Snow!

Hi.  Lance here.

Wednesday was the best day in MONTHS.  I mean it was almost as good as when Kai came to live here or when Mommy and Daddy took me swimming for the first time.  I bet you can’t guess what happened can you?  It snowed!!!!!!!!!

I was so excited that I had to get Mommy and Daddy to get us (Kai and me) outside to play. 

Here we are playing in the driveway.    You can just see the streaks of snow on my coat – Kai’s too grey to really see it on him.  

Here’s another picture.  You can really see the snow this time.   You can’t see it in the picture, but we have a ring toy we’re playing with.  I still can’t get Kai to chase with me when Daddy throws, but he’s great to wrestle with when I start back.

Here’s another picture with us and snow swirling around us.  I’ve just run back from the fence with a tire toy.  Kai’s good at lying in wait while I do all the work and catch the tire.  Then, he’s all in my face trying to get my prize.  Nope, little brother, not this time.  (Or next, or the one after that, or the one after that…)

Here’s us just racing in the snow.  It’s the best.  I know it’s not cold enough for it to stick yet, but maybe soon.  (I’d go on the internet and see where all the great snow is so I can tell Mommy and Daddy were to drive, but every time I’m near the computer, Kai’s there and he drools a lot.  It makes it hard to type and Mommy yells yuck a lot.)

After all the fun, we went inside.  Here’s my brother and my cats hanging out at the fire.  It was too hot for me that close, so I stayed in the kitchen where the tile’s cool.

I’m going to sign off now.  Mommy’s going to throw the stuffed rabbit.

Lance

I am the Big One!

Yo!  Kai Here!

It’s official.  I’m taller than Lance.  Woo hoo!  Can I parley that into a bigger portion of the cheese?  Who knows?  I’m like mountains taller than him – it’s gotta be a whole cm.  He says I’ve got stork legs and it doesn’t count.  He’s just jealous ‘cause I can find Mom when she’s hiding under the covers better than he can.  Got weighed at the vet today, Lance is still fatter than me.  I’m 38.4kg and he’s 46.3kg.

We went to the dog park today (the one near the house at the movie theatre).  I met a Bernese there who just didn’t get the whole idea of “dog park”.  It’s not like he was an old dude, but he just didn’t get the idea that you’re actually supposed to run around?  I had to do it all, but that’s OK.  I still had a good time.  Dad wasn’t paying close enough attention, and I found a GREAT mud puddle.  It’s close to 3 hours since we had to come home and I’m still dirty.  I love the fall.

Chow,

Kai

My Crazy Parents

Hi.  Lance here.

I love my parents, I really do.  But sometimes I think Mommy and Daddy may be insane.

Saturday was like many Saturdays.  We went to the dog park and drove around with Mommy and Daddy.  We even got to go to some stores.  That was all fun – always is.

Then we got home and everything got weird.  For some reason which neither Kai nor I can understand, Mommy and Daddy decided to empty their crate of all their stuff and put it all back in!  We (Kai and me) had our crates put in the hall upstairs while they ran around moving things.  Their crate was perfectly fine.  Why move things?  I don’t know.

I haven’t told the bad part yet, have I?  This went on until 3:00 in the morning!!!!!  I mean, really, who needs to stay up extra late to fix their bed?  Kai overheard Mommy talking about the room’s Kung Fu or Kung Pao – maybe there was some thing wrong with their chickens?  I’m not sure why it happened, but the next time they start talking about karate chickens I’m heading to the basement and hiding behind the sofa!

Gotta go (need to stake out my place before Kai gets there),

Lance

Cheese

Yo!  Kai Here!

Haven’t posted in a while, I know.  Been busy.  (OK, maybe not busy, but I’ve been doing a lot of napping, wrestling with Lance, and overall goofing off.)

Here it is November and no snow.  Not sure what Lance is going on about.  I think those big ears of his draw too much heat away from his brain. 

