Leo and Jade or our Keeshond cousins in Japan. Leo has learned a new trick, but Jade’s experession steals the show. Leo is more like Charlie (can learn tricks); Jade is more like Ruby (has no time for ticks – just give the treats, please). Leo is barking in Japanese, but I think you can understand what he is saying. Jade is not saying anything but still making himself understood.
This is Maya. How beautiful is she! Several friends of mine were recently involved in her successful rescue and adoption. Her story was not put in this blog previously because a plan for her rescue was in place by the time I first heard about her. I am just happy that the plan worked. I think you can also see the joy on Maya’s face.
I was sittiing at my desk. The dogs were outside in their fenced-in yard. Suddenly there was loud baying from Ruby. This is not unusual and happens whnever any animal or human is within scent range. This time the baying really got loud and was persisiting for longer than usual. Finally I ran outside to find Ruby baying loudly at a small woodchuck that was inside the dog fence. The Woodchuck was not backing down and was making clicking noises with its teeth. Ruby was about 5 inches from its face. I ran over, and Karen started yelling for Ruby to come to her. We were both concerned that the woodchuck could have rabies and would bite ruby. It was obvious that he was getting ready to. I don’t think ruby had a clue about what to do with this aninal that would not flee. Biting is something that is not in Ruby’s vocabulary; she would never even hurt a flea (luckily she has none). After Karen got Ruiby to leave the chuck and go in the house, I approached the animal with a pooper scooper in my hand as a weapon. Are woodchucks incredibly stupid, incredibly brave, or was this one just ill? It would not back down from me either, even with my weapon. Finally, I left it alone, and it lazily retreated to the other side of the fence.
Charlie watched the whole drama from the safety of the top of the stoop. He never even barked.
I just happend to find some more pictures of Charlie and Rubie together, so here they are.
I don’t know what Charlie is whispering to Ruby in this picture, but she seems to think it is very interesting gossip.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that Charlie weighed about 35 pounds when we got him, and that I wanted to bulk him up a bit – not fatter, but stronger. By giving him more food than I normally would at the same time as givng him plenty of exercise (mainly ball chasing in additon to the usual daily walk), I may be succeeding. He now weighs about 40 pounds and there is no fat on him. I think this picture shows off his developing physique.
Ruby’s closeup had been posted on this blog a couple of times. Now I have a good closeup of Charlie as well, so I thought I would post them both together – no particular reason, other than that I happen to think they are both so beautiful.
By the way, I know this has nothing to do with Charlie or Ruby, but it has to do with a related subject: hot dogs.
There is a Delicatessen named Irving’s on Route 10 E in Livingston NJ that has the best hot dogs, pastrami, and many other things in the state of NJ.
It is located in a strip mall with a Toys R Us. All of the other businesses in the mall have gone out of business within the past year. Irving’s is really suffering now that there is practically no mall traffic.
I have no financial stake in their business, only a gustatory one. Please visit them and tell others to do the same. If they go under, I may go into deli withdrawal.
We went to visit my grandmother yesterday. She is 105 now, and recently has not been doing to well. It’s a two-hour drive. Scruffy used to love to make this trip. Needless to say, we took Charlie and Ruby along for the ride. On the way back we took the scenic route through the small towns and farms of lower NY state. We came across a homeade icecream store and could not resist getting some for us and the dogs. I think they like ice cream!
I try to take my ’66 Caddy for a drive every weekend, even if its only for a half hour to make a big circle and come back. Yesterday, I left the garage door open because I figured I couldn’t be so unlucky as to get a bird in the garage on that one particular half hour (see Mulberry Season a few posts below). When I returned Karen comes running out of the garage to greet me carrying a fishing pole. For a second I though that we were going fishing. Then I realized that a bird had gotten in and she was in the process of chasing it thought the rafters with the pole. We both got fishing poles and proceded to chase the bird back and forth to tire it to a point where it would fly out the door. This ended up taking most of the day. I needed to take an NSAID afterwards for my ankle pain. The bird wore me out as much as I wore him out.
