DOG BLOG

first, the good news...

2009-11-08T16:29:00.005-05:00

...mom bought a comforter for their bed that matches me!! way cool. & so after a few weeks of letting the dust settle on her purchase, i decided that she was sufficiently complacent.

waiting until she exited the room on a day with a particularly magnificent sunbeam in just the right place, i was so *on* that comforter. totally camo'd. thinking, 'she'll never notice.'
nope.
she'll never notice a BIG WHITE DOG on her cushy bed!

well, i was wrong. her rapid room re-entry became a stunned-in-her-tracks stop, followed by a slow edging toward the camera. always the camera...maybe if i look the other way...or the other-other way...if i look down...or close my eyes...nope. no use. once again, i'm phil-ibusted!!!...dog vs. mom official score...

dog - 0 mom - 2

phil-ibusted!!!!

2009-10-04T15:26:00.004-04:00

hey, you know you would have done the same thing.

mom was sitting on the comfy deck chair in a sunbeam & alas, her coffee cup was empty. i was laying on the cold, hard, wood decking wishing i was a lap dog. mom will not tolerate an empty coffee cup & since she does not have a waitstaff at her beck & call, she was inside in a flash.

problem was, she *stayed* in there a bit longer than usual (problem with L.? Little Man in need?), who knew why.

after awhile, her comfy chair that was being warmed by the sunbeam started whisper my name. as the minutes tic-toc'd away the whisper became a scream. hmmmmm...no sign of mom returning & i was up!!!...oh yes i was...on people furniture! loving the sun on my fur....Zzzzzzzzzz, when suddenly creeeeeeeek...my ear caught a subtle door movement. i settled lower in the cushion, trying to blend. no such luck! the boss returned, fresh cuppa in hand - i was phil-ibusted!!!...no amount of cute-face or sad-eyes would cut it & i was back on the deck where she says i belong. hummmmphffff.

my new gig!

2009-09-27T14:48:00.005-04:00

do *not* try to tell mom that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. according to my dog food bag label i am old (senior formula food...ugh.) & mom said i needed to learn something new. but before we discuss my serious talent, we must have some background info...first, there's L. there's always L.!...L. taught *herself* a new trick & that trick would be how to scam me outta my fair morning portion of dog food. uncool!

you see, mom used to feed us at precisely the same moment & just around the corner of the food pantry from one another. L. couldn't see me. i couldn't (didn't care to) see her. all was well...until the day she decided to 'turn the corner' & ambush me!!

mom was nearby (whew!) & was able to save my dignity &, most importantly, the food. all of us thought it was an isolated incident (though Little Man was quite amused & secretly hoped for a repeat...humph.) & so mom laid out breakfast the next day in the usual manner. WHOA!!! L. did it again! basset thy name is *stalker*!...& so began the journey of food bowl separation. now we must eat 3 rooms apart to contain the beast otherwise known as L. & mom must be nearby to guard me. very uncool!...people, L. has even tried an under-the-end-table sneak attack & an under-mom's-desk lunge. her daring knows no bounds! well, she has seemed to settle a wee bit lately, but mom has decided in the name of running an efficient household that if i will not defend myself in front of the smaller dog, i must clean up after myself. that's right...i must now put my own bowl away!!...hence, new trick...after 3 days of mom & Little Man explaining this to me (& me silently asking why L. isn't the one made to clean up), i got it & now i do it *with style*~~on command i pick up my bowl...run to the pantry...& put it away...of course, i still need someone with opposible thumbs to open the pantry door, but, hey, i've got it goin' on!!!

dog tag!

2009-09-11T04:24:00.002-04:00

somewhere in the recesses of mom's bookmarks, she found a meme just for me...oh yes she did!! since i am such a ham, you get to indulge in yet a bit more 'o me as i answer profound questions that certainly plague your deepest thoughts. ready? here goes...

What breed are you? full-blown yellow lab, baby!!!How old are you? today i am officially 8 years old. yes, i was born on *thee* 9/11...not a day i would have chosen, but that's the way it is.

What is your full name? high flyin' phil. tre cool, huh?!? it's a name i take very seriously!

Do you have any nicknames? as a matter of fact i do...waaaaaaay too many of them. for starters, there's philip, philibuster, felipe, filippo, philly, big guy, BG, big white dog (yeah, my peeps aren't very original, but they are prolific!) this list is not exhaustive by any stretch, but it is all i am willing to share & still keep a public persona!Where do you usually sleep? do you mean when my peeps are home or away?!? because that is significant...;-) let's just keep things cool for me & say on the downstairs dog bed during the day or on the one by mom's side of the bed at night (i am her bodyguard, you know!)...now if there are fireworks or thunder involved i will sleep in the shower or bathtub~ true!

What is your favorite thing to do? eat/sleep/chase balls/eat/sleep/chase balls...repeat ad nauseum... throw in an occasional foray into a body of water & my life is golden!What is something unusual/interesting about you? people, EVERYTHING about me is interesting!!! unusual...not much~~ i'm just a regular guy!

Who is your best friend? well, some would say the elusive L., but really, she's more like the alpha dog than a peer....soooooo...i'm gonna go with mom (she controls all things food!)

Did you go to obedience school? If yes, were you Top Dog or did you flunk out? really, i could have done without this question. i did indeed flunk out of duck-hunting school. am i proud of that fact?! eh, whatever! it actually is why i am now comfortably living a life as a family dog as opposed to rambling around in nearly frozen water fetching dead ducks. (go here & scroll down for the nitty gritty details!)

Can you do any tricks? ha! i may have failed duck-hunting school but i'm no trick-fool! for evidence go here, here & here!

Any last comments? yes...i am hoping that miss liza, auntie K., & michelle will take on this meme so that i am not the only dog out there revealing embarrassing secrets! consider yourselves dog-tagged!!!!!

yo, i've got somethin' to say...

2009-09-07T15:03:00.004-04:00

geesh, mom! a little blog time for me, m'k??!?!...i mean, look at this *face*...my adoring public has been missing me! heck, i even got a bath just for the occasion...& L. too...yo, L., get that leg outta your mouth...& smile for the blogosphere...yep, we're back from summer break! let the fall fun begin...

sweet...

2009-05-26T19:01:00.004-04:00

...potato! i heard the peeler slide across those lil' fellers...like a shot, i was off the dog bed & into the kitchen ready to do my duty, cleaning any spare peels that land on the floor...but wait!...what is L. doing in there??...*she* doesn't eat sweet potato peelings...heck, she doesn't eat any vegetables or fruit!...how rude!...look at her just hanging by the peelings...growling at my every move & for what?...she just wants to deprive me of one of my simple joys...good thing mom is onto her...after she accrued a rather hefty pile o' peelings, mom gave her the boot so i could properly clean up the floor!!...yummy!!! i'm such a good boy!...mom said!

life as it should be...

2009-04-30T22:47:00.000-04:00

the top down...the wind in my ears...& spring-scents on the wind...yeah, i'm livin' large!!

L. contemplates the meaning of life through a screen...

2009-04-26T22:44:00.001-04:00

sibling rivalry...

2009-04-22T22:42:00.001-04:00

can you dig it??

2009-04-19T22:13:00.005-04:00

aaaahhh...thank goodness mom's loooooooooooong blog fast is over! i'm not sure i understand why her break was mine too, but i'm back...though mom did make me wash my paws before posting. why, you ask? just take a look...the ground was moist...i had energy to burn...& a biscuit to bury...L.???...she had other ideas (her biscuits are buried in the furniture when no one is looking)...first she lured me away with a full-on dog battle...pretending to be large & in charge...then she took over...& took a nap in **my** hole...not cool.

dog vs. dog...

basset - 1

lab - 0

going to pieces...

2009-03-07T21:57:00.004-05:00

ok. so i'm not exactly sure what these things are on my nose...were they worth the interruption of my power nap??turns out they were just biscuit **pieces**!! all that work & not one whole biscuit in sight...did you ever have one of those days you just wish you could cover your eyes & it would all disappear?mom, please assign Little Man more school work so as to avoid these unnecessary nap intrusions...

just grape!

2009-02-10T16:53:00.002-05:00

i've dealt with biscuits, doggy Christmas cookies, even an apple core (i know it's gross, but i am addicted to these...will raid trash for apples)...but today takes it all...grapes!!!...my new love...yes, i will even pose just to get one...or two (please send grapes!)

me & my sunbeam...

2009-02-07T22:11:00.001-05:00

one for each of us...

look ma, no cavities!

2009-02-03T22:10:00.000-05:00

help...

2009-01-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

something is wrong with the dog bed. i was only looking for L.'s hidden biscuits, i swear. somebody, please...

things that make my people laugh...

