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Smokin’ hot

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Outside, that is.

Then again, Dexter *is* pretty smokin’ hot too.

It’s so hot we have all become lazy slugs who do not wish to be active for the camera.

So we hired some stand-ins to be active for us.  Don’t say I never did anything for you!

Remember Skye, the puppy I fostered for a little bit last year?  He’s all growed up now, and clearly is no border collie!  What he is remains a mystery though.  He’s super tall … makes Dexter look like a shrimp!

He and his brother Duffy were kind enough to take me to the beach and recreate some of my favourite my-dogs scenarios so I could take photos, without my lazy ass dogs having to haul their  summer-corpses out of the comfy dog beds.

We had Big Air:

and we had harassing our sibling because they got the frisbee first:

and we had getting-air-so-nobody-else-could-have-the-frisbee:

and we also had posing for arty looking reflective shots:

It was so much like having my own dogs there I hardly noticed the difference, except that I didn’t have to pick up any poop, and neither Skye nor Duffy wanted to kill other dogs they met at the beach (ahem*TWooie*ahem)

I think Skye turned out pretty awesome, but I cannot for the life of me guess what his genetic make up is.

WHY weren’t we at the beach, exactly??

Because there’s too damn many of you, that’s why!!!  I can handle a pack of dogs like nobody’s business, but by doG, 7 is too many to take to the beach.  I gotta downsize before there’s no summer left!

So I listed the puppy Quinn, and surprisingly, he’s not generated too much interest yet.  Maybe it’s because he’s a shark face?

Or maybe it’s because he’s so ball obsessive.  I accidentally turned him into a dumbball monster.  He is so obsessed with the ball that yesterday he dug one out of the agility bag and spent the whole morning dropping it in front of the vacuum cleaner and then the steam mop, presumably hoping one of these machines would throw it for him.  I think that’s how he views me too … as a machine designed to throw toys for him.  He’s a super nice puppy, but he’s not got much personality.  I would so love to see him in a sport home that would turn that drive into a partnership of work/play.  I think he’s got oodles of potential!

I also (*sob*) listed my Springaling (*sob*).

Why?  Don’t you love me anymore?

Oh but I do!  I love her endlessly.  It makes me so sad to put her up for adoption.  But I’ve just got so many dogs already, I just can’t think of a good enough reason to keep a SIXTH dog.  Especially now that I’m going full time at the shelter (yay by the way!) and will have even less free time (otoh, more money for things like trial entry fees.  AGH!  Shut up, me!)   And she’s going to hate being rehomed too, she luffs The Food Lady something fierce.  Le sigh.  I don’t want to talk about it, it’s going to make me cry.

Food Lady, why you cry?  It’s not because of Spring at all, is it?  It’s because you can’t get any sleep at night, isn’t it?

Well, now that you mention it, TWEED.

In my house, Dexter, Quinn and Spring are crated for sleepy time.  Woo sleeps on my bed, whether I want him to or not (6 years ago he climbed up there, said “I ain’t movin’, beeyotch, so deal with it,” and there he has snoozed ever since), TWooie goes to sleep in his dog bed, but sneaks up on my bed after I am asleep (I may or may not have gotten him a little set of carpeted dog stairs to make that easier for him.  Just sayin’).  And Tweed and Piper sleep under my bed, where they argue.  ALL.  NIGHT. LONG.  They snark, growl and snap at one another for getting in each other’s personal space.  It’s a queen sized bed, and you’d think there’s be plenty of room for them both, but apparently not.

So this morning I spent some time rearranging furniture and busting out a couple new dog crates.  My house now resembles a kennel, but damn it all, I WILL get a full night’s sleep.  Tweed now has his own crate and as soon as Quinn gets adopted, Piper will too.

I did take some time out of my busy morning to photograph this ungodly huge egg for you though, mostly just to share my own horror.

On the left we have a “size small” egg, the kind my polish cross lays.  In the middle we have the regular sized “large” brown eggs from my sexalinks.  And on the right is a godawfully huge monster of an egg that makes me pucker just *thinking* about how that must have felt to lay!

