Happy Howl-O-Ween!

We hope you have a day full of fun, excitement, and CANDY!  We hope we have that kind of day too!  For some reason, I think we'll only have two out of the three . . .

Mommy said she wasn't going to buy us new costumes again this year, but she apparently changed her mind.  Well, not exactly.  She MADE our costumes this year for less than $10 total for all three!  She said once inspiration struck, she just couldn't help herself.  It's not really an original idea, but it definitely seemed to fit!

 

The Dawg in the Hat!

A much better idea than some old cat, don't you think?

I hope you enjoy this one and only shot of me.  Jenna proceeded to eat my costume once my photo session was over!  Of course, once I realized it was paper and therefore edible, I helped her out!

 

 

Thing 1

Dixie can't go anywhere without those darn tennis balls!

 

 

 Thing 2

 (Jenna receives this title simply by virtue of the fact that she was adopted last!)

 

 

 

May you have more treats than tricks today!

Hunter (and the Things!)



Going Incognito!

It's almost that time of year again!  Time to dress up and greet (scare to death) the trick-or-treaters that are foolish enough to ring the doorbell at the house where three crazy labs reside!!!

I have had so many great costumes over the years.  Of course, there were a few years that weren't as exciting as others.  Bear with me as you look at these pictures.  Most are pics of a pic since I was too lazy to hunt through all the files for them.  Instead, I cracked open each year's scrapbook and tried to snap a decent photo.  Let's take a w-a-l-k down memory lane (Shhh! Don't say that word aloud around here or you'll be in big trouble!) . . .

On my first Halloween I was Count Dawgula . . . Woof! Woof! Woof!  (You kind of need to say that like the Count on Sesame Street to get the full impact.)  I look pretty royal and regal sitting up nice and tall like that, don't I?

The next year I was a Beach Bum in my super cool doggles.

Then I was Hank the Cowdog, from a popular children's book series by that same name.  This is one of Mommy's favorite photos of me ever.  I think it still hangs on Grandma's fridge (at least it was the last time I was there).

I took a year off for my fourth Halloween.  We were in an apartment in between houses and my parents were afraid I would get too riled up for the neighbors. [sigh]  I made up for it the next year when we were settled into our new house and I was Super Dawg, able to leap over small sofas in one bound.

Years six and seven were kind of a bust too.  I had surgery on my knees those years (probably because of all that leaping as Super Dawg the previous year!).  I guess you could say I went as a Cone Head both years!

My eighth Halloween was an election year, so I showed my support for my candidate by wearing a patriotic bandana that matched our jack-o-lantern.

For the last two years I have been the horse ridden by the world's smallest cowboy.  I like this costume best since it stresses me out the least.  I have the feeling it will make an appearance again soon.

Stay tuned for this year's surprise . . .
Hunter

Fall Getaway

Jenna told you our parents went away for the weekend recently, and she wondered why we weren't allowed to go.  She's still so young and dumb.  I can sum it up for her in three words: WE ARE DAWGS!!!!  Dawgs in our house don't get to go on weekend trips.  [sigh]  It's disappointing, but it's true.  Ever since I was a puppy, they have been leaving me behind to go off gallivanting around the country. 

Their most recent trip was to New York State that included an action packed weekend that just about sent Daddy over the edge!  In his opinion, Mommy really over-booked them.  Mommy thinks she was forgetting she wasn't traveling with Aunt Holly.  Mommy and Aunt Holly try to cram as much as they can into every single day they are away.  Daddy doesn't go for trips like that!  He's more into relaxation.

On the first day they visited John D. Rockefeller's estate Kykuit and Washington Irving's home Sunnyside, listened to a reading of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and went to the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze.  They were busy for twelve hours straight!  On the second day, they went fly fishing.  This event was scheduled at the request of Daddy so he could have a relaxing day of doing something manly.  Mommy thought day two would make up for all of her special requests from day one.  On the third day, they visited the United States Military Academy at West Point.  It was a very busy weekend for them both. 


Can you imagine the three of us four-legged children running through the halls of this lovely home?