2009-01-28T21:12:00.000-05:00

blogging this video runs the risk of boyworld getting the idea that *i* might be trainable in this way...

let's hope not...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQzUsTFqtW0

now, i wouldn't mind seeing L. on that thing!! (wink, wink)

phun with phil...

2009-01-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

oh...no...you did not!...mom...stop!...you promised me these photos were deleted...deleted!! please, no more...i will never be able to show my face in public again!

friends in high places (part 2)...

2009-01-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

...someone has finally come out from hiding!we're excited to welcome miss L. to the world of blogging!! (she is the sister to the famous polly, ollie & zoe)

snow day!!!

2009-01-21T17:08:00.004-05:00

hah!...i'm in my element here~~ snow is my perfect camouflage! you can't see me...L.~~ she's a bit more obvious. you can run, L., but you can't hide!...

what mom does when she goes away...

2009-01-19T01:05:00.000-05:00

a-ha!! i've finally found evidence of mom's other life...on her camera! i thought she was leading some exotic life meandering all over the world. turns out, she just visits other dogs like us. take a look at the bold mr. E...i guess nobody told mr. E. that mom is the boss!..look at him take her on!..mr. E., i wouldn't do that if i were you...mom always wins~ just ask dad!...whatta hound!

dog: thy name is lazy!

2009-01-16T08:30:00.004-05:00

napping...trying...to. nap. mom! what?!?hey, it's cold outside & if i stay tightly curled by the fire, i am warm. if you wake me to do your bidding, i risk becoming cold. i don't care how much fur i have, temperatures in the single digits are no fun. oh, yeah, & that title~~ not funny. & now back to my regularly scheduled january napping...Zzzzzzzzzzz...

howl-iday posers...

2008-12-25T14:14:00.006-05:00

we interrupt this nap...to bring you some holiday cheer!!...how does one motivate us to wear the ridiculous head gear that appears so festive to those not actually wearing it?...why, biscuits, of course!!...new biscuits...extra-special **holiday** biscuits!!...we'll do most any crazy thing for one (or two or three...) of them...but L., well, fashion diva that she is, remains unconvinced about the chicness of our holiday headgear...mom's "all the dogs are doing it" was met with a full blown hound howl!!...who can argue with *that*?!?!?

may all of you have a very merry Christmas from all of us here at dogblog!...

dog in stealth mode...

2008-12-21T16:10:00.008-05:00

oh my goodness. that was a close one! L., in her sneakiness decided today that she would claim her own cherry roll that was innocently rising on the counter...she tried to con me into helping since i have the height advantage, but no way!! does she think i am going to miss the baking frenzy going on right around the corner?? not a chance...especially when it involves cooking spray & grandparents who have a practiced art of passing people food to dogs with sleight of hand! look at the devil dog go!...mom, who has super-extra-amazing hearing, heard the rustling of something awry & she was all over that hound (but not before a few photo ops for the blog!)...needless to say, L. had to go to dog prison (aka the "back bedroom") until the cherry rolls were safely in the oven. me??...i am sticking to cooking spray & errant cookie dough flying around the kitchen!...stay tuned for more Christmas antics with hound patrol on duty in the kitchen!...

i can't keep up...

2008-12-10T05:48:00.003-05:00

wow!

mom...would you slow down for just a minute?!? you're all over the place in planes, trains & automobiles. me??...i'm just finding a sunbeam on another ordinary day!PS. thanks for sending us to gram & pap's house for that last round of travel...you know, people food is sooooo available to us canines there ;-)

PSS. oh, yeah...& would you please bring Baby Girl home so L. stops moping around the house?!?

sniff...sniff...

2008-11-24T22:09:00.000-05:00

exactly *what* is that thing you keep pointing at me???...

in the lap of luxury...

2008-11-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

yeah, that's L...in her best sad eyes mode...soaking up the love...sweet! there's even some left over for me...

huh?....

2008-11-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

...& you interrupted my nap for????...

now "ear" this...

2008-11-12T12:38:00.002-05:00

an official message from the elusive L. to mom...please, please, please, when you tell boyworld to "do something creative," i beg you to specifically, verbally, profoundly *exclude* dogworld from that notion!thankyouverymuch, L.

watch what you blog...

2008-11-07T12:27:00.002-05:00

hummphf...last post i complained about a general lack of biscuits while mom was traveling & dad was in charge. apparently boyworld reads dog blog because they were happy to oblige our biscuit deficit...just a little *too* happy...would you trust a face like this?!?!

forgotten...

2008-11-01T11:24:00.004-04:00

sniff, sniff...ok, well, maybe not really forgotten, but i'm going for the pity factor here with mom. thanks, frances, for the shout-out to the group, because i think that is what finally goaded mom into letting me blog again.

more. than. a. month., people!! that's how long it's been.

if *i* had opposable thumbs, this tra-ves-ty would have never happened. mom blames it on things like travel & school. i'm not buying it any longer. with my very best hang-dog look...i convinced her to give up a saturday morning for me, me, ME!! i must be fair here...since our last post mom really has been busy. she really did travel. a lot. without us. for one of her trips, dad stayed home which meant super spoiling for me! no need for him to sneak the people food our way. nah, he just tossed us parts of whatever he was enjoying...couch surfing became our official sport. the one downside...he is clueless in the biscuit department. we went days, people, *days* without biscuits. [note to self...tell mom to leave him a note next time!] what about the times when everyone traveled but L. & i, you ask? well, let's just say that our kennel time was 'educational' & 'enlightening' this go around. we boarded where we have always boarded for the last 8 years, but when mom picked us up, she was flipping mad. oh, you do not want to see mom like that. our dog bed was saturated in urine. we, & i quote, "stank to high heaven." mom tossed the pillow, gave us 2 baths (L. was beside herself over that one!) & said 'never again' to the kennel.that seems like a good thing, but really, in just a few short weeks we would need to stay *somewhere* while mom & the gang went in airplanes (L. & i do not do airplanes). oh happy day for us when one of mom's sweet friends recommended this fine lady!!! Ms. K., you rock!!!! L. & i have died & gone to boarding heaven! last week we luxuriated in cushy digs & lots of love. when we came home, mom noticed that L. was not in her usual post-kennel catatonic state...she was actually, dare i say, normal! sweet sigh of contentment!

friends in high places

2008-09-25T07:59:00.003-04:00

word on the coconut telegraph is that polly, ollie & zoe's mom is on the cusp of blogging...c'mon miss L. (not to be confused with our elusive L.), plu-leeeezzzeeee do!!!

we love you miss L.!!!!

an important message from phil & L...

2008-09-20T02:03:00.005-04:00

hey you...yeah, you out there!...do you know what today is?? well, thanks to one of mom's she who blogs buddies, callista, we do! it is puppy mill awareness day. as rescued dogs, we are begging you that the next time you would like to add a member of the canine species to your family, instead of looking in a pet store, please consider visiting your local animal shelter.so many of us find ourselves in a new home as a cute puppy, but then, as we grow, the owners are less and less attentive to us. sometimes we aren't quite what the owner was looking for. sometimes our owners have to move to a place where we are no longer welcome. & sometimes, our owners die. no matter...we need you & your loving home!!L. was in sad circumstances two times before finally coming to her cushy alpha female position in our home. her first "family" didn't want her as she grew, & she was banished to the outside on a chain. eventually, her sad howls drove the owners crazy (good thing!) & she was put up for adoption. her next family was a very loving one, but within 6 short months one of the children had such severe allergies that L. had to go...again. now, 7+ years later she is mistress of the dog bed & all things meat.me...well, you can read my story here. mom says that she doesn't understand how someone can just decide you aren't right for them anymore. but that is ancient history for me!! i am almost 5 years in my little piece of sunlight for napping with biscuits & football tosses galore!

school daze...

2008-09-03T21:58:00.004-04:00

well, boyworld is finally back to school...their time is now occupied with things other than us. of course, this means less football throws.but the upside is that L. & i are much less likely to end up in an appliance box & there is a greater possibility of being a part of a tasty science experiment! it also means earlier mornings & that means earlier breakfast n' biscuit access! L. & i have tried to get in the spirit of things but we basically both agree...when boyworld is quietly working on assignments, the time is ripe for us to take more naps!!honestly, we don't get all the fuss about things like pencils...papers...books...(ok, so occasionally we might chew one of these items, but not much)...
hey, i'd trade an ol' piece of wood for a yummy biscuit any day! now, get back to work boys...i'm studying naps...

because mom says...