Speaking of ears, Mom and Dad are still on me about mine not standing up.  Isn’t it enough they stand up when I’m sleeping?  Dad came home last night with tape and some hair rollers.  IN PINK!  They’re not serious are they?  They’re going to put pink foam rollers in my ears????  I’m going to get slaughtered at the dog park!!!!

There is a good side to all this.  Someone mentioned that I needed more calcium in my diet.  I’d have been happy to gnaw on a few oyster shells, but instead of that Dad came home with CHEESE!  It rocks.  For a while they were using this Gouda stuff from the fridge, but then they got some new Cheddar.  Way, way, way lots better.  Heck, I might give up cruising the floor for the odd piece of mis-placed cat food for it.

I gotta go.  The cat’s gonna jump over the gate into this part of the room in a couple of seconds and he needs a good sniff!

Later,

Kai

BTW, my birthday’s May 3^rd.  5 year old cheddar (or older) is always appreciated.  (My half birthday’s in a couple of weeks…)

Why Can't People be More Like Dogs?

Hi.  Lance here.

I’m not usually one to push my opinions on other dogs (or people for that matter), but in this case I’m going to have to take a stand.  When I was at Rocking Horse Walk Last week, I heard about this dog who was pepper sprayed by a human.  I’m going to come out firmly against pepper spraying dogs.

I’m getting this third paw, but as I understand things…

A human was walking with her dog in a park in Guelph.  Dog was off‑leash.  Another human came up and lowered his hand to meet the dog.  The dog walked up to meet the person and when the dog got close, they pepper sprayed the dog!  Human claimed, “The dog was off leash.”  The dog had ulcerated corneas from the spray and could have lost their sight had things been a bit worse.  Maybe the person as afraid of dogs, maybe she or he got scared at the last minute, but I don’t think either case supports attacking the dog.  I don’t like to believe this about people, but this really smells like a case of a mean person looking to hurt dogs as a way to make themselves feel better.

I’d love to tell my dog friends that they need to be more careful and they need to clearly show the humans when they want to be met and when they don’t and know this would solve the problem. It seems, this time, it wouldn’t matter.  The person in question sprayed the dog with no provocation.  I like people, I really do.  They’re fun.  They throw stuff (balls, Frisbees, sticks…).  They take you places.  They scratch you behind the ears…  It really upsets me to think that someone would pretend to want to meet me just so they can be cruel. 

Why can’t people be more like dogs?  If a dog doesn’t want to meet me; she or he tells me and I don’t bother them.  If a dog is going to bite or attack, they show it.  They don’t lie in wait to hurt you when you’re not expecting it. 

I’m not going to start not meeting people and I’m not going to start being one of those dog’s who gets scared all the time, but I am going to be very careful when I’m off leash, especially when the area isn’t an official dog park.

Bye for now,

Lance

Italian Vampire Lessons

Yo!  Kai Here,

        First of all, I want to set the record straight.  I am not now, nor have I ever been, a vampire.  That’s just gross.  Doesn’t anyone see the connection between vampires and ticks?  Yuck.  Lance really needs to do something about that overactive imagination.  Next thing he’ll get crazy over that black cat.  (I think Mom and Dad call him Dale, all I know is that he sure whines a lot when you lick him.)

        OK, now that we’ve settled that, on to more interesting things.  I’m still liking the fall thing.   Not as much as Lance, I think.  He’s got a real fetish about leaves.  They blow and scatter around.  Big deal.  You can eat them, which is good.

        Levels class is still fun, but it's hard to work with all the distractions.  Today, they were pretending to teach me to hit a target on the floor with my paw.  Sue decided she would try to trick me into it by putting a bunch of food under this blue thing.  Nope, not fooling this puppy with something like that.  That’s doggie Zen.  I can do it with my eyes closed.  Now Mom’s doing this deal where she’s tickling my foot and when I move it she clicks and treats.  It’s easy, and I get snacks.  Kewl. 

