he has some empty spaces to fill.

Last night was tomato sauce!  I can't wait to find out what second dinner is tonight!!