2008-08-23T15:22:00.000-04:00

mom says i'm hogging the blog again.

but i like to blog (insert whine here)...

even so, the persistent mom says i must give L. some space too lest she begin to feel left out.despite my lazy best "c'mon ma...don't make me blog her *again*!" mom proceeds to remind me that there is not one single bit of L. on the august posts.

i want to beg differ, but she is relentless...& she is right.

i say L. has been napping nonstop all month (you know, the whole 'dog days' thing)but mom won't budge...mom finally threatens to withhold all biscuits & so i must relent.in my defense L. is a bit shy & really doesn't seem to mind being bloggless, but...without further ado, i give you the 'many faces of L.'

BOW wow!!

2008-08-19T15:20:00.000-04:00

my favorite place in the world...

the many faces of ME...

2008-08-15T13:53:00.005-04:00

one for every occasion!really!mom says i'm so cute...what do you think??

it's about time!

2008-08-10T12:08:00.009-04:00

geesh mom! when you take a vacation could you give me a little more leash? it's been a month since i've posted.

ok, people...not. my. fault.!! mom & that jet lag thingy...what can i say. time for a bit of catch-up here...

L. is still lazy.

no one at my house read the memo from the previous post (whaaaa??).

but seriously...what's new?

another trip to the vet. oh yes! i needed one of my vaccination updates. now that put hound patrol on high alert...another kennel call??? nope. not that i can foresee. whew! L. came along too...for what, you ask? a manicure!!!!! mom has officially called trimming the priss' nails quits. our delightful Dr. M. is much better at it...plus, he has a muzzle!!!!! believe it or not, L. only growled once during the whole thing. i guess she sees that resistence is futile (especially with mom!).& finally...would someone please turn off the thunderstorms??? please. we had one friday night that was especially bothersome for my sensitive self. not even the bathtub or shower would suffice. mom was reading in bed & i snuck onto the forbidden space...one paw at a time. (hey, pollie, ollie & zoe can do it!) she arched an eyebrow over her novel & then dove for the camera!it bought me some time& a few ear scratches of pity.but as soon as that storm roared away, it was back to the doggy bed for me. hmmmphf.

today it is sunny & so that means boat time!!! woof!!! last night dad let me come along for a sunset cruise...but he would not let me sample his catch. darn.today i was front & center on the bow for a tidal creek cruise...only mom would not let me chase those tall white birds, no way, no how.& this afternoon, it is nap time!! oh how i love these *dog days* of summer! keep chillin' till the next time, phil

memo to my peeps while mom is away...

2008-07-10T08:57:00.001-04:00

from: phil

to: the people in my home with opposable thumbs

re: what i need every single day!

1. the biscuits are in the bucket in the pantry closet. i get 20 every day. i do not ever need to do a trick to receive them.

2. the food is in the container beside the biscuits. i get half the container everyday. be sure to shop for another bag everyday. L. only gets one scoop.

3. my dog bed is in the living room. it needs fluffing & turn down thrice daily.

4. re: napping. i am never, ever, under any circumstances to be disturbed while napping. ever.

5. re: wildlife. i chase any & all wildlife. mom never, ever stops me.

6. the deck...i must lounge on it in the sun several times a day. refer to #4 above.

7. the boat...somebody better pilot it with me onboard every single day.

8. water...lots of it! for me! in the dog bowl, from the sprinkler, in the bay. it is all mine!

9. the vet. NO. WAY.

10. the kennel. reference #9 above.

11. fireworks. again, see #9 above.

are we clear??

signed,

phil, president & CEO of dog blog

(mom said!)

ehem.

blogiversary!!!!

2008-07-05T12:10:00.000-04:00

yep, that's right...here at dog blog it's our one year blogiversary...grab a slice of cyber cake & a party hat (or 2!!!)& take a trip to our very first post! & the post that introduced our elusive L.!thank you so much for visiting over the past year...we enjoy your ear scratches & head pats very much! & thank you to our blog guests...ms. maggie, kolbe, hedge (we miss you, buddy) & pollie, ollie & zoe!

not cool!!

2008-07-04T11:47:00.004-04:00

i know all the glories of freedom~~ hey, i love a full run just as much as the next guy. but the celebrating explosion-style...not cool!!!last night mom & dad took my boat (yes, *my* boat...i just let them think it's theirs) to the fireworks. i didn't even want to go, not for all the ride time in the bow, no way, no how!today, well...it only gets worse. would you believe the neighbors & our town all do their fireworks tonight?!? oh, woe is me! i'll meet you in the bathtub!...

the dog days of summer...

2008-06-19T18:15:00.001-04:00

...demonstrated by a professional!...

how do you spell relief???

2008-06-14T14:59:00.005-04:00

did you hear what happened?huh, huh?...didya??mom tricked us again! there L. & i were just minding our own dog businesswhen suddenly out comes a suitcase! now i may be a dog, but i am not dense...when the suitcase is out, that means travel is on the horizon. what kind of travel, you ask...well, in our house there are 2 basic kinds~~ the kind that includes dogs & the kind that does not.

includes dogs = good.

doesn't include dogs = not so good.

now if the travel does not include dogs, then we have another breakdown...ya follow??

doesn't include dogs but grandparents are dog sitting = good...actually quite excellent as far as access to people food goes.

doesn't include dogs & dogs go to the *kennel*...folks, this is omg bad! uber bad! so much so that i lose my biscuit focus bad.

usually in the days preceding travel, L. & i get a whiff of which type of travel it is.if the car is completely loaded & L. & i are the last to get in...that means travel including dogs.

if the grandparents show up before the car is packed...that means dog sitting in our cushy digs time.

if one or both of us goes to the vet to get a shot...that means kennel time.

this time was a no-brainer, or so we thought. the same day as the appearance of the suitcases, the grandparents arrived. no trips to the vet ensued. suitcases were packed. suitcases were carried outside. so far, so good. but when we were called to the car...no suitcases! no traveling people! just L. & i with mom & Little Man.uh oh. it was kennel time!drat. (apparently the suitcases were in the other vehicle.) so off we went...for 12 days. at the kennel. while our peeps were visiting other peeps i can only dream about in places that i will never see.

(insert pity party here.)

but they did come home...& after a nice bath, exhaustive chasing of the football, extra biscuits, & the nap-mode on our super-awesome doggy bed L. & i are back in the dog days of summer groove!

apologies...

2008-05-26T10:43:00.003-04:00

this is phil & L.'s mom here...(shhhhhh, don't tell!) with a quick blog-takeover to apologize for the new level of comment moderation here at dog blog. apparently several businesses were attempting to use our comments as advertisement...something i absolutely refuse to do whether or not i use the product (& incidently, for the recent commentor's product, i don't). & now back to the regularly scheduled antics of hound patrol...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

2008-05-26T10:26:00.004-04:00

welcome to the official start of the dog days of summer, sponsored by L. & her high end dog bed!today, memorial day, we are featuring L. in her perfected napping posture...a pose that requires a solid ten minutes of dog bed rooting, scratching, nose-jabbing, & turning to achieve that just-right fluff-n-bump for that all important elevated head rest.

for those days when the standard dog bed cushiness just won't do, we also feature L. in the overhanging, ear-flopping, oops-i-can't-find-my eye patch position. to achieve this neck-bending, need-a-chiropractor look, simply slid gracefully off the aforementioned fluff until the ear covers the eyes with a come-hither-nap look.

up next...phil as a boat ornament...his summer position of choice!

dog vs...

2008-05-18T14:42:00.000-04:00

...an empty appliance box! yes folks, this is what happens when boyworld is left in charge. i distinctly recall mom yelling over her shoulder as she left the house to venture to that mysterious location that yields our favorite dog food & biscuits, "boys, collapse & recycle that box!"

uh huh.

if i would have been a bit more alert (read: not in my biscuit-induced coma on the dog bed) i would have ran for the master bedroom & hid under the bed. should anyone who lives in boyworld be trusted with a biscuit in one hand, the camera in the other & a very, very large box looming in the background?

i think not.

apparently L. was not on her game either because they corralled her right alongside lil' ol' me. they dropped some biscuits on the floor & - here is the very unfair part - while we were sidetracked with culinary craziness, someone dropped the box.

on top of us.it was dark.they were laughing.mom?? it seemed like forever until she put the key in the front door...& when she opened it, imagine her surprise! instead of a hearty hound patrol greeting with fur & tongue & paws, she saw a giant appliance box charging down the hallway! once over the surprise of that, did she rescue us? yes, but only after a bout of hysterical laughter! once free, L. made a bee-line for her very best hiding spot& i hid behind mom's legs for the balance of the evening, turning grocery put-away into an olympic sport. & boyworld...well, they had to collapse & recycle the box after all.

dogs - 2

box - destroyed

boyworld - in the doghouse!!

hound patrol resumes...