We did some level 2 recall testing today on Puppy Walk.  It was fun.  Dad ran away and then I got to chase him.  That part’s easy, but this Loose Leash Walking thing…

        My ears still aren’t doing what they want them do.  (Seem OK to me.)  I’ve got Velcro on my head like some sort of 25^th century space dog.  Jeez!  It’s OK though.  It’s not like it hurts and it gives them something to do – could be worse, could be my tail.

Chow,  (Mom says I need to work on my Italian.)

Kai

Whew! No vampires here!

Hi.  It’s Lance,

Have I told you how much I love fall?  All the leaves blowing around, all the wind, all the rain and ALL the leaves?  I’ve always loved leaves, especially when they blow.  They are so much fun to chase and catch.  When I was little, Mommy and Daddy called me Lancelot, Leaf Killer because I was so good at catching them.  I try to show Kai how to do it, but he is still not as good as I am.

I was too little last year to hear about Samhain, Halloween, or Dia de los Muertos, but this year it’s all over the television.  The whole thing sounds kind of scary.  Ghosts.  Goblins.  Werewolves.   Little Devils.  Brrrrrrr.  Then, I found out about vampires.  Vampires?  These things that latch onto your neck, bite you and suck your blood?  That’s too creepy.  Mommy and Daddy watch movies about things like that on TV all the time, but I always go into the other room ‘cause it’s scary. 

I started thinking about vampires a lot.  Suppose they’re everywhere and we don’t know it?  Suppose they’re always trying to bite your neck?  Suppose…  Kai!  Oh my God.  Kai’s a vampire!  He’s always trying to bite me, he’s sleeps a *LOT* during the day.  And then I realised the kicker.  He won’t cross running water.  I could hardly sleep in my crate next to him.  Suppose he crept out at night and attacked Mommy and Daddy?!?!  How could I protect them?  It was keeping me up at night.  What was a poor puppy to do?

However, last weekend I found out everything was OK.  We were playing in the park.  OK, even if my brother is a vampire; I still love him and want to play.  Anyway, we were running in the park and he crossed the stream that goes through it.  Proof he wasn’t blood‑sucking fiend!!  That was a huge load off my mind. 

My little brother.  Cute, fun, a great chew toy, and definitely *not* a vampire.

Have a great holiday, no matter how you celebrate,

Lance

Ears and Mud

 

Yo,

            Kai here.

            OK, I officially have a new favourite season.  Fall!  It’s been raining every day for, like a week now, and there’s mud everywhere.  It’s a blast.  You wouldn’t believe the places I’ve gotten muddy – I didn’t think you could get it some of those places.  So we track in a little mud.  Relax Mom.  It dries and sweeps up just fine. 

            Speaking about relaxing,   What the big deal is about my ears!?!?!?!?  Suddenly every 20 minutes someone’s pawing my ears and not in a good way.  The thing is that I can put my ears up, I just don’t choose to.  It’s just not that important.  If you keep them down, no one gets them when you visit the cat.

            Now, Mom and Dad have started on this weirdo ritual of glue, and Velcro, and staring at my ears, and telling Lance to calm down.  If this keeps up I may have to actually raise the stoopid things just to get everyone off my case. 

Kai

p.s.       I lost a tooth last week.  Mom and Dad are keeping it.  I wanted to eat it.

Oops

Kai and I got in trouble today…  A lot of trouble…

Mommy was pretty patient, at first.

We found a sock.  It was in the laundry basket.  I told Kai not to take it, but then it was out and it was really fun to play with.  Mommy decided that, maybe we should be outside then. 

It was a really nice day, kinda sunny, but still cool in the shade, so Kai and I started running in the yard.  I had him going really well.  You know, running up and barking, then jumping away.  I was running away one time and didn’t make the turn – just like I didn’t at my birthday party.  Oops, I really didn’t mean to break another hurricane lamp.  We decided we might ought to play over near the pool.  Then I noticed that under the BBQ grill smelled really good.  One thing led to another, and then we had one of the grill brushes out and were playing chase with it and then found some really fun dogs to bark at.  Mommy decided we should go inside.