You’re welcome.

Once the housekeeping was taken care of, the dogs and I took a stroll down the acreage and back.  And since I have recently been accused of being a terrible, no good, horrible cat owner who should be banned from adopting from all shelters anywhere, or whatever, I decided to take Mr. Orange with us.  Oh yes I did!

Mr. Orange, it turns out, thinks he is a dog, not a cat.  And he has a better recall than some of my dogs (*coughWOOTWOOcough*) do as well!  He has decided that he needs to accompany us on our daily constitutionals and immediately fell into line behind the rest of the pack, and came for a walk.

Spring was a little disappointed that he didn’t want to wrestle or play chase games though.

And then sometimes we had to stop and wait for him, because he is obese (for the record, he CAME THAT WAY and has not gained any weight since I accidentally acquired him.  Because if you recall, it was me or death and he apparently chose me, so I can’t be all that bad) and all that walking was hard work.

When we got about 3/4s of the way to the back of the property, he started complaining (again) and wanted us to go back.  He was panting almost as hard as the dogs were!

I did discover earlier in the week that the secret to making him shut up in the morning was to feed him BEFORE I left for the dog walk.  Amazingly simple solution, really, no cat therapists  involved. The taking-him-with-us thing is just for my own amusement, and also to get him to lose some lard.

He’s a pretty good walking companion.  And unlike SOME dogs I know, he doesn’t jump in the drainage ditch and then jump all over me.  *ahem*

But like I couldn’t forgive that super happy face!

You should adopt her!  Although if you try, I might kill you.  Just sayin’.

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Comments

  1. Yes you have quite the pack, and it is always hard to say goodbye to the dogs we love, but in the end its better for them and you. You gave them a chance when nobody else would, way to go!!!!

  2. Skye might be a husky mix then? Although to me he sort of looks like an oversized, furry Basenji with a straight tail (so not like a basenji at all… but something in the face has a primitive look to me).

  3. LOVE the Dex and tongue picture!!!
    Glad Mr. Orange is falling in with the pack. He will be trim in no time.

  5. She is going to find an awesome home. I haven’t even met her, and am going to cry when she moves on. She is such a cool dog. Wish she could be my agility dog, but I have my hands full with my girl, who’s about Spring’s age.

    *keeping fingers crossed for an agility or flyball home for her, she’ll be a rock star!!!*

  6. Sky looks like a lurcher of some kind. Greyhound and Border?

    I’m seeing Border in his face and attitude.

  8. Mr. Orange is clearly an overall happy cat – as a long standing cat owner myself, I declare you more than worthy.

    And I’m with Jenn – Skye’s another sorta-lurcher. I see Greyhound x BC, but probably not first gen cross. Reminds me a lot of so called “collie x lurchers” seen in the UK. He’s stunning!!

  10. So Mr. Parrot-Mouth’s name is now Quinn? If he were mine, he’d be Mighty Quinn, after the Dylan song. *wanders off whistling*
    As for Mr. Orange, our tabby, Sadie, used to walk with us at night as well. Kudos to Mr. O for going out in the heat!

  11. Skye reminds me of a lurcher or an Alaskan husky (which could mean Sibe plus hound [including sight-hound] plus BC plus… anything fast, sound and high-drive). In one sense, it doesn’t matter: Gorgeous, athletic dog. Seeing what great pictures you get of them is a reminder of what an outstanding photographer you are; it’s not like they’re all standing still and vogueing for you. No question you know your stuff, artistically and otherwise.

    And YAY on the full-time gig and OUCH on the super-ginormous egg!

