Hawk

Jib here.

Mom was playing Frisbee with me. She stopped. She heard ravens screaming.

Then she dropped my Frisbee and ran inside. She came out with her camera. She took a picture of the top of a tree.

She said the ravens were chasing away a sharp-shinned hawk.

The hawk flew over me. Mom was more excited about that than about throwing my Frisbee.

Drat.

I Am Thankful

Sailor here.

Today is the day to be thankful.

Mom says she is thankful for me and Jib. Jib says he is thankful for supper and squirrels. And for Mom.

I am thankful for supper and breakfast and all the snacks in between. I am thankful for chicken legs and cheese sticks and freeze-dried liver.

I am thankful that I can run faster than Jib when Mom calls us.

I am thankful for watching over Mom at night while she sleeps. I am thankful that she says good night to me, just me, with special scritches under my chin and behind my ears.

I am thankful for rides in the car.

I am thankful that the mailman goes away when I bark at him.

I am thankful that the gardeners and garbage men go away when I bark at them, too.

I am thankful for dog school because I get cheese sticks and freeze-dried liver.

I am thankful for walks to the park.

I am thankful for the park.

Most of all, I am thankful for Mom.

But I am NOT thankful for the bath I had today.

Does this mean I can still have turkey necks for dinner?

I Am a Leonberger Again!

Sailor here.

Mom and I went to the park today. Mom took just me. Jib stayed home. She said she wanted a peaceful afternoon.

I got to be a Leonberger today. And I didn’t have to jump into the Bay. Mom said we were going to a Leonberger Pre-Turkey Day party, and we did.

My good friend Liesl was there and so was Leisl’s Laurie who had cookies in her pocket. I met Z-Man and Dante and said hello to Flint. I meet Bella, too.

When Bella came into the dog park, the party started. Leos ran everywhere! I protected Mom and sniffed and ran and sniffed and protected Mom some more. I peed and pooped and had a grand time.

Leisl said a drive-by Hello to Mom and ran off the play chase. Flint had a tiff with a Ridgeback. Callie had to wear panties and couldn’t come and play. Cyrus stayed with her and wouldn’t come play, either. Sage the Malamute made sure everyone played nice; she reminded me of Zoe. Dante started to play and his Mom called him and he come to her and he ran off to play and his Mom called him again. I don’t know if he ever got to play chase.

The wild parrots flew and screeched and flew again. The kids ran and screeched, too. They didn’t give me anything to eat. Neither did the parrots.

But Mom ate lunch. Laurie ate lunch. Everyone ate lunch. Except me. Mom did give me a hunk of cheese. Three times. So I guess it was a pretty good day.

I Have Mail!

Jib here.

I've got mail!

It came in a big envelope from the AKC. It didn't smell very interesting.

But Mom was happy. She said it was my CD Certificate.

I am now a Companion Dog. Mom is my companion.

I hope this will get me steak or cookies.

I Have a Lump

Sailor here.

Mom found a lump. On me. She didn't sleep very well last night. Because of the lump.

In the middle of the night, she crawled into bed with me and whispered in my ear. She said that if I only had two months to live, I was going to the Rainbow Bridge FAT! She would feed me cookies all day long. Every day.

Oboy.

But today, Mom took me to see Dr. Karen. Dr. Karen did something sharp to my lump while Mom fed me cheese.

Dr. Karen said I was already fat. Or, rather, that my lump was all fat. She called it a lipoma.

Mom is very happy.

I am not so happy.

Does this mean I won't be getting fat?

Hmmph.

Today is MY day!

Sailor here.

Today was MY day!

Mom gave me a special breakfast and said, "Happy Birthday." Then she kissed me.

Mom came home at lunch and brushed me and said, "Happy Birthday." And she kissed me.

After work, Mom came home and played with me and kissed me. She told Jib that it was my birthday and I was eleven years old.

And she kissed me again.

For supper, I had special rabbit insides and special chicken outsides. And Jib only had chicken outsides.

I love Birthdays! I pranced and barked and said, "Thank You!"

And then I kissed Mom.

Towel Cowl

Sailor here.

I am happier. Mom loves me.

She said it hurt her heart to see me miserable in my Cone of Shame.

So she made me a Towel Cowl.

Now I can go up the stairs. Now I can drink water the old fashioned way. Now I can eat breakfast!

Mom loves me.

Dinner is late. Again.

Sailor here.

I'm hungry!! Mom is feeding us late now. Every day.

Mom says we had to change the clocks back. She makes the sun go to bed earlier and earlier.

I don't care.

I'm hungry! I am still on Daylight Stomach Time!!

The Cone of Shame

Sailor here.

I am in a cone. The Cone of Shame.

Mom found a hot spot on my hip. She clipped it and treated it and told me not to lick. I couldn't. I couldn't not lick.

So now I am bashing my way through the house, wondering how to get a drink of water when Mom isn't here to help me.


Bah humbug.

Another Squirrel!!

Jib here.

I caught another squirrel! I caught another squirrel!

I started licking it but couldn't get it open.

Mom found me. Mom found the squirrel. She said when she called me, I came to her. I came with the squirrel hanging onto my ruff by his claws.

Mom took my squirrel. I thought she was going to open it for me.

But Mom took it away and I didn't see it again.

I smelled Mom's lips, but they didn't smell like squirrel. She doesn't have squirrel breath.

Where did it go?

More Letters After My Name!

Jib here.

Today Mom and I went to another dog show. This time I didn’t have a bath. And I was lucky in another way, too. Mom says I finally earned my Compact Disc!

Mom is very happy. She was very obedient. We were in Nervous B and Mom forgot to be nervous. She was fun to be with. She smiled and smiled. Especially when I sat and sat and didn’t heckle my neighbor. And again when I downed and downed and DOWNED and didn’t sniff the floor OR my neighbor.

Mom got two white ribbons, two green ribbons, and a big green and gold ribbon. She is very glad to have those ribbons for some reason. But I lucked out again. I got a bait bag full of junk food! And I got a thingie Mom says she can hang on my collar at night and it lights up so she can see where my ruff is.

I think this thingie is the Compact Disc Sailor told me about. Mom is going to put my extra legs inside and they can flash. Flashing legs. Sounds just like me.

I don’t think Sailor has flashing legs in his CD.

Just me, Jib, aka Legendhold Two If By Sea, CGC, BPDX, CD!! This stands for Canine Good Citizen (naturally), Backpack Dog Excellent (sometimes), and Companion Dog (always).

Boy, am I tired.

P.S. Because of my bait bag full of junk food, Mom is now making me eat pumpkin. Lots of pumpkin. And washing my kilts with waterless dog wash. Bother.