While I was checking out the cat – he’s my buddy, I always say hi to him in the morning, Kai found a spatula in the dishwasher.  We got in trouble for that, too. 

It’s a good thing Mommy loves us so much, ‘cause we were really bad today.  It’s like John and Sue say, sometimes puppies need help to make good decisions.  Tomorrow, we’ll make better decisions; after all, it all starts fresh in the morning.

Bye for now,

Lance

All Kinds of Stuff

Yo.  Kai here.

I’ve started levels class with Lance at Dogs in the Park.  So far it’s dead easy.  Down‑stays, but with more distractions (like Lance barking his fool head off).  I mean, I know I’m cute and I can’t imagine why the whole world doesn’t want to hang out with me, but dude, take a chill pill.  It’s been kind of fun.  We did three levels classes in three days ‘cause Mom and Dad had to go to Michigan to see a people vet and Lance and I stayed with John and Sue.  Man, John and Sue are strict!  You actually have to sit and wait at a door before they’ll open it.  Worse yet, they’ve got Mom and Dad doing it.  Still it was fun, and now that Lance and I are getting it down, it’s not too bad.

There’s a lot of new stuff.  I’m working on loose‑leash walking.  Kinda hard ‘cause it takes a *lot* of attention.  I mean, one minute you’re walking along and the next minute there’s something kewl.  _But_ you’re not supposed to take your Mom or Dad to see it, even though you know they’d really like it.  Last night there was a tunnel that the dogs were going through.  I did it – easy as sniffing a cat.

Lance, Dad, and I went to the dog park today.  It was a lot of fun.  Though I don’t know why some dogs are such scardy cats.  I saw these two dogs heading my way, and they looked like they’d like to run around and maybe play.  I ran up, did the appropriate play bow (sort of a ‘downward facing dog’ for you humans), and they both squealed and ran to their human.  Jeez!  It’s not like I was carrying a bloody Chihuahua in my teeth!  Their loss.  There was an Australian Shepherd who was fun and a Husky who liked to run.  We went to the creek with this Shar Pei.  OK, Lance and the Shar Pei went in and I guarded the shore.  We all got good and muddy.  Lance and I went home and napped until dinner.

TTFN,

Kai

Wind

It is really windy today.  Not sure how much I like that.  It swirls my fur and it’s a hot wind.  Acceptable winds are supposed to be cold or at least cool.  They shouldn’t make you feel hotter then when you went outside in the first place.  This messes up my whole plan for fall!  I was going to get Kai outside, bury him in leaves, and then jump on him.  It isn’t going to work if the leaves all blow away.  Hmmm.  When they blow, they run – sorry, gotta go catch that one.

I’m back.  It was a particularly fast leaf.  Where was I?  Oh yeah, the wind.  I suppose I’ll wait it out.  Daddy says it’s supposed to cool down tonight, so maybe after that we’ll be back to normal fall weather.  (And soon, SNOW!). 

I’d better go and make sure Kai’s not bothering the cat again – she’s going to hurt him if he keeps it up.

Later,

Lance

Fall

Kai here.  Lance has been raving about how it’s not supposed to be hot like this and how, “He remembers when it was cold and you could run for hours and hours and not get all tired and tongue‑hanging‑out.”  I thought he was just making it up (you know, the big brother lording his smarts over the little one thing). 

I might be wrong on this one (though I’m *not* wrong on eating that paper – I didn’t get up ONCE in the night).  Today is rainy and kinda’ cool.  Great weather.  Maybe I like it not so hot.  Besides, rain means puddles and mud.  It’s like having dozens of pools all over the place.  That rocks.  It’s amazing how much mud there is in a mud puddle.

Anyway, happy Fall, Mabon, and Autumn Moon Festival everyone!

Kai

My brother the idiot!

Daddy had a conference call this morning.  So after the 4^th time when we were supposed to be quiet, we got banished to the den.  It was all fine until Kai noticed there was ½ a roll of toilet paper in the room.