Or hopping through the fields of five thousand carved pumpkins with actual candles in them???  Dixie loves a gnaw on a good pumpkin!  I'm sure if given the chance, Jenna would too.  (Yep, these amazing scenes are all made of PUMPKINS!!)

Or trying to help our parents catch fish?  I've been hooked by a fishing line before.  Chasing a tiny fly in the water is all I need to get myself into trouble again.  Luckily, Mommy found a couple fish and didn't find trouble.  She tells me she was worried she would hook their fly fishing guide due to her inexperience.  She has decided if she ever goes again, she will have to invest in a pair of  insulated waders for short people.  These rentals weren't very flattering and she just about froze her hiney off after about five hours of standing in the Housatonic River in Connecticut!  Mommy was jealous because Daddy had his own neoprene duck hunting waders that kept him nice and warm.

So my dear sweet sister, Jenna, these are the reasons why we are not allowed to go on trips with our parents.  We just have to remember we are DAWGS!  Or so I've been told . . .

Hunter

Road Trip!

Mommy and Daddy recently left us for a weekend getaway.  I really don't understand why we couldn't go with them.  I personally love to go for rides.  I think we were left behind so they could enjoy some adult time.  But it could have something to do with a few thousand pumpkins . . . or flies and fish . . . or million dollar mansions . . . hmmm.   More on that later.  Maybe one of my siblings can get to the bottom of it.

Speaking of bottom, look at where I recently rode in the car!  How humiliating!

On the Friday morning of our parents' getaway, Daddy took us to the kennel in his truck.  Dixie rode up front with him, I rode in the back seat lying down like the perfect angel I am, and Hunter sat near me panting his head off (as usual).  Daddy told Mommy he thought he was raising sled dawgs when he arrived at the kennel.  I'll admit we tend to become a bit excited about going out in public.  He said he was sure he could hook the three of us up to a sled and we could be halfway to Antarctica by now!

Because he had to take us all by himself, he told Mommy she was on her own when it came time to pick us up on Monday afternoon.  Mommy wasn't worried; after all, she frequently has us all to herself.  Hunter rode in the back of her car, and Dixie rode in the front seat.  I stayed in the middle for a while, but I had really missed Mommy so I began to whine a bit.  Mommy finally invited me to the front seat too.  She says she thought Dixie and I could sit nicely beside each other . . . Dixie had other thoughts.  She basically relegated me to the floor board!  I rode the rest of the way home from that vantage point.  It wasn't a thrilling ride, but at least I got to look at Mommy the whole time!

I'm going to have to learn to stand up for the best spot in the car (although Mommy prefers I sit down)!
Jenna

Happy Fall Y'all!

Although the season of fall technically arrived a month ago, it is only just now starting to look like fall here.  We even had fall weather for a while, but then summer temps zoomed back in again for one last hoorah.  Recently we've noticed the look of fall on some of the trees (well, on the ground beneath some of the trees).  The leaves, coupled with an early morning fog, created a perfect fall appearance.

Don't you think it's a bit early for picture taking?

I know I look good in my chocolate fur coat, but seriously . . .

 

Of course, it's never too early for a good game of fetch. 

All these leaves are deceiving when it comes to hunting for the tennis ball. 

I think I've found the ball only to realize it's a leaf!

 Guess who has the tennis balls?

 

Happy Fall Y'all!

Wonder Twins

Do any of you remember watching Super Friends on Saturday morning cartoons way back when?  Mommy and Daddy certainly do!  They say the current state of Saturday morning entertainment is very sad and lacks the great cartoons with which they grew up.  We wouldn't know about that, but our parents do tell us about The Wonder Twins, two of the super heroes on Super Friends.  It could be because at night when our parents go to bed, they both have to wear their carpal tunnel wrist braces which resemble the arm bands of The Wonder Twins.  Every once in a while, Mommy and Daddy will bump wrists and recite, "Wonder Twin powers activate!"  (I know, weird huh??)  It could also be they tell us these stories because of our very own Wonder Twins, Dixie and Jenna.  Whatever it is, these stories bring back fond memories of our parents' childhood.

