New Favorite Places

Two new sites were just added today to My Favorite Web Places.

Adirondack Save-A-Stray is a “no kill” (Woof! Woof!) shelter that gave me a temporary home when I first came to this country. They are filled with caring humans as well as animals.

Private Label Aromatherapy is owned and operated by Jill Stewart who makes special aromatherapy products for dogs and she is a certified K-9 massage therapist (Even though Mommy & Daddy pet me a lot, I must try this!). I read her article about aromatherapy for dogs in the latest issue of Healing Springs Journal yesterday. You can too by following the link to the Journal on her web site.

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London

This is William London, III.

On my human family side he is the adopted son of my brother which makes me, I believe, his step-aunt. Humocanineology gets complicated. Let's keep it to London.

He is staying with us while his new home is being set up.

As you can see, he has one eye that always glows when exposed to a camera flash. This is very frustrating to my parents and his dad. They do not realize that London's eyes glow all the time. In fact, if the sunlight catches him just so, both eyes shine giving any bystander the odd feeling they are watching a miniaturized abominable snowman from hell running through the yard.

Going for walks can be a pain too. He gets our leashes tangled because he is not careful like me and always wants to be first. I have to keep bumping him out of the way.

Now, don't take my growling the wrong way. Having London stay with us for a while has been fun. I have an extra dish to eat from, he leaves treats hanging around some times, chewing his toys up is satisfying, and we play with each other a lot, especially outside - he can run almost as fast as I can.

I'll miss him when he goes home.

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You Can Call Me...

You can call me anything but don't call me Sue. Daddy calls me a lot of other things.

You would think - if you did - that Lola is a great name (I like it) and no others are necessary. But he has a pocket full of labels for me.

Let's see...one of the first was pointed out by Renee - a first cousin of mine in my human family. She told Mommy & Daddy that for the first month I lived here she thought my name was Lola-no because that was what she always heard them call me. Trumpet Terrier is a name Daddy calls me when I get really excited and I'm trying to let humans in the area know. I kind of like Mighty Mouth because it speaks to what I am trying to do - project! Terrible Terrier is my name when I do things he wished I didn't. He also calls me Animal when I do things like rip one of my stuffed animals apart but he always smiles when he calls me this. Both Mommy & Daddy call me Baby when they are in a good mood and want me to be in one too. I like being called Baby. Our Little Girl is cute but I don't have a clue why they call me this. Mostly, it means I can get an extra treat so I usually sit up and woof a couple of times. Princess is good too. I am called this when they think I get my way too much so I have to be careful. Button is my name when I curl up on the bed or couch to sleep. However, if I'm on the bed stretched out on my tummy, I'm Tube. What is that about? Peanut is another nomer that doesn't compute with me but Daddy says it in a way that he is cool so...so am I.

Ah...the word games humans play. As long as I can still sleep on the bed and get extra treats, they can call me whatever they like.

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Mahogany Ridge

Going to daycare is one of my favorite things to do. I go every Friday to Mahogany Ridge to visit with Theresa & Jen and play with my friends - Chewie and Darling. Last Friday, Daddy intended to take pictures of all my friends but it was so cold and so wet. Next Friday then.

But, you can go to Mahogany Ridge's link in a new area on my blog and get a preview.

See you Friday everyone! Daddy will have his camera so be ready!

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The Words That Are Necessary

Sometimes, dogs can just, simply salivate when they discover that humans really do understand.

Arthur Plotnik, author & publishing house exec, made me salivate in the first paragraph of the Introduction to his recent book - Spunk & Bite:

Sometimes when I'm digging for the right word, I long for a terrier-like acuity, a canine's sensory gifts applied to language. Imagine if dogs ever figured out how to write - how to put that punkiness and bite for theirs into literature. Think of those olfactory superpowers attuned to sniffing out metaphors or tracking, not the bone mot, but the bon mot. We dry-and-fleshy-nosed writers could be in big trouble.

I'm here to tell you you that dogs understand the foundation of writing - the language that humans speak. Let me give you a example.