2008-05-06T12:28:00.004-04:00

...oh yes it did~~ sniff.

you see, with mom away there was no such thing as 'hound patrol'. it was more like an ongoing episode of hounds gone wild.

the grandparents, along with maggie & kolbewere sent in as reinforcements, but... let's just say L. & i have a way with them ;-)

instead of that dratted so-called healthy dog food, we luxuriated on bellies full of people food. there were hand pats of welcome to join the peeps on couches~~ sweet!treats were freely dispensed all. day. long!!! no one, i mean no one, made us do stupid animal tricks...no biscuits on the nose, no eggs on the head, no begging, no catching.

ahhhh...the good ol' days!

now that mom is home (& recovered fully from her jet lag~~ i like that time too), we are back to regular programming. did ya miss us???!?

on vacation!

2008-04-12T14:54:00.005-04:00

mom is gone!! she took dad on a jaunt somewhere beyond my leash-reach. boy, yesterday it was hard to see them go.out the door went consistent biscuit access. but on the upside...i am fairly certain that i can sneak up on the couch now without repercussions!(don't tell mom!) dog blog will be on break until mom returns with her camera...ciao for now...lots of love~~phil & L.!

springing into action!

2008-04-06T16:48:00.007-04:00

how does a dog like me know that spring has sprung?? one of my most reliable signs is when dad cranks the boat motor...one turn of the key & i fly out the dock like a lit rocket!once aboard, i am in my favorite perch...the bow with the wind in my ears!!ahoy maties!

where is L. on days like this...oh, people, she does not leave the dog bed over this kind of action...

pug-nacious!!!

2008-04-04T12:50:00.003-04:00

introducing Polly, Ollie & Zoe!

hey, mom! look...they're allowed on the bed. see, i told you everybody's doing it. why can't i??

whoa...ma.....noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! please don't take the keyboard awayyyyyyyyyyy...

egg-ceptional hounds...

2008-03-30T12:00:00.012-04:00

oh. no. not another holiday photo shooti don't care how many treats you disguise, this activity is getting old. it seems someone is forever balancing something on my head or nose. but is that enough? certainly not! there must also be the added humiliation of photo ops for the occasion.honestly i am starting to dread the prospects of the 4th of july. will they balance a lit firecracker on my head?? probably not because mom has a serious fire phobia, lucky for me! back to the present...this particular holiday was a bit sweeter for me. why, you ask...well, because someone got the bright idea to stick a treat in the plastic Easter egg. ok by me...as long as they remember to extricate it for me...you know, lack of opposable thumbs & all that.

but that's not all! what could be sweeter than a treat? uh. huh. they decided to torture L. too!!but of course, she doesn't have quite the talent i do...they could only do half an egg on her noggin.(insert sibling rivalry banter here) L. the egg head!

ok, mom! enough of this...i can smell that treat.drop it...drop it.pretty please! double begging...oh yeah!here it comes...it was worth it & i'm not egg-xaggerating!

hounds in motion...

2008-03-15T20:15:00.009-04:00

what do i spy??...hmmmmm...motion on the dog bed! L. is on the move...last weekend we could barely move L. from her sunbeam...but tonight, not so!that hound is on fire!!could it possibly have something to do with mom's dangling dog treat??...yep, i'm quite sure it does...look at her go!she is not to be stopped...did she catch it?...stay tuned for part II of hounds in motion!

oh yeah, i almost forgot...mom said we are on blogging hiatus until after Easter. a blessed Easter from everyone here at dog blog!

the not-so-elusive L...

2008-03-09T20:59:00.006-04:00

L. claims to have been highly neglected on the blog of late. she has even threatened to remove the 's' in dogs from our domain name.

doesn't she need opposible thumbs to do that?? i'm not so sure that she could manage much of anything with those nails of hers...mom is waaaaaay behind on a good old fashioned nail clippin' & do you know why? update your memory here! but i digress...

today, in the warmth of the morning sunbeams, i decided to bow-wow to L. & give her a shout-out. i mean...look at her, laying pathetically in the background...that poor, poor neglected thing.hey, you! we're ready for your close-up!that's right...you!smile!what?? no smile?c'mon L. it's no use...she's under the influence of the sunbeam, folks!

phil on phriday

2008-03-07T15:05:00.004-05:00

how far will i go...

2008-03-02T15:05:00.006-05:00

...to get a little sun? oh, you have no idea! i'm certainly not going to let a little thing like drapery get in my way...no sir!what?mom, what do you want?wake me when it's spring!

did someone say "leap"??

2008-02-29T14:55:00.002-05:00

oh yes! i can do that! especially if there is a biscuit involved...happy leap day!

hibernating...

2008-02-20T17:58:00.007-05:00

i know dog blog has been very, very quiet lately...but this time it's not mom's fault...yawn...it's just that...yawn...the rug is so cozy & the fire is so warm...heck, even the steps are fine...for a winter hibernation...zzzzz.....

super dog!!

2008-02-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

hey.what's all this fuss about a super bowl?? so some guy can catch a football. big deal.i do that every single day. i have a quarterback-type throwing perfect long passes for me...i even catch some!but...no one is standing on the sidelines screaming their lungs out for me.no one is offering me big money commercial spots. what gives?wanna play some football??

talent

2008-01-25T19:58:00.000-05:00

i should know that when Little Man heads for the treat container, my "job" will be all the more interesting.he asked mom if he could dispense an afternoon surprise, & she said, "of course...& be sure to give the hounds one of the Christmas specials."oh, i'm all for specials! little did i know...if i thought balancing my daily biscuit on my nose was something, well...this was something else!! look at me, people...4 strips!!FOUR!!!on my nose! i'm good!oh, yeah...i'm very good!! & with the command "back" i was all over for those 4 strips...

phrequent phil photos...

2008-01-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

this is me, staring at the rain...this is me, giving my very best pity-look...this is me, giving my very best pity-look to the other person nearby, just to be sure it is noticed...this is me in hound heaven...getting my pity-look-success-ear-scratches!i love you, man!!

resolutions...

2008-01-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

what is a dog to do?? i thought i might jump on the new year bandwagon & do some of my own resolutionsbut mom was not impressed. maybe you can help me understand why...

i resolved:

to eat at least one biscuit during every waking hour (they're doggy 'health food,' right??)...to run the entire loop of my neighborhood-unleashed! at least 3 times each week (exercise is good, right??)...to empty the trash for mom every single day (pulling my weight around here with the chores, right??)...& to help out with every holiday clean-up for the whole year (special, seasonal help is good too, right??).

mom said no. to every single one. can you believe it???she was more into resolutions such as...no more barking at my reflection in the window.no sneaking up onto the new couch.& no more stealing things that do not belong to me for chewing

awwwww, c'mon mom, you take all the fun out of this new year thing! would somebody please toss me a biscuit!

a sad day...

2008-01-08T10:57:00.000-05:00

we're sorry to have to post this, but one of our dear friends has passed on...hedge we will miss you :-(

Happy Howl-idays!!!!

2007-12-25T16:58:00.000-05:00

instructions for a very merry holiday...

1. swipe the nearly empty peanut butter container from the trash while mom is filling the cookie tray. she will never notice2. lick furiously...as far as your tongue will go into the container...growl at everyone who comes near your new-found treasure3. give your best hang-dog face while the humans are exchanging gifts4. go so far as to rest your head pathetically on one of their presents5. this will result in many "oooohhhs" & "aaaahhhs" followed by someone giving you *your* gift!

(yes, that is green stuff in my hair...a side effect of the curious cookie decorating incident)

6. pose nicely wearing dumb faux reindeer ears for mom's nosy camera...remembering that she is keeper of treats...Merry Christmas from phil, L., & all our friends here at dog blog!!

when good parties go bad...