  13. I vote that Skye is a Hanging Tree Cowdog, which is a mix of BC/Catahoula/Kelpie. He looks a lot like my Beep who is one. Beep is at least 22.5″ tall(never had to get an exact measurement in agility because he’s so tall) and weighs in a 50lbs. The Beep is very fast and athletic too. Here’s a couple pictures http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff74/sclmarm/Park%20Trips/Swimming%20and%20playing%20at%20the%20park/?action=view&current=100_2382.jpg
    http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff74/sclmarm/Park%20Trips/Swimming%20and%20playing%20at%20the%20park/?action=view&current=100_2426.jpg

  14. Dexter’s trying to hide behind that weed!
    Hey, if I die I wanna come back as your dog/cat/chicken/mouse/llama….
    : )

  15. That Skye is really an interesting looking dog, and so much more so in real life. We see him quite often at the farmers market in White Rock, and he attracts attention wherever he goes. Love the way his ears lean so far forward:)

  16. Oh, I used to have a cat who went on walks with us! Her name was Pal, and she showed up at my house and stayed for 12 years. Had a cat door that gave her access to the basement, came and went as she pleased, taught the dogs their places on day one, and generally was a lovely feline in all ways. (Spayed, so no offspring. As I said, lovely in all ways.) I miss her! These effing mice would never DARE to show their brainless little heads if Pal were still here!

    I dunno, I think you might have to keep Spring. Come on, I am adopting another senior Sheltie — named Irwin! — and that will give me six … you want to keep up with the Cinnamondog, you know you do …

  17. I want Quinn something fierce, but the rest of the family seems to think that two cats a fish and two great danes is enough for one home. :(

    Please Food Lady, don’t send away Spring-a-ling!

  18. I am so sorry you had to list Spring; I’ve had fosters that I’ve just adored and who broke my heart to let go, so I know how hard it is (I’ve also foster-failed twice! It’s a problem.)

    Out of curiosity, can I ask why you didn’t want either Spring or the puppy to play any flyball? I totally get not wanting the puppy to turn into a ball maniac (though when you first talked about what a ball fiend he was turning into, I actually thought flyball might be a nice productive way to channel his BALL!ness), but I didn’t know if there was a similar issue with Spring. I was half-thinking about applying for her myself, but we play some recreational flyball, and I totally respect your desire not to see her in a flyball home. I’m not questioning that decision AT ALL–I know you know them both better than we do, and I am really asking just for my own interest.

    Also, my two cats (who don’t get to go outside, since we live in a bad place for it) say you are the greatest cat owner ever, and they would like to go live with you please.

  19. “Out of curiosity, can I ask why you didn’t want either Spring or the puppy to play any flyball? I totally get not wanting the puppy to turn into a ball maniac (though when you first talked about what a ball fiend he was turning into, I actually thought flyball might be a nice productive way to channel his BALL!ness),”

    Yeah, see, I feel differently about his ball obsession … I don’t like it, because it feels really limiting for him. He already is the kind of dog that will travel around with the ball dropping it at random peoples’ feet, and I think encouraging his ball obsession will just make that worse. It’d just be MORE ball for him to think about, and I get the impression this dog wasn’t encouraged to be partners with his human very much, so he’s missed out on an important chunk of bonding / working with a person. I feel like flyball would just turn him further into a ball machine, and what he needs is something *thinking* for him to do, because he’s a bright dog who hasn’t been exploited at all, and it’s a shame to waste him on a pretty mindless sport. I don’t have anything against flyball, I used to play … I just think that for some dogs it brings out their worst obsessive qualities.

    “but I didn’t know if there was a similar issue with Spring”

    No Spring is the opposite. She is only mildly and fleetingly interested in fetch, and then only for a food reward. She gets very easily stressed out, and I think expectations for her in a high octane sport like flyball would be disastrous for her confidence (which I’ve worked quite hard to build). As soon as there is pressure on her to perform, she shuts down, which is why I also don’t think she’d make a very good top level agility dog. The fact is that people who play sports – me among them – have expectations of their dogs, and I can’t stand the thought of her being in a home where someone expected her to be something that she probably can’t be. She is a lovely little dog, but she is very sensitive and I don’t want to see her shut down because she can’t or won’t engage in the activity her human desperately wants her to excel at.

    Also, a room full of amped up barking dogs would be the worst thing ever for her impulse control issues, as Spring is not particularly easy going around other dogs, especially large groups of dogs. We’re working on it, but putting her in a flyball situation would set her WAY back.

    As an aside … CONNIE, YOU ARE AN ENABLER!! STOP THAT!!