So once they weren’t watching us really closely – to tell the truth, I’d fallen asleep -- Kai grabs the roll and starts tearing it up and eating it!  It made a huge mess and Mommy got really upset.  She (and Daddy) kept running around the basement and looking for the pieces that made up the roll.  Then they called the vet to see if he’s going to need to get his stomach pumped or anything like that.

Seems that as long as he doesn’t get stopped-up he should be fine.  Since he poos about 5 times a day, there shouldn’t be any problem.

I’m not sure why Kai seems to have such an issue with this.  Don’t take stuff off the table, off the couch, off the floor…  Didn’t he go to the same puppy class as I did?

He’s sleeping fine right now.  Hopefully, we won’t be up in the middle of the night.

Hmmmm.  Speaking of sleep, there’s a nap with my name on it somewhere near here.

Lance

Mission Accomplished! (Sorta)

Hi!

Kai again    

I finished a milestone this weekend. I finished my prime socialisation period having met 259 other dogs and 410 people!  This is about double of the minimum you're supposed to meet before you're 20 weeks old if you want to be able to go places with your Mom and Dad. It's not hard to meet all the people and dogs, but it sure takes time. I also went *lots* of places: a pirate festival, a Canada Day festival, the Wiggle Waggle Walkathon, the Rona (they're dog friendly), the nursery, lots of dog parks, a couple of people parks, Bass Pro Outlet, Dogs in the Park (‘course) and about every pet store in South-Western Ontario ;-). I also watched fireworks, hung out around joggers, bicycles, kids, big dogs, little dogs, puppies, a birthday party (Lance's) -- you get the idea.  It was tons of fun.  Lance says we'll go lots more places now that it's getting cold and we can stay in the car when Mom and Dad go into stores that won’t allow dogs (picky, picky, picky…)

Speaking of meeting people, why is it that you humans can't learn how to meet dogs?  Lance says it's because you have things on your minds and aren't paying attention, but I'm not so sure. When you're meeting a dog don't loom over them and come down from above -- sheesh, if a 15' dog did that to a human; they'd run screaming!  Try to meet on their level. Kids do it all the time, women too. Guys must think it makes them look weak or something. Lance is OK with it, but it gives me the willies – so I get a rep as stand-offish.  

Sorry about ranting. I kinda’ got carried away.   (I tend to that.)

Where was I?  Oh yeah, Saturday Mom and Dad took me by myself to some places. Usually, it's the four of us and Lance takes the lead cause "he's older and all that".  This time I did it myself.  It wasn't all that hard. (I think Lance is hogging the spotlight.)  On top of the usual places, we went to the lakefront in Burlington.  Lots of people around and this really neat walkway where you could look down on the people in the park.  I liked that a lot.  Lots of wedding parties taking pictures (I had to ask my Mom about the people in the long dresses), but none of them wanted a picture with a dog.  Hmph!  (Mom has a dog in her wedding photo...)  We hung out at a coffee shop and I met a miniature Doberman Pinscher.  It was a lot of fun – except for the lake.  I’m still not sure why water should move around like it’s trying to get you.  It’s not natural!

Gotta nap now.

Kai

Hi from Kai

Hi!

            Kai here.  Just because Lance got firsts doesn’t mean that he’s better.  He’s just bigger.  (Which means he’s easier to catch and bite on.)  In the picture, I’m the adorably cute grey guy.)

            I’m a Taurus, born May 3^rd and I’m a bit of a Mama’s boy.  Not that Dad’s not great too, but my Mom’s the best (sorry Dad).  I really love that I have a brother to play with; he’s really cool and since he’s got all that fur (see picture), I can bite him almost anywhere and he doesn’t mind.  Lance keeps trying to get me to swim.  I don’t know what the big deal is.  Sure water’s great and all that, but getting your head wet?  Not touching bottom?  Naaaah.  I’ll stick to my wading pool and streams I can splash in.  Speaking of splashing, have you ever run through the pool and made splashes?  Great fun.  Try it some time.