2007-12-22T23:42:00.000-05:00

oh yes. yesterday was a very good day around here...lots & lots of cookie dough flying around the kitchen. some of it even on the floor. i did my very best to keep things clean on the dog level. i think mom appreciates that.

cookies falling from the baking sheet? yep...i'm on that one too.

i thought that was the best...but i was wrong. mid afternoon things took an amazing turn...mom started rifling around in the biscuit bag. i was all ears. & eyes. & slobbery mouth. we had already done the morning biscuit thing, so this was an unexpected treat. i thought, perhaps, that my extensive kitchen floor clean-up warranted a holiday bonus, but i was wrong.

mom didn't even notice my intent biscuit stare.

it was L.'s birthday & the biscuit was hers. all hers. hmmm.

mom turned it over to Little Man who did some very odd things to it. first...he drilled a hole in it. now, this is a perfectly good waste of biscuit dust. then he stuck a fire stick into it. what????all the while L. is lounging by the fire on her favorite downstairs rug (the one that matches *me*) paying no mind to these escapades. Big Bro applied a party hat to her head & *that* certainly got her attention.hey! i'll wear one if it means an extra biscuit!!... but, no one seemed to notice my eagerness. do you think they recall the last time when i chewed mine to bits?

anyhoo...party hat + burning stick thingy in the biscuit = confused L.she was not amused.she was not impressed.(i, however, needed to be restrained in the background.) mom, for fear of burning down the house, prompted team boyworld to remove the fire stick & let L. in peace for her birthday biscuit.i must admit, i was harboring just a bit of biscuit envy at that moment.even a piece would do.sadly, i sent the wrong signals. a certain boy confused my interest in the biscuit for interest in the fire stick.in case you cannot read facial expressions very well, the above one says, "mom, please put the camera down & help me." at least they extinguished the flame.

at this point i thought all was lost & my humiliation factor at an all-time high. not really so. team boyworld turned their attentions back to the birthday girl who was quietly enjoying her post-biscuit lounge by the fire.in the mess of things one of them retrieved another party hat...not for me. no. this is where the tide turned back in my favor. 2 party hats + 2 boys itching for Christmas break = poor L. first they had to adjust her hat.can dogs laugh? i believe i did. in my opinion, this is a very good look for her. let's call it L.'s winter collection! if you like it, i am very sure you will be impressed with what L.'s design team did next...nice huh??you should have been here. L. stood stock-still. i do not believe a filet would have moved her from that place. this was oh-so-much better than a biscuit for me. well, not really. but it was good!happy birthday L.!!!

busted!!! (or...dog vs. boys)

2007-12-12T09:31:00.000-05:00

dear mom...

what ever possessed you to allow Little Man & Big Bro to purchase handcuffs?? did you not know it would come to this? L. & i are not amused. please post bail asap...preferrably in the form of biscuits. & while you are at it, please exercise your jurisdiction over this residence & hide the dad-blame handcuffs!

sincerely yours,

phil

ps. it is hard to blog while cuffed to L.!

dogs - 0 boys - 2 (at least until mom rescues us!)

'tis the season!

2007-12-06T11:54:00.001-05:00

this week mom said the hallowe'en/fall/thanksgiving thing was passed & so i figured any remnants of that season could be put to more practical use...say polishing my canines & whatnot.

apparently it was more like...WHAT?!?! NOT!!!!!

that is what mom said when she saw what i found...a left-over squash! her idea of "break it down & put it away" did not include chewing it to bits all over the carpet. but hey...it had the potential to last longer than a biscuit!

so, you might be asking yourself, what happened to ol' phil after he was caught gnawing the squash? well, let me tell you...

mom is big on the distraction game. i have what she does not want me to have. she procures something that i want even more, waves it in front of my face & i forget what i wanted in the first place. you follow??

usually it's food. but today she tried the season change bait-and-switch routine with me. it worked. for a minute. until i realized that some things are even more lame than gnawing on a squash.

think: faux reindeer antlers on a dog!

first, she sent Little Man in with these vibrant red jingle-bell-y things. i'm all ears! he starts waving them around in all their glorious redness. i forget the squash. (mom nabs it at that moment.) next thing i know, i am *wearing* this pathetic fashion statement from the dollar store. ok. i admit i like red. but on antlers?? on me??

and then she expects me to pose for photos??? i would rather a swift whack with a rolled newspaper, but no! i have to *pose* all nicey nice. hmphf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

in other dog news...L. is well! that's right...she's not only well, she's downright L-egant, primping & fixing her look for the season...

one sick puppy...

2007-11-30T19:35:00.001-05:00

poor, poor L. she did not have the best of weeks...most of the recent days she has been sick (too much stolen turkey, perhaps?)& all she has been doing is moping around.she won't even play the biscuit game. heck, she doesn't even want to go into the kitchen. now i feel badly that i have been blog-teasing her so much. mom says she is on the mend, but still... i guess i better be extra nice to her! get well, L.!!

does this rug make my bum look good...?

2007-11-27T09:27:00.000-05:00

oh L.

what a silly, silly girl you are.

mom & dad did not buy that rug as an accessory for your fur. it is merely soft on their human feet (remember that they do not have padding like we do).

we *know* that it matches your coloring perfectly, but really...you are taking this rug thing a bit too far!

(she will not get off that thing, people!)

how weird are we???

2007-11-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

well...

apparently, quite!

but...hear me out. when mom & dad were remodeling the kitchen, they absolutely did not explain this contraption to L. or me. if they had, i would have been more discerning. imagine my embarrassment when i found out this was kitchen cabinetry & not the very latest in doggy decor. to me it was so very simple...an enclosed space (for privacy) with a lot of leg room (heck, even room to share with L!), and with very easy, almost immediate access to the pantry door (biscuits right inside!). really, the only thing missing was a cushy dog pillow! (that should have been a clue, i guess.)

mom's hysterical laughter also should have alerted me to the fact that i was out in left field. she was laughing at us so hard that she had a hard time taking photos. (really, i could have done without photographic evidence, but...) shortly after this lazy moment in my new & short-lived kingdom, some contractor types installed things like interior shelves, counters, a cook top, & the dredded cabinet doors. i no longer fit in this delightful space (& i very much doubt mom would enjoy me lying among her pots & pans even if i could squeeze in)...but on the plus side...now that the cook top is functioning, many, many good things just seem to fall off that counter & into my slobbery mouth!

nap time!

2007-11-16T13:21:00.000-05:00

we'll take 'em any way we can!

& we're still in post-kennel recovery! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

post-kennel dog coma...

2007-11-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

right here. right now...

L....oh, L.!c'mon...give us a little smile...

oh. no.

2007-11-09T12:04:00.000-05:00

i just heard mom utter the "K" word.

no, not K-Bug...she's oK.

the *other* "K" word...the one all dogs dread...

kennel.

somebody help. please.

i like being on the open road with my slobbery mouth hanging out the window & the breeze blowing through my ears. i like visiting Mrs. T. (mom's soul sister) & her people. i like weather. why can't i goooooooooo???????

i'll even wear the goofy party hats again. i promise not to chew the party horn. i swear i will not fall prey to L.'s antics. i'll be a good boy. pretty, pretty please...

have you ever heard the expression "hang dog" look? well, mom said i have it. if that means i don't want to be left behind, that's it!! but mom's not budging on this. not one iota. so it's off to the kennel...i can't even *blog* from there. oh, the horror!! i do not want to go. did i already say that??

in case you are wondering...this is L.'s opinion of the kennel...

(wonder if they'll need a muzzle??!?!)

it's no use, people...i'm off, leashed & all.. food & bed & biscuits in tow ('cause i'm not eating *their* stuff)...see you next week!

Happy Howl-oween

2007-10-30T08:53:00.001-04:00

oh the things i do for my people.
one might ask why i do these humiliating things to please them. the answer is simple...opposable thumbs! if i had them & could open the biscuit closet myself, these fetes would abruptly end!

do i really want to balance a squash on my nose?

do i really want to wear people clothes?

do i really want to *do* hallowe'en?

please, i think you know the answers to these rhetorical questions! my idea of hallowe'en is so very simple...it involves a good bone, a comfy bed, & plenty of opportunties to bark incessantly at trick-or-treaters!

now, if you want to see something really scary...check this out!...

howl-oween antics...

2007-10-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

no, i absolutely did *not* spill that candy corn all over the floor.

no, i really didn't.

nope. not me.

but i would be happy to clean it up for you!

dog vs.....vet!

2007-10-14T02:09:00.000-04:00

wow! what a week this has been... we've had swimming in the bay during the warm spell followed by a very nice outdoor bath & sunning on the deck.mom always insists on a bath before the monthly flea/tick treatment. luckily she also insists on handing out that extra special tasty treat at the same time. she calls in heartworm prevention medicine, but L. & i call it very very delish. i tend to favor this time of the month for very obvious reasons, being that i am a water-loving breed of dog & a food loving type too.

but for L., this routine is not so fun.

she not only gets the dreaded-for-her bath (bassets don't usually like water & she is no exception)...and she gets her "special" ear treatment (you know, for looooong basset ears)...and because she is L.A.Z.Y....meaning moves only when she absolutely must & thus does not exercise enough to wear her nails down nicely, she also needs her monthly nail trimming.

sounds benign, right? all girls like a pedicure, don't they? ha! not L. you should see her freak out.completely. Little Man must practically hog tie her (not really, but close) & speak to her in mystical tones while massaging her like she is in a hollywood salon for the works. mom works furiously with that clipper thingy...lots of aim & miss with moments of actual clipping - the sound of which sends L. into spasms of hound fury. i just hang close by & try to catch the clippings in my mouth for fun (& mom & Little Man gag if i do - extra fun for me)...

but for poor L. this month was just a little bit different.

she had her usual stuff like me, but no nail trimming. the next day she found out why...the annual vet visit!

