Dog Fur Magnet

I thought it was bad having a black dog and white tile in my home. Now I know it is worse to have a white-ish dog and any other surface in the known universe. Molly sheds like there's no tomorrow, and loves to rub against my leg when I'm wearing dark pants. At least Lucky's fur isn't so "sticky" -- it will brush right off. Molly's fur becomes one with the wearer. Fun. I think I'll invest in a large roll of masking tape or one of those fancy dog-hair removers. (To remove the fur from fabric, not the dog!)

Molly's Weight Loss

Molly has stuck with the Betty-boot camp style of losing her excess flab. So far, so good. It seems she needs less food and Lucky needs more, so feeding time is pretty equal. Today (since it was cooler) we went for a bike/run. She runs and I bike. Fortunately, both Molly and Lucky are good runners beside my bike. I've heard horror stories about people who break bones while riding/running their dogs! Molly enjoys that first rush of energy when she hits the pavement...but she peters out about 1 mile down the road. Lucky hits the ground running and doesn't stop until we go down to the river and back. I'm usually exhausted before we start out, but that's another story altogether. Could have something to do with the 5 teenage girls my daughter had at her "sleep over" last night. (Read: SLEEPLESS over.)

Have a doggone good day!

Dogs or Chickens

Ok, so it's been raining for about 6 months, or so it seems. That's not difficult for us humans. we have opposable thumbs and can hold umbrellas. However, the dogs have GOT to get out for their daily constitutional. (Walk, ya know?) I am not talented enough to hold two leashes as well as an umbrella. If these two do not expend some energy, they begin to lick their paws, behinds, or each other until someone or something bleeds. If they were humans I think they'd be heavy drinkers or nail biters. (Lucky would probably opt for talk therapy, but he's in touch with his feelings more than Molly.) Anyway, the thunder and lightening really kicked in this afternoon. That sent Molly crawling under the computer desk and Lucky trailing close behind. Chickens, both of them. I tried to reason with them, explaining the weather pattern we're currently in, but they would have none of it. Thankfully, the skys have cleared and the dogs are dozing peacefully once again. Until tomorrow....

Banished

This afternoon, my daughter had a friend over to swim in the pool. To Lucky, this meant "I'm going in the pool! I'm going in the pool! I'm going in the pool!". Much to his little canine dismay, I was in NO mood for a wet dog. "Why can't you be more like your sister?" I said as I watched Molly contentedly snoozing on the cool tile of the kitchen floor. No dice. Lucky's little brown eyes were locked on the pool and the fun that was being played out before him. Oh what a horrible dog mom I am! Should I give in and let him jump in the pool or should I be the firm Alpha mom? Even better, should I bribe him with a treat? Yup, treat it was. A few Milk Bones later and he joined Molly on the floor. What a good dog.

Poo Pick Up

I thought the poo from one dog was gross. Now there's more to bag in the backyard. I've been through several different methods of poo removal and have finally decided on the quickest and cheapest, though the most unpleasant. It's the old "grab and bag" method. Get a plastic grocery bag (think recycling) put it over your hand, grab the poo and drop it in another plastic bag. This works best on the dry stuff. The fresh stuff is messier and stinkier. In the name of all that's decent, I've decided to leave out today's photos.

Bath Day

The smell of dirty dogs in the morning prompted me to get out the shampoo and the garden hose. I bought a fancy new tea tree oil doggie shampoo that's supposed to relieve itching and hot spots. Lucky has always had itchy skin, so I thought I'd try it. It smells really good and lathers up like crazy. Neither dog really enjoys the indignity of an outdoor bath, but they both kept a stiff upper lip while I scrubbed away the stink. As a reward they each got a meaty chew bone. Yum!

Ball or obsession?

The dogs have followed me out to the porch. Molly is content to sunbathe and contemplate the blades of grass. Lucky, however, thinks porch time equals play time. He brings me his favorite blue Orca ball (it floats), places it at my feet, and hyper-ventilates with excitement. I throw the ball. He retrieves it. I throw the ball. He retrieves it. You get the idea. I'm beginning to think the poor dear is a bit obsessive-compulsive. Or am I?