The Pointe '07

Caana & I just returned from another sun & water fest in Pointe-au-Baril, Ontario. I was in the water about .02 seconds after we arrived. Ahhhhhhhhh, life in the north country...

We swam, climbed around on the sun-drenched rocks, ate blueberries plucked straight off the bushes, swam some more, hunted a veritable cornucopia of winged insects and one snake, cocked our heads at the loons and shook water all over the cottage...then started all over again.

This was our first trip up north without Jasper. It was sad not seeing his little face intently upturned towards the trees, searching for squirrels. But, you know, we're dogs and we live in the present...so we toasted his memory over our bucket of water and had a grand time in his honor.

Jasper 1998-2007

This past Thursday (4.26.07), at around 11pm, we lost the oldest member of our pack. He was his usual happy, go-lucky, squirrel-hunting self up until the last day when he lost his fight with mast cell cancer and chemo and his little lungs filled with fluid.

During his life, Jasper lived in Ohio, Colorado and Kentucky. He spent summers on the Georgian Bay in Canada. He was certified in Obedience and had more heart and gusto than some dogs twice his size. Jasper was ever-ready for a new adventure.

He was well-loved by all those who knew him and had a plethora of nicknames, including "the Dr. Seuss dog".

Happy trails, Jazz-man...we miss you.

Post-Training Crash

OK, so training yesterday was an absolute blast...crashing through brambles tracking up and down steep slopes...coupled with agility, obedience AND taking that protection decoy downtown with one of my signature leg-grabbing moves...well, it doesn't get much better than that, folks.

Mom always says she can tell just how much fun I had on Sunday by watching me in the office on Monday. It's decidedly a comatose-sleep-on-the-bed-under-the-desk day....meaning that yesterday rates in at five paws.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The Discriminating Palette

OK, so today I came into the office as usual. Suddenly, however, a strange urge took over. I, I...couldn't stop myself. I belly-flopped down to the floor and starting scooting under the desk...snuffling about in the dusty darkness. I knew it was under there somewhere...AHA!!

I have several of these strange black and red rubber-shaped things that the humans call "KONG". I've never really given them the time of day. Sure, my friends all dig them, but they've never done it for me. I've shoved them under all sorts of furniture, leaving them there to lurk in the dark crevices and get occasionally sucked up and uncovered by the vaccum cleaner hose.


Now, don't get me wrong...I've always loved-me some Orbee Ball (case-in-point...check out the picture)...the squishy earths-on-strings are downright delectable. I can nosh with glee on those, but the KONG? The KONG has never appealed to my discriminating palette. Until today, that is.

I drug that long-forgotten red rubber toy out from the depths of despair, behind the box of packing slips on the floor, and had at it. I threw it in the air with glee and chased it's funny bounce. I gnawed and gnawed on it and tried to pull the tiny rubber nub off of the small end while "So Happy Together" began to play in the background.

I do believe that my tastes are finally changing, folks. The KONG has now been reinstated. Forgotton, unloved toy - NO MORE!! I now have a new appreciation for this rubber curiousity...

Aquatic Rescue Dog Extraordinaire

Over the time I spent in Canada, I had many opportunities to practice the fine art of aquatic rescue. (I have NO earthly idea why the silly humans are always wanting to go jumping in the water, anyway.)

*Sigh* My work was never done. Each time one of these so-called acts of 'swimming' took place, I was there to devotedly plunge into unknown depths & splash right out to the victim.

Unfortunately it's sometimes easier to enter the water than it is to exit...uhm, a little help here??

Rat Poison & Jasper-Dogs Don't Mix...

Well, on the first full day of our Canadian Escapades, Jasper found some rat poison in the boathouse. We had no idea it was down there & to make matters worse, it was a Canadian holiday. After multiple phone calls all over the place on Mom's part, she was finally advised to give Jasper peroxide, to make him throw up (by her equine-vet cousin, who her brother got in touch with!) About 20 minutes after he ate it, Mom sucessfully got it back out of him...what a mess!!

The next day, they had to go into the vet's office for a shot of vitamin K. Evidently, the type of poison he ate can cause internal bleeding. Sheesh. Mom is VERY grateful to her brother & cousin for the quick advice...no doubt Jasper is still with us because of them.

We'll all be sticking to dog food from now on...

Fix 'em & Forget it....

Well, it has certainly been quite awhile since my last post. I've been out enjoying all that the summertime has to offer. Recently, I have had the opportunity to hone and perfect my fly-hunting skills, thanks to a recent office-intruder of the winged variety...

A few days ago my new license for '06 arrived in the mail. Along with it came a small certificate. Mom got really mad when she read it. Evidently our county has decided to send out $30 spay/neuter coupons along with the licenses for any animals that were registered as intact in 2006. What the HECK is up with this??? I have never been allowed to mate haphazardly. I have never contributed to the unwanted pet population. I am trained correctly and am completely under control at all times. I AM INTACT FOR A REASON, PEOPLE!!!! I very much resent the thought that just because 99% of the human population out there is not at all in control of their dogs & would just prefer to "fix 'em & forget it" rather than actually take responsibility for their animals, the Metro Government would decide to offer a discount price to make me a castrati. Actually, I'm shocked that the government would even include such a coupon...after all, they make 5 times as much profit off of the licensing fees for an intact animal, as they do for a fixed one.

The issue here is responsibility. If people were responsible, they wouldn't be allowing their animals to breed haphazardly. They would care for their pets & not drop them off at the shelter because they want to get married now & a pet is just "too much work". They would make sure that their animals got regular vet care. They wouldn't chain animals outside. They wouldn't pit-fight dogs. They would always make sure their pets had adequate food. The list goes on and on. It's because of people's own idiotic IRRESPONSIBILITY that animals suffer needlessly.

Taking the sex organs out of an animal only validates the laissez-faire, disposable, American mentality...Why take the time to train your dogs and get them under control?? Just fix 'em & forget it. (Never mind, of course, that altering a dog is major surgery & aborts the natural hormonal development of that dog...shhhh, don't say that.)

Grrrrrrrr...