did L. know beforehand? i believe she did. when Little Man & mom were dragging her into the van, i detected an element of dread in her demeanor. lucky for me, i stayed behind & found a sunbeam for 2 quiet hours.
L. returned home with her tail firmly between her legs & Little Man in hysterics over her antics. oh i knew this experience had to have been ripe with juicy blog gossip! now, for those of you who have never been to the vet, let me recap my last visit...

smells. lots & lots of smells. i cannot sit still smells. other animals. lots of 'em. some growling, some barking, some howling, some hiding, some (heaven forbid) even in cages! then there are those nice people in scrubs that love to scratch my ears & sweet talk me. these folks take you to that mysterious room behind the door...ok so far.

then the real fun begins...poking, prodding, sample-taking, shots - all the while with lots of that sweet talking & ear scratching. i just go with it. it's only once a year. hey, mom says i've gotta do it & since she has the biscuits...

now with L. & her "temperament" the whole experience gets a little spicy. i know first hand. you see, mom used to take us together...talk about madness & chaos! i've seen L. refuse, people, *refuse* the nicey nice ear scratches. i've seen her bare her canines. i've heard her deep guttural growls. & this is all just at the scale! (do you think she's worried about her weight?)

the poking, the shots...the complimentary nail trim! the last time we went to the vet together, i was mortified when we returned to the waiting room...every single eye was trained on us, every face - canine & human - was wearing a countenance of pure dread. L.'s howling was that bad. one brave soul asked mom what had happened "in there" & mom nonchalantly replied, "oh, just a nail trim." eyes rolled, let me tell you! mouths whispered...& i know what they said..."drama queen!"

& now, i am guessing from all the people-talk that this most recent visit shows a serious etiquette breech, a steep decline in manners on L's part! you see, they had to *MUZZLE* her!! (oh, why didn't they send her home with that apparatus?) i overheard mom tell dad that the moment they set foot in the exam room, without even so much as a gesture, L. had her canines showing & the growl in full rumble. the assistant made one step & the growl became more insistent...should we muzzle her, the assistant asked. mom said oh yes, definitely, visions of blood & gore swimming in her head. bwhhaahahaha!!! wish i could have seen that! anyway, mom said L. continued to growl throughout the entire exam & found this ever so embarrassing...

you see, our vet is a neighbor & good friend of dad's. he's a nice guy. who wants to growl at a nice guy...save it for the burglar, i say! anyway, mom said he virtually ignored the growling baby, handled her like a pro, said he's seen much worse...making small talk while doing all the vet visit entails.

L. is now home, nicely recovered & on her cushy bed in the best nap mode.i am dreaming of her wearing the latest in basset fashion...that muzzle! i think i will somehow request we go back to same-time appointments, just to see the show!

dog - 0 vet - 1!!

serious biscuit action!

2007-10-07T14:01:00.000-04:00

puppy love...

2007-10-04T08:40:00.000-04:00

pity party...

2007-10-01T17:03:00.000-04:00

well, i don't know what you people have been telling my mom, but whatever it is, please keep doing it! she is being extra, extra nice to poor ol' me!

she threw some doggy bag fare in my general direction, trying to look inconspicuous, but i knew what she meant!

make-up birthday meat, i call it!
ok, well she did make me wear the dumb party hat...but hey, she did not scold me when i chewed that ridiculous party horn to shreds!

she even threw in a birthday bonus...she made L. & ms. maggie wear those corny hats AND pose for photos...

i was more than happy to pose just to see the 2 of them, total prisses that they are, look so goofy!...
what are you looking at?...i am NOT telling you my age!

& the pity-fest continued...for morning coffee on the deck, mom put the padding on the other lounge chair and, get this!...invited me aboard! me on cushy people digs!

ok, so i don't do coffee unless it spills & i don't read like mom in the morning, but i am sure i am as close to being people as ever!

finally...big props to Little Man...he was shopping with mom & biscuits were on the list. being the astute bargain shopper that mom taught him to be, he pulled a less expensive brand of biscuits off the store shelf. we think he may have fixed our serious biscuit issue with L. you see, the new biscuits are so dang delish that L. no longer *hides* them...oh, no...she now *eats* them. right away.

one might think that i will be missing the opportunity to swipe her lame-hidden fare. nah. i'm much more pleased to be avoiding the daily growl ritualthat had grown so very annoying. mom is quite pleased that her plants are no longer bone burial grounds too.

what brand of bones are we now enjoying, you ask?

ha ha...joke's on the primo labels out there... we just L.O.V.E. our Food Lion Large Dog Biscuits! so cheap. so tasty! so gone...if the pantry door is left open even a smidge! yummo!

life is soooo good...ain't it grand...

dog vs. dog!! i've got a bone to pick...

2007-09-19T17:03:00.000-04:00

...with L. this bone teasing saga has got to end. i was sleeping soundly on my sweet, second choice bed (the one in mom& dad's room - the one *lacking* memory foam, unlike mushu's new bed!). L. was...well, i don't really know, but she was giving me some space.

mom gave a bone call & we ran to the point verge...the kitchen pantry door! you know L.'s whole teasing story, so i won't bore you with the details of how this time usually goes. but, as ususal, i *ate* my bone. i ambled back to the lofty viewing area also known as mom & dad's room, giving my best "i would like to sun on the deck eyes." mom - who *gets* me - complied & used her opposible thumbs to open the deck door.

aaaaahhhhh...the sun & a full tummy. heavy. dog. sigh. peace at last - but not for long. in short order i hear the click-click-click of L.'s high hound fashion walk. a quick glance reveals her choice landing...the dog cushion with bone-in-mouth.

ok, so yet again, she is in the tease mode. i am torn.

i am outside.

the bone is in full view.

inside.

i want in!!!

mom sees my longing (but does she *know*??)...& she graciously opens the door. uh oh. first dog dilemma of the day...there is the deck door... & directly in front of it is the bed in all its length.

the path to anything leads by the bone. i must walk around the bed. i must walk within INCHES of the coveted bone. i must walk within INCHES of L. L. is instantly on high dog-stalker alert. the growling begins. the canines are bared...

i want OUT!!!

i want my BATHTUB!!!!

mom catches the drama & laughs...she laughs, people! where is the love?!?

so here i am stuck at the closed door with nowhere to go...i am not allowed on the precious people bed. L. will tear me limb-from-limb if i take one more step in her direction...what do i do????

mom, my best ally, is getting hysterical with laughter - she does know! this is not funny! over the bed?? (mom?) run by L., fast??(L.??) bed? L.? i'm dead...GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! BWAHHHAHAHA BWAHAHA!!!

finally i make my move...mom is so much nicer than L. & it's over the bed i go, tail between my labrador legs...

my oh my oh my! forget the milk bone, i just want to save my hide. besides, mom is laughing waaaaaaay too hard to be effective at anything, let alone scold poor me for a split second of time on people furniture! i'm safe. i'm outta here! not funny...mom.

phil - 0 L. - 1

ignored...forgotten...abandoned...

2007-09-16T10:07:00.000-04:00

oh, woe is me...

do you see the last date mom let me have some blog license?
i am feeling very rejected of late, slightly depressed even.

first we were invaded by a group of those college types & that hedgehog.

(ok, so they're pretty...but what about *ME*????)

then there was K-Bug's birthday.

my boys have been doing school all. the. time.

mom was writing papers. (she claims to be done, but is only until the next class begins.)

dad was working late & on call & tired when he got home.

all of them were chasing the weather channel crew around our beach.

Big Bro had before-the-crack-of-dawn drivers' ed.

what have i had???...

displaced attention with the hog in the house.

a forgotten birthday!!!!!!!!!!! it was on 9/11...send presents!

a messed up first-of-the-morning jaunt/feeding/biscuit schedule.

forgotten biscuits!!!

too much home-alone time.

no football tosses in the evenings.

they even left me on the dock while they went on the boat (even after i promised not to jump in the water while dad was full throttle!).

L. says all of this just means more time for naps...more time for extra cushy naps on things not for dogs...more time to stop & smell (& even *eat*) the flowers...

(yeah, her new nickname should be "basil breath"...you should see mom's plant, or should i say "stalk"!!!!)

though she is struggling with that biscuit/feeding schedule change, she did note that we have received some extra pity biscuits in this ordeal!

somebody please tell mom to get back to her usual routine...i've got things to say on this blog & a make-up birthday to celebrate!

sherlock bones

2007-09-05T20:32:00.000-04:00

L. is outta control. this dog biscuit hiding thing is unreal. i mean, why not just *eat* the biscuit!?!

and me, what do *i* do?? i put my nose to the ground & sniff those babies out whenever i can!!

with my keen detective skills i have uncovered some of the mystery of L. this week alone she has...