Take discombobulate. What do you think this means? Did you know it can mean: bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, baffle, mystify, nonplus, perplex, puzzle, stupefy, amaze, gravel, vex, pose, stick, beat? Now, I can use this word in a sentence. Let's see: Daddy you discombobulate me when you feed squirrels corn in the backyard and are happy when I chase them away. But, like, why would I? It's not clear what my message is. Why wouldn't I just say: Daddy, no! Actually, I would. It's humans like Daddy - especially Daddy - who take time to get to the point.

Could it be that humans want to keep their options open, give themselves the chance to explain and "amend" their message?" Hmm...

Dogs on the other paw get right to the point. While we could react to "discombobulate," we don't, not because we do not understand the word but because we are here to teach you to be more direct and say what is necessary. So...we react to words like: go, sit, stop, no, fetch, come (well most of the time to come).

And we bark, growl and woof. More on this language later.

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Squirrels - Just Say... Not!

I just do not get the deal with squirrels.

They are the equivalent of furry terrorists, they invade my space, eat all the scrap food in the area, scare off other dog friendly animals like birds, and they smell bad. So...why would you want them around?

Naturally, I see it as my job - no my duty - to keep the yard and a de-squirrelled zone of about 200 feet beyond clear of squirrels. I know what needs to be done. I'm a terrier. The genes are just there to do this. Each morning, midday break, afternoon walk and...ok, anytime I go outside..I take a running start, lunge off the deck in the direction of the squirrel feeder barking as loud as I can. It takes all squirrels in the yard milliseconds to scramble through the fence into the safety of the trees on the other side. Very effective I would say. Now, that is the first step. The next is to continue barking while looking up into the trees to send the message that: "I know you are still there and I won't stop until I don't smell you anymore. Eventually, they leave for some peace of mind and I know one day they will not return having found a backyard that is undefended.

Oh, did I say squirrel feeder! Oh yes, daddy has built one IN the backyard...yeah. Now I know he dislikes the critters as much as me so what is the deal? He laughs when the squirrels scatter. I even hear a "good girl" once in a while. Well, nice, but you could make my job easier - tear down the feeder! Oh, no, if I need to bark for more than two minutes, it is no more "good girl" but: "That's enough, Lola." Or, if I continue: "I said enough!" And, if I continue to continue: "Lola!!" loud enough that not only the squirrels but all wildlife for 500 feet around clear the area.

So what does he want me to do? Bark a couple of times and, if the squirrels are still hanging around, say: "Now, guys, I really mean it - you got to get out of those trees. Yeah, the ones your sitting in now. The next one, no that one is not yours either. Over there? Well, if you promise not to come to the feeder to eat any more corn, I guess it is alright."

At times, I think he wants to turn me into a "talking terrier." He's the talker.

I'm the Terrible Terrier.

If anyone can help me understand how he thinks, please, let me know.

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Christmas "Holidays" You Say??

The holidays got to be a little stressful with all the preparations, waiting and picture taking as you can see from this photo. Antlers...really! OK, why didn't Daddy have to put on the white beard and fat tummy?

I did get some gifts that I'm happy with so maybe it was all worth it. Let' see..Mommy & Daddy gave me a nerf football (but they won't play ball with me in the house), a pull toy that looks like a snowman (cute), and a tiny stuffed fish (wish it was edible and may eat it anyway). London, my Yorkie cousin, and Eric gave me a stuffed mailman chew toy (probably so I wouldn't chew on his anymore). Vanessa gave me a gingerbread pull toy (but she's not here much to play with me). Sandra, Mommy's sister, did much better with her choice - homemade dog cookies! Now that's a gift fit for a dog. But my Uncle Roy got me the best gift of all - a gift bag with four bags of treats that I am still eating. Woof...woof.


Why do humans give so many gifts at Christmas? It is tiring just opening them and when they are all opened, I do not know which ones to play with first and which ones to eat. I like it better when I get a gift a day like when Mommy goes shopping and brings something home for me.

Well, all things ended happily. After opening some of my gifts and eating many of my treats, it was time for a short nap so I decided to open the rest later.