Charlie has started to try really hard to get chipmunks through the dog-yard fence. He now trys to go under the fence which worries me a lot. I yell at him, point my finger at his nose and say “bad dog.” Scruffy eventually learned to bite me any time I called him a bad dog. Charlie just gets very, very dejected looking, and hangs his head – very pitiful, indeed. He stops the chipmunk chasing immediately. Next, he does his best to assure me that he is a good dog, and only wants me to let him know that I agree. So this pitiful looking thing will now have his head between my knees as I sit in the yard chair. His ears are way back and completely hidden from view. His eyes stare at mine pitifully. Finally I brace mysellf for what I know is coming, and I say “Charlie you ar a good dog.” He immediately changes to the most happy, most excited, most jubliant dog in the world. He is immeditely on my lap, trying to lick my face as many times per second as possible. He now weighs 40 pounds, still not large, but painful to have jumping up and down on you even if you are braced for it, and have covered all vital organs.
Ruby is trying to get the same chipmunk. She does not care if you call her “bad dog” or scream at her at the top of your lungs. You don’t dare rap her on the butt with your hand because you know she will run to her bed and wimper there for the rest of the day. No amount of telling her she is a good dog will help.
This is a small female Keeshond mix looking for a permanent home. It is my understanding that she is in jeopardy of being euthanized. Here is the contact info I have:
www.pgamd.petfinder.com
Prince Georges County Animal Management Group
Forestville, MD
301-499-8300
Its mulberry season in my backyard. It started rather abruptly a few days ago. The sound of birds squabbling over something was the first sign. Our mulberry tree is quite large and affords nice shade during much of the year. It was planted, I guess, by some previous owner of my house. Why – I’ll never know. It does have a nice tree fort in it, and it seems like the perfect tree for that purpose. I hate mulberry season. It means that for the next month or two, the tree and the whole backyard will be full of birds – sometimes as many as several hundred at one time. If you think red-breasted Robins are a rare and wonderful spring sight, you haven’t been to my house. Yesterday, I think I counted about 15 of them at once – all squabbling over the not-even-ripe- yet mulberries. And you thought Robins were quiet, peaceful birds. Believe it or not, later in the season, when the berries are really over-ripe, drunken birds will appear. They have engorged themselves with fermenting berries. They usually can run quite well, but can not get off the ground. They don’t start to run unltil you are about one foot away from them. I have to keep the garage door shut or at most half open to keep them from getting in. Once a bird is in the garage, even the smartest and most sober among them can not escape. When one is in the garage, I take both cars out, open both doors and try to scare the bird out. The bird only knows to go higher into the rafters and can not figure out that he can easily escape through the huge opening left by the open doors. I end up chasing the bird back and forth with a raised fishing pole. The idea is to keep the bird constantly airborne. Only after about an hour of chasing it from one side of the roof to the other, do I notice that the bird is tiring and can not maintain his previous altitude. After another half hour or so, the bird can not maintian an altitude above the rafters and flies out, only to land a few feet away on the driveway, totally unable to fly or move. After another half hour or so, it flies away.
Ruby is smart enough to know that rabbits and squirrels, but not birds, are potential prey. Charlie thinks birds can be caught and so he will chase them. Charlie is very fast, and almost caught a rabbit yesterday that was dumb enough to come inside the fenced dog yard (which is half under the mulberry tree). He will have no trouble catching drunken birds on the ground. Even Ruby may get interested in this. If you have read my book, you already know about the fun involved both with the mulberry tree and with dogs catching small animals at my house.
Jack and Remy had a wonderful home and a happy life until this past
Sunday when their owner passed away very suddenly. They need to find a
home quickly (we have 6 days) or they’re going to be sent to a
shelter, and we’re trying to avoid the added stress and trauma to
these two sweet beagles.
Jack is a five year old neutered male, active and healthy and current
on his vaccines; his late owner got him from a breeder so he’s never
been in a shelter. Remy is a four year old spayed female who is a
lovable lap dog, she wants to cuddle and snuggle all the time. She was
rescued at a young age from a shelter, so we’d hate to toss her back
into that kind of situation.
There are no fees associated with this adoption, family of the
deceased person is trying to place them
If you can help either one of these dogs, or know someone who would be
able to give them a new home, call Jamie @ 201-665-6918, Laura @
973-563-6249 or call Roman at Camp Bow Wow – Bergen at 201-797-3647
Forward this to anyone you think might be able to help.
Thanks,
Staff at Camp Bow Wow – Bergen
Scruffy and the author enjoy a late morning coffee
My wife, Karen, is walking for the 4th year in the 2 day, 40 mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Help her reach her goal of $3,000 and support the fight against breast cancer. Make a secure online donation http://tinyurl.com/kar2009