1. used mom's school books to cover a biscuit - now that's a lame hiding place! mom is forever at those things & so discovery was imminent.
2. stuck a biscuit in a slipper - some may lament the smell of feet, but hey, i'm a dog & that is not a barrier to me finding/eating that biscuit!

3. left a biscuit in the shower - a bit soggy possibly, but again, i will eat nearly anything in any state of being, solid or liquid, gas if i could!

4. laid for *hours* on *our* - i say OUR- dog bed with a biscuit beside her (growling if i came near). ok, here i must draw the line & come down on the side of ridiculous. what did L. gain by this activity? a sore throat? of course, i tried to get that thing frequently! sometimes i just went to the bed to catch a cushy nap. either way, she growled & wasted way. too. much. dog energy for a measely 1/2 milk bone.
5. stuffed one in the back of dad's recliner - ok this one is fraught with lots of complications. first there is the "no people furniture" rule that mom will bend only for the use of the chaise lounge. (we were very persuasive in that matter!) L. was obviously on the furniture. someone would obviously find the bone - think tailbone hitting milk bone! or....i would have to risk getting on people furniture for recon. what a dilemma! i sacrificed it for my peeps' tailbones & achieved the said bone of glory...mmmmm.

6. dug in mom's indoor plant (did you hear her yell when she found the soil mess?!?!). this has to be the cream of the stupid crop. like mom wouldn't see all that displaced dirt? like no one would notice the bone bulges in the soil? not to mention, L. rendered a perfectly perfect milk bone quite dirty! but as noted, i will still eat it - dirt & all!

biscuits: yum, any way you get it!

on guard...dog vs. squirrel

2007-08-28T13:00:00.000-04:00

do you see what i see??

not 1, but 2 squirrels!

we need another dog...L., quit hiding & help me!dang #$%*# glass!! one day that door will open & you will be MINE!!!...

dog - 0; squirrel - 2

(no squirrels were harmed in the making of this post, however one dog nose was slightly out of joint!)

dog vs. water hose

2007-08-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

mom & dad just got back from a mini vacation & boy, did i miss them! no one hands out the milk bones quite like mom. & no one can throw my football as far as dad can. it is so good to be back in action...but...

oh, no! that water thing is starting...i have got to rescue mom! every evening when we go out for our jaunt, it awakens & interupts our peace & quiet.

it's ok, mom! i'll save you from its icy blast...

you are mine, you dreaded water sprayer...

take that...

& that...!

not one drop of water will harm my peeps - i WILL contain the danger!...

umphhhhh! you think you got me...

well you're wrong...grrrrrrr....

i've got it, mom! you are safe once again...

WHEW!

chivalry is not dead...at least not in my backyard!

dog - 1; water hose - 0!!!!

Ms. Maggie...

2007-08-14T13:29:00.000-04:00

ehem. pardon me for a moment while i push the blog-hog Phil out of the way & take over for a post or two...we little dogs need some cyber-time too.

L. suggested that i growl my way into the scene, but i had a better idea. i just waited until my human sat down at the machine & then using my very best lap-dog techniques, i made my way to dog blog!

i like to talk about ME very much & when i saw phil's meme, i said to myself, "i simply must do that; all the cool dogs are doing it." so here goes...

1. What kind of dog are you? a Boston Terror, i mean Terrier

2. Are you a boy or a girl? i am a lady

3. How old are you? i am not telling - but i will say that tomorrow is my birthday!!!

4. Name one thing you received as a gift on your last birthday. toys, toys & more toys - i am sooooo spoiled!

5. Choose one word to best describe your physique. teensy

6. Share a quote. "If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . . suggest that he wear a tail." - Fran Lebowitz

7. Have you ever been stung by a bee? If so, where? most certainly not!

8. Who's your strangest family member? Kolbe, my hound brother

9. Who's your favorite family member? my human dad - keeper of food & leash

10. Do you make an effort to be environmentally friendly? only when the environment is friendly toward me

11. If you were given a blank canvas and water colours, what would you paint? pawprints

12. When is the best time for you to take a 20 minute nap? when ISN'T a good time?

13. Your hair? perfectly coiffed

14. What do you want to be in 10 years? in the White House

15. What you’re not good at? sharing...it's mine, ALL MINE!

16. What are you wearing? absolutely nothing!

17. What aren't you wearing? my stylin' summer collar (much too hot, dahling!)

18. Your mood? curious...i am snooping around phil & L.'s turf

19. Your kitchen? i have servants, so i'm not really sure...

20. What are you thinking about right now? how to get the big white dog to play with

21. Love? in love with myself!

22. Foreign languages? i understand Lab & some Basset, & am fluent in Beagle

back to school...

2007-08-10T08:36:00.000-04:00

...hog style! the boss lady (a.k.a. Baby Girl) told me i had to get a bath. i do *not* want to! please rescue me.am i clean enough yet?aaahhhh, that's better.safe, back inside my own crib. you think i'm coming outta here again?oh, for food i might stretch it a bit!clean & college-ready!!

dog vs. hog

2007-08-09T08:56:00.000-04:00

oh, no...here he comes again!!hedge is getting edgy - it's time to go back to college & that little spiked beast is cruising all over the joint. of course, he ususally aims for me! L. can't even stop him.she's afraid she might ruin her look if he gets too close. you know, a spike hanging off the nose of a basset isn't exactly high fashion (at least not this year). dear me, dad, did you hafta get him out??

you wanna cuddle? are you kidding me?!?!!

ok, ok, i give!i'm bringing in reinforcements!...Maggie the Boston Terrier (or Boston Terror, if you're a hedge hog!)Maggie is visiting from PA & technically the this tiny hound is our "aunt" - oh, please! are you confused yet? well, *she's* not afraid of Hedge!of course, they did put him back in his plastic roller dome. come here, you...i know you're in there...

dog - 1; hog - 2

(no hedgehogs were harmed in the production of this post.)

can we talk...?

2007-08-05T08:18:00.000-04:00

mom is always baking away

why won't she do me something homemade?

gosh, i even got L. into the beg-posture just for this! (how pathetic is that??!?)

beauty sleep?

2007-07-27T09:15:00.000-04:00

it might help.

just sayin'.

(caught on film & brought to you by the elusive L.)

hog blogging

2007-07-25T08:57:00.001-04:00

yeah, you heard that right...*hog* not dog.

you see the oldest girl, who happens to be a huge animal lover went away to college & in the process of packing, asked mom if she could take L. or me or both of us along with her. of course, mom said no - something about dorm room fines & frat party abuse, but whatever.

whew, that was a close one! i've already been to duck school & it ain't pretty - for me or the school. i like it right here, thank you very much.

well, the die-hard animal lover can't last 2 semesters without a non human mammal to care for & so we now have *him*...aka the "grand hog" or "Hedge"...around for summer break.he & i don't see eye to eye, for sure. first, he's short. way to short for sport! second, he's rude. oh, you heard that right. when i try to buddy up to him, all i get is a nose full o' spikes! OUCH!! and can he guard the house?? not a chance - he lives in a cage & the loudest thing out of his mouth is a puff of air. will he fetch? do tricks for treats? comfort the sick? no, no & no! what's the point?

the crazy peeps just go nuts when he is awake, saying riduculous things like "how cute" and "let me hold him." are they insane??!?! do they not see the *spikes*?

& now they have acquired a new "hog device"...a ball that allows that crazy lil' creature to run free through the entire house, & into me when i am sleeping comfortably on the floor.oh yeah, *now* he wants to play...safely ensconced in that plastic thing from which he can taunt me but i cannot reach him. hmph!!

all L. & i have to say is when does the fall semester start?

dog vs. peanut butter

2007-07-22T13:10:00.000-04:00

L. & i are bonafide kitchen hounds, to the core. you just never know what might fall on the floor or be thrown in your general direction in that magnificent room! no matter what peep is in the kitchen, one or both of us is sure to follow.

shhhhhh!

we have several tricks we employ to make our kitchen time more productive. the first is to be a "speed bump"! mom is forever ripping through her appliance triangle to create culinary delights for "them"...but what about us? oh, yeah. the speed bump sloooooows her down, trips her, sends food flying in *our* general direction (ie., the floor). hehe.

some days, she is in less of a hurry (less likely to trip 'n drop), and then the speed bump leads into our other trick - it turns her attention toward us...at which time we put on our best pity faces! L. sometimes even lowers herself to *my* standards and actually begs on her haunches! what a sight! mom says things like "oh, how cute you two are" and "see how much they love me - they just won't leave me alone."
uh huh. just drop some food lady. well, not really, but sometimes.

some days the pity face/beg routine is just soooooooooo very good that we get an extra biscuit or....gasp! *people food*!!

now with mom, it's usually a benign but very tasty treat like a sliver of the fat trimmed off some meat. but if Little Man is around, not so much. that kid has strings attached, if you know what i mean. and he doesn't limit his strings to humiliating trick requirements.

oh. no.

he goes for the jugular...his strings-for-treats make *us* look ridiculous while not raising the ire of mom. a safe bet here is peanut butter.
so good and so bad - all at the same time. a bad gift that keeps on giving, long past when you want it to stop giving...

notice L. she has a shorter memory than me on this one. one swipe of that brown goo on Little Man's finger & she is in her best "brown nose" posture. (is that a pun?)she is way too eager. me, i'm just hanging back, weighing my primal desires against the humiliation factor. and mom has the camera.