  20. My puppy, Roo, is a Border Collie/Aussie/Kelpie… and he resembles the lanky, smooth coated, long leggedness of your friend Skye. Perhaps he’s a BC/Kelpie mix?

    PS: I vote that you keep Spring. She’s not *YOUR* dog, anyways. She’s TWooie’s pet ;)

  21. Love Mr. Orange! I’ve had a few cats decide they were a sort of superior dog and therefore part of the pack. Winnie-Wilma (husband and I have an ongoing debate about the name) is the latest – and walks out every morning at 6 am with the dogs to help feed the sheep and chickens.

  23. That makes total sense; thanks for explaining! I will do my best to stop looking at her and salivating. She really is a lovely little dog, and I am glad she’s got you to find the exact perfect home for her.

    I play some casual flyball with my little tripod pit mix, who is also not super toy driven (which is why I was thinking, “hmmm!” about Spring); however, my dog is fast as can be, really likes to run and seems to dig the room of barking dogs, so she definitely gets something out of the game even though she’s not quite as “OMG BALL!” as the other dogs. A dog who found those other things stressful…yeah, I could see that being a bad fit.

    I was thinking about flyball as maybe a good fit for Quinn because of the experience of one of my team members, who also has a ball-crazy puppy too; he found that flyball was pretty good for working through that, since he was able to teach his dog that in order to get the ball, she had to focus on working with him, thinking through problems, performing tasks…it wasn’t just perpetually available. Of course, you’d be able to replicate something similar by just using the ball as a training reward, and you’re right: flyball can also turn some dogs into hyperfocused ball nuts. So yes: totally understandable.

  25. ouch on that big egg – do you know which hen suffered to produce that monster?
    crates for tweed and piper and dexter, so that food lady can get some sound sleep, sound like a very good idea. working full time eliminates those occasional naps that make up for not enuf sleep. it will be sad to see spring and quinn move on to forever homes that are not at Casa de Food Lady, but they have grown and learned more about the world with you and your dogs, and they take those experiences and abilities with them. You know them well enough to help them find forever homes that fit, not just a new home that might or might not be the right home. thanks for sharing all of the dogs and the stories and the amazing pictures with us.

  26. Love the Mr. Orange bit! I had a big orange tabby named Chipper when I was a wee thing. He, too, believed he was a dog. He would trot out to the school bus to meet me (1/8th of a mile each way), and I can still see his tail up in the air as he did so. He played with various dogs through the years, including tag and hide-and-seek. So much fun!

  27. Oh, I would love Spring to go with my little Lurcher (cattle dog &maybe whippet), but sadly I live in California. So I would have to say keep her!

  28. Over my lifetime I have had a lot of cats who would come along on walks pretty frequently. They can be great companions, especially once they get fit.

  29. Okay, I have a solution: I’ll take Spring, and you take Irwin!

    I’m laughing myself silly picturing what your crew would make of a 10-year old Sheltie who is a napping champion. Piper would be aghast: ‘Food Lady, what’s *wrong* with this dog? Is this even a dog?!’ Dexter might think he’s a stuffed toy. Whoopsie! And poor Irwin would be completely bewildered by Woo/TWoo.

    You have such a pack of — er, originals there that it’s kind of a sign that Spring fits in so well. I’m just saying!

  30. Oh I am sad too! I don’t think continuing to add dogs is necessarily what one wants to do. But just from how you’ve pictured her in the blog she seems like that final puzzle piece.

    You know, you were haveing such a hard time a while back with the fostering. Thought the Universe was trying to tell you something. The Universe send you Spring. Seven dogs is just nuts. Maybe keeping Spring and not fostering? And have the chance to *just* have to worry about your crew?

    Just thinking out loud…

    I think Spring is just the sweetest thing ever. And the happiness on her face when she is interacting with the rest — well it breaks my heart to think of her moving!

  31. Food Lady, I hope that someone who lives close to you adopts Spring, so you can still hang out together on occasion. Because she clearly really likes your family (even though I get why living with six permanent doggies while occasionally fostering would be daunting).

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