Our own Wonder Twins are so similar yet so different.  When Jenna first came to live with us, we had such a difficult time telling the two girls apart even though they really do look different from each other.  Mommy and Daddy were constantly calling them the wrong name.  The more we know Jenna (and Dixie), the easier it is to tell them apart.  Their unique personalities help us to know which girl is which (and where she's located in the house and out) at all times. 

Except when it doesn't . . . there are still times when they truly are twins and move in a rhythm that prevents us from knowing who's who.  Mommy has twins in her classroom this year that she can't tell the difference between.  They tell her they are fraternal, but they are the best look-alikes she has taught in over seventeen years!  She has to sit them in a certain order in her classroom to tell them apart.  If only she could do that for Dixie and Jenna . . .

Here's to The Wonder Twins!  Their power is definitely ACTIVATED!
Hunter

Me Time

It's hard to do anything by yourself around these parts.  It seems like wherever one of us is, the others aren't far behind.  I mean, I can't even go to the bathroom by myself.  I'm sure for some of you who are moms, that might be a familiar scenario (or so I've been told).  Being a guy, I don't really know that feeling personally (not to mention I'm a neutered guy).  I do know how hard it is to find one-on-one time with our parents much less just one-on-one time with our own personal thoughts. 

Sometimes late at night, I act like I have to go outside just so I can go out and relax on my outdoor doggie bed all by myself.  Mommy is happy to oblige me the time away from my sisters, but she does get a little frustrated with me when she is ready to go to bed and I'm still enjoying the moonlight.  She knows if she even thinks about leaving me out there for the night that eventually I will begin barking to let her know I'm ready to come in.  She says it's usually about twenty minutes after her head hits the pillow.  About the time she is drifting off to sleep. 

The point is, the four of us are pretty tight.  I'm counting our canine gang of three and our honorary member, Mommy.  Daddy doesn't always count himself in our group because he says someone has to go make the money that supports our eating habits.  If that's the case, where does Mommy go each day?  Hmmm . . . I'll have to investigate that one. 

I guess I shouldn't complain.  There are lots of dawgs (and humans too) who are on their own in the world.  I must admit, I do have a pretty good life here with my parents and sisters.  I'll just have to work harder to find some "me" time.  Any suggestions?

Hunter



PS: Who is the one legged dawg???

Been There . . .

I don't really go on that many true "walks" any more.  We have such a large yard, that Mommy is able to turn me loose in the back yard to do my business and I am content.  I'm sure I would love to see the leash come out for me if she decided to take me around the block, but in reality I can't make it for the long haul like I used to when I was a pup.  Between my arthritis, my heavy breathing, and just plain old age, I'm not as young as I used to be.  [sigh]

Mommy saw a magnet on a car recently and said it reminded her of me.  I used to have to stop frequently when we were walking to let everyone know where my territory began and ended.  Bushes, driveways, mail boxes, edges of yards, even Dixie's head when she was a puppy were all fair game for territory marking.  (Dixie learned early on not to cross paths with me!)  The world was my toilet.  More specifically, the entire neighborhood was MINE, ALL MINE! 

Now a days, I just follow my sisters around the yard and wait on them to do their business.  Then I exert my authority and follow up their business with my business.  Someone has to show them who the boss is around here!  I may be old, but I'm still in charge!

And don't you forget it!
Hunter

Acorn Update

We thought we'd give you an update on the acorn contest between Mommy and Uncle Jeff.  Recently Uncle Jeff sent Mommy a picture of what he says is a "real" acorn.  Mommy was not impressed.  She personally thought the acorn looked a bit moldy.  And that was before Uncle Jeff told her that Grandma had actually found it herself!  We definitely do NOT think it counts if Grandma is having to find her own acorns. 

Here's what the sawtooth oak acorns look like once they've opened up a bit.  They really are unusual. 