L., do you know just how hideous you look...begging and licking like a complete fool!

never mind that my own drool trail is puddling on the floor at the thought of one taste. just one taste. (i can quit anytime i want!)
not.
hammfmafmfmaflllff. amfhlllfhafafffhhahmf.
dog - 0, peanut butter - 1

our neighbor...

2007-07-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

...Mr. O.

abandoned on our street...taken in by some very kind peeps...friend of everyone in the 'hood...

mom says he does commands much better than L. & i, but she loves us better anyway!

don't worry, Mr. O., she loves you too!

ain't he sweet!

introductions

2007-07-13T10:42:00.000-04:00

ok, so L. still refuses to participate in the blogging fun. what, is she in the Witness Protection Program or something? my peeps say no, but i'm starting to wonder...

so if L. won't come to the blog, the blog will come to her. i will step up and tell her story! it's not like she's copyrighted it.

L. is a French femme fatale (or so she likes to think - ha! if i tell the story, i can edit the story!!) & by my game, an older woman. she came to our peeps a whole 2 1/2 years before me, so i do concede to her game of "i'm the alpha dog here"...most of the time!

L. came on the scene in '01, after the terrible loss of my big canine brother Bubba (he's a total legend around here, do NOT get them started) at a young age. mom took Bubba's medication stockpile back to the vet about 2 months after he was gone, & the vet asked if she had considered getting another dog. mom was caught off guard a bit, because the answer really was no, but she has a heart for all things unwanted, so she listened to the vet's story.

one of the other owners who brought her dogs to the vet had a daughter & grandson, owners of a young basset. they were searching for a home because the grandson had developed an allergy to dogs. mom also has a weak spot for basset hounds, so she took the gal's number and ran the story by dad. after a series of phone calls to this family, it was determined they would go & meet L., just to see...

the children went along --- BIG MISTAKE! that turned a look-see into a take-home!

now to hear L.'s side, she was none too happy about this new thing. she had been rescued by this gal from a miserable existence - outdoor pen & leash, no cushy beds, no table droppin's. Total L. h*ll, if you catch my drift. The gal & her boy took L. into a new dimension of people furniture & counter cruising. she was SPOILED! Rotten. sadly, in 6 short months the boy became increasingly ill and in her short 1.5 year life, L. was again on the move to a new home.

mom says it was like living with a dog that had had a lobotomy for the first 4 months! L. showed no emotion whatsoever. she didn't even respond to her name. sad. not like me, man, i moved right in to my cushy digs full on!!

eventually L. came out of her shell & started to be a normal hound. by the time i came on the scene, she had rightfully earned the title of "the Priss" - oh yeah, she sure is one! she does NOT like to get wet. if there is one solitary drop of rain falling from the sky, L. is back in the door so fast my fur flies. baths...don't even go there!

if mom turns her back on L. while she is in the yard doing her "thing" (you know what i mean), L. takes off on a scent (or pretends to). when mom calls her, she throws a sly look over her shoulder & continues on her merry way. Ooooo...you should hear what mom mutters under her breath as she chases L. around the neighborhood in her PJ's!!!!

if mom does the "catch it" thing - you know, holding food to drop into the mouth & we dogs are supposed to actually catch it - well, not L. she watches it fall, growls in my general direction, saunters over to it, noses it past me and my slobbering face, eats it in no less than 100 chews - all just to tease me!

if there is not enough "fluff" to the dog bed, she will parade around on top of it making all kinds of motions that look, quite frankly, ridiculous before she drops her precious backside down.

while i work (yes, work!) for my morning biscuit, L. just sits there -- and they actually hand the thing to her! (whaaaa??) oh, & if that's not humiliation enough, she then carries her biscuit over to me (happily chomping on mine), watches me eat it, lays hers down in front of me, & glares at me if i even dare to breathe! sometimes, when she looks away, i steal hers just for the heck of it!

oh, yes, that's our L.!

mom said she wanted a lazy basset hound...well, she got it!

sometimes i think the "L" really stands for "lazy"! but don't tell her i said that! wink, wink...

dog vs. camera

2007-07-12T10:03:00.000-04:00

If I don't look at her, she will go away...Oh no, here she comes again...

Can't you people see I'm *tired*???!?!

What, what??? Whatsamatter? Did L. give you the *look* & now you want me? C'mon it's too hot to blog...!

left behind...

2007-07-08T18:01:00.000-04:00

so today mom & L. & i hung out on the top deck. dad went out in the kayak WITHOUT ME! can you believe that? i knew mom had pity-biscuits in her pocket, so i put on my best pathetic face...

egads! even in my misery of being left behind i must still suffer the humiliation of the "bone on the nose...stay-stay-stay...catch it" thing.is there no mercy?! oh well, it's for food! (oh, & please don't say anything to mom about it only being 1/2 a milk bone on my nose...she did give me the other one for free...plus i stole L.'s! she didn't really want it anyway.)

L., as usual, was too good for this game...she stood off in the distance...waaaay too good for groveling...(mom does call her "the priss" sometimes!)

...back to sentry duty for me!

phil blogging - NOT

2007-07-06T09:39:00.000-04:00

this is the blog...

this is phil at my feet dreaming about the blog...

any questions?

introductions

2007-07-05T11:28:00.000-04:00

zzzzzzzz....

...well, i was comfortably napping, but since there is no peace when my peeps have the camera, i guess i will introduce my photogenic self. i am phil, the yellow lab. the above photo is me in my most natural state. notice my cushy dog bed - a very cool place indeed!

i am even kind enough to share it with my canine sister L. she is quite shy about expressing herself, so i am not sure when or if i will get her to post here, but she occasionally poses for photos...

L. was around before me (an older woman!) & she is quite sure that she is the alpha female in this house. (i'm sure my human mom thinks differently!) eh, i just let her go...whatever...i get more peace that way, but really - i could clobber her if i wanted to.

frankly i would rather chase a ball...or take a nap...or eat everything! L. is not all that bad - she is a terrific helper in my stalking of the birds & squirrels that frequent our deck - we are quite the canine pest control team!

my life started out in a most complex way...i was born on THE 9/11 to a family of very professional duck hunters. it was all business there. not my style, at all. i basically became a hired gun for some hunter-type. he didn't want to play one iota. it was all training, all the time. heck, he even sent me to some college-for-duck-dogs type place. i had more frequent flyer miles (literally!) than my current peeps. i was miserable! everyone thought i was sick, or possibly, gasp(!), slow. but really, i'm just a fun family guy. the hunter wanted me to fetch a duck; i wanted to roll in the grass. i'm not meant to climb the corporate ladder of duckdom. eventually, the hunter had had enough of my antics.

so after becoming a duckhunting school dropout, i found myself at one of those megapetwarehouse chains, up for adoption. it was mass chaos, i tell ya. every kind of bark & growl you could imagine. people everywhere. i was an oasis of calm in a sea of wacko dogs, sitting regally at the hunter's feet...waiting for? how would i know? oh, but soon i did! in walked a human mom-type with with her boy & girl - how very cool. they came straight to me (Whew!) & spoke to the hunter.

next thing i know i am on a short road trip, following the mom & her brood. at the end of the ride i was introduced to the dad & the other boy & girl - & L.

they loved me, gushed all over me. heck, they didn't even say a word when i dropped a bomb in their dining room! L. did a lot of sniffing you-know-where. she brought out her tugging rope. and she confidently displayed her dominance, just to be safe. and the location - water everywhere! very cool indeed!

i was so glad the hunter left me with these peeps. now my life is full of just what i wanted...good food (if it falls on the floor, it's mine), cushy spots to sleep,doggy snacks, chasing balls, & fun in the water!they even overlook my strangest habits - like licking the air when they use pan sprayor hiding in the bathtub when i'm afraid!oh, i still get a healthy dose of humiliation every morning when they perch a biscuit on my nose and make me sit still before i eat it, but occasionally the mom will just give me a freebie without all the fanfare.

yeah, i'm a happy guy! and i hope my stories make you happy too...see you around here again soon. thanks for stopping by! ...now go out there & chase a ball!!