            Like my bro I went to Dogs in the Park’s Early Puppyhood class.  Though I got to go to graduation (Mom, Dad, and Lance were celebrating Yule on his graduation.)  I won longest sit stay in the competition – that’s dead easy, you just sit around and people shove food in your mouth!  What could be more easy and fun?  I’m about to start the Levels class at Dogs in the Park.  Hah, Lance.  Wanna race to the next level?

            The other day I found out something about the little grey kitty (I think Mom calls her Audrey).  SHE KNOWS THE BITING GAME!  I was looking at her (OK, I was shoving my nose in her face) and she grabbed my ear with her paw and then she bit it!  IT WAS GREAT!  I barked and tried to get her to do it again, but I must have had some rabbit poo on it – she shook her head and ran away.  I’ll have to try again after it’s been raining and my ear’s cleaned off.

Bye for now,

Kai

           

Hello from Lance

Hi,

            My name’s Lance and I get first post because I’m older.  (In the picture, I’m the red sable.)

            As my Daddy said, I’m a Shiloh shepherd, a year old (born 2009-08-22) – that makes me a Leo.  I love running outside, hanging with my peeps (Mommy, Daddy, my ‘brother’ Kai, and my two cats – not sure they reciprocate on that one), swimming, chasing balls/Frisbees, meeting new people or dogs, and SNOW.  I really, really, really love the white stuff.

            My full name is Kai-Lyn’s Lancelot du Chaine (or Lancelot, Leaf-Killer; Lord of Snow; Great Mouse Hunter), but Lance will do fine; I don’t stand on formalities.   I’ve been living with my human mommy and daddy since I was 8‑weeks old.  When I first moved in, I had an older sister named Merly – I guess more like an aunt than a sister.  She was a black and white dog and tolerated my antics pretty well for being an adult.  We played a lot, OK I played and she growled at me when it got too much.  However, Mommy and Daddy worked to make sure I had things to do.

            Just after I came home, Mommy and Daddy took me in school.  I went to Early Puppyhood Education at a place called Dogs in the Park.  Not only was it a lot of fun, but I learned how to get along with other dogs and people.  (I think Mommy and Daddy learned about this stuff called ‘sit’ and ‘down’, but they don’t it very well.  I do it better.  LOL)  Dad and Mommy say it’s very important for puppies to socialise and learn new things when they’re puppies.  It makes us happier dogs.

One day early this spring, Merly went to sleep and didn’t wake up again.  I was sad.  Mommy and Daddy were sad too, and when they were I would bring them something to cheer them up.  I didn’t have anyone to play with, but Mommy and Daddy worked to keep me busy.  This summer, after I’d had time to grieve; a new dog came into the house.  His name is Kai and he’s the best chew toy a puppy could ever have.  We play a *lot*, and when we’re not playing we’re probably sleeping.  I’ve figured out lots of stuff about being a big brother (the keep away game, chase, I can get your foot, and other things).  

One thing I’ve really had a problem with is sharing attention and time.  Not that I’m greedy or anything.  I like Kai and I like it that Mommy and Daddy like him, but I don’t like it when Kai gets to go to puppy class and I have to sit in the crate.  I loved puppy class and now I have to wait my turn.  I don’t like it, but then I get my turn later for Rocking Horse Walk ('cause I get to SWIM) and Levels Class and Kai has to wait.  So I suppose it’s OK.

Come see me any time.  I’m sure we can find something to do. 

Lance

Inagural Post

My DW has been pressing me to do this for a while now. My knee-jerk response is that I have nothing of interest to post, and while I'm quite an arrogant b*****d my life just isn't interesting enough to foist on the unsuspecting public.

Then I decided to write about our two dogs. I'm going to attempt to write this in as much 1st dog viewpoint as possible.

So this is likely the 1st and last time that I, Don, will be posting as me.