The leaves on this tree are also very different from the typical oak leaf.  The tree derives its name from the look of its leaves; the edges of the leaves look like the edges (or teeth) of a saw blade.  Mommy likes the acorns, but secretly thinks the leaves are pretty ugly.  She's a traditionalist and likes the traditional oak leaf best.  This tree also keeps its leaves until the spring.  They turn brown and make a rustling noise all during the winter when the wind blows.  Once the tree starts sprouting new leaves, the old ones fall off.  Weird, huh?  Kind of like its acorns . . .

No matter what you think of the tree and its acorns, we just call it the Victory Tree now! 

 

 

Here's to Mommy and the Victory Tree,

Hunter, Dixie & Jenna

 

 



Trashy or A-Peel-ing?

Good grief!  My sister Jenna is such a trouble maker lately!  We thought she had broken her habit of eating toilet paper, but she's at it again!  I think it might be her own silent little protest to Mommy going back to work, but no one asked me.   Hunter is so funny when it comes to the toilet paper.  He seems to have a sixth sense about Jenna's ability to hunt out the toilet paper.  He comes running when he thinks she's about to score a bite.  He loves paper too, but won't venture that far into the bathrooms (he's afraid of the floors).

But back to Jenna . . . she was in trouble TWO times in one morning, but it had nothing to do with toilet paper this time.  First, she flipped the lid of the kitchen trash can up, balanced on her hind legs, and proceeded to poke her head inside in an attempt to dig out a paper towel!  Mommy was NOT impressed.

Less than a minute later, Jenna had a banana peel in her mouth!  Mommy's not sure if she left the peel hanging off the edge of the counter or if Jenna performed her balancing act again.  Either way, Jenna had a mouthful.  Mommy dug it out and proceeded to seriously scold Jenna.  In the mean time, I grabbed a section of the peel Jenna dropped and ran off with it.  Mommy heard me trying to eat it and then cleaned my mouth out too.   [sigh]    She says we should be thankful a banana peel is so tough and thick.  It was just not meant to be eaten, so it gave Mommy some time to do a little retrieving of her own.   And all of this happened before six in the morning!  Way to go, Jenna!  I feel that I was guilty of nothing except being in the right (or wrong) place at the right (or wrong) time depending on how you look at it.

So this leaves me with one question about my sister: is she a trashy girl or is she a-peel-ing?? 

I'll leave it for you to decide . . .
Dixie

Comments Overheard

The following are comments frequently overheard at our house:

Comments to Dixie:

• The outside is closed.
• The outside is overrated.
• No, we aren't going to play ball. 
• Are you going in or out?
• Drop the ball.
• Bring the ball closer.
• I still can't reach the ball.

A little blurry, but you know Dixie has good hips . . .  and wants to go outside as usual!

 

Comments to Jenna:

• Gentle [when taking treat from hand].
• Don't eat the toilet paper.
• No, you can't eat the tissues.
• Get away from the trash can.
• Don't drink the water in the toilet.
• Stop trying to eat the birdseed.
• Get out of the grapevine.
• Out of the dishwasher!

Apparently even fire wood tastes delicious to Jenna!

Comments to Hunter:

• Come on, big boy.
• You know how to go up the stairs.
• You know how to go down the stairs.
• You can do it!
• No, I'm not giving Jenna (or you) paper to eat.
• It's okay; they're just playing.
• No need to get upset; they're just playing.
• Calm down; they're just playing.

Hunter calls the game of tug of war between the sisters.

 

 

Parents' Note (Disclaimer):  Each of our canines is special in her/her own unique way. 

Dixie loves to be outside, but wants you to love it too!  She's just like the postal service: neither rain, nor snow, nor heat, nor dark of night will keep her away from the tennis balls!  No matter what you may have going on, she thinks you should stop to toss the tennis ball for her. 

Jenna has to be the most food-oriented dawg on the planet!  She will eat ANYTHING!!!  Our job is difficult keeping her safely away from items which could hurt her.  Despite her food temptations, she listens the best of any of the gang. 

Hunter is our big baby, meaning he's a really big chicken.  As a senior citizen, he is stubborn and does only what he wants to do at this point in his life.  And we let him because we love him!  He is also the referee around here.  He wants to keep a happy home and doesn't like to think Jenna and Dixie are hurting each other.