Bad dogs!!

Well, well, well.....  It has been a long time!  Not because I haven't had crazy dog stories, but because life has been crazy!  I came home today and thought, "what better day to start blogging again?"
Generally, when I get home, there is wiggling, wagging and barking.  Today, I walked in and there was silence....  And a bag of yarn on the floor!  As I turned the corner, I saw a complete mess...  The house looked like it had been burglarized!

Denali has proven himself to be very smart!  He is able to open cabinets, the dishwasher, the oven and apparently, the pantry!  All three of them just looked at me, with their heads hung low...  I cam upstairs and turned the corner to find this.....

OMG!!!  The three guilty parties ran outside and stayed there whiled cleaned up.  All three are now sleeping off the hangover!  They are lucky they are cute!!!

FURRY SCURRY 2012

Please consider donating to this amazing organization, in memory of Bruno....  Thank you!

http://support.ddfl.org/site/TR/Events/Furry_Scurry?px=1005570&pg=personal&fr_id=1170

Farewell, Brunobear the Beagleman

15 years ago, when I met, Bruno, I never dreamed how such a little dog could change my life.  As the years passed, Bruno and I were inseparable....  He was my best friend and my rock.  He never judged, never lied, never hurt me.  He loved me, unconditionally, all the time.  Bruno helped me through everything from sadness to new jobs to moving to breakups....  you name it, he was there to lick my tears away and offer a happy wag.  He slept in bed with me every day for as long as I can remember.  He kept me warn and kept me happy!  Bruno used to respond to fire calls with me!  He would wait patiently in the truck until I returned from the call.  He locked me out of the car once he was so happy to see me!!  I had to call my Dad to come help.  Bruno dispatched with me, drove with me and walked with me.  He made my life so happy!

I knew that the day would come that my little best friend and I would have to say goodbye...  I had no idea it would so soon after Beau left us....  Bruno has been showing signs of aging over the last 6 months - losing his hearing,  limping, getting aggressive with the other dogs....  But he would still wag...  Until I came home from work early (0330) Sunday morning.  Bruno did not come to see me.  When I got into the bedroom, he looked up and no wag.  I picked him up and put him into the bed.  He looked sad, old and tired.  He was very restless and could not get comfortable.  His right front paw was turned inward, his gums were dark red, his heart beating fast, panting constantly and shaking.  I think Bruno had a stroke.  We slept for a little while and then he went to the kitchen.  He vomited all over the kitchen and just stood in one spot.  No movement, no spunk, just "Mom, I'm so tired"...

I sat on the floor and held him, as the tears flew down my checks onto his familiar coat.  We sat in silence together for what seemed like hours.  Christa came down and took one look at me and said, "Oh no, Mommy, it's time isn't it?"  Yes, it was.  I held my buddy a bit longer and snuggled.  I remembered everything he and I had been through and all the things he helped me survive.  I was not ready for this day.
I tried to feed him several different things and he didn't want anything...  Until the cheese dog!  He looked at me as if to say "Really, Mom?  Fine, I will eat it to make you happy".  He didn't want a girl scout cookie :(
So, off we went to the vet, on a Sunday, which was typical for Bruno...  We went into a very nice chapel like room, with leather couches for the people and a very plush, comfy bed for my buddy.  He knew, I knew and we just looked at each other.  It was a long, sad, happy, painful look that shared so much between us over 15 years...  He looked so very tired....
The vet came in and gave Bruno the shot.  He didn't flinch, he just looked at me with those gigantic eyes, as I held his head in my hands and pet his soft head for the last time.  Bruno went very peacefully...  I am sure he and Beau were playing immediately.  I, am not yet at peace with my best buddy going to heaven.  He is sorely missed and the house is not the same.  He no longer follows me everywhere or pushes open doors to check on me.  It is a very sad, lonely house, even with 3 other dogs.
I have said it before and will say it again - dogs are the true meaning of unconditional love...  Bruno loved me everyday for 15 years, no matter what I did, said or felt.  He loved me for me and I felt the same for him.  He was a stubborn, feisty little beagle with big eyes and a gigantic heart!  Enjoy heaven buddy, you deserve it!!!  I will miss you very much.  Tell Beau I said hi and send my love.  Thank you for everything my fabulous Brunobear the Beagleman - it has been a great ride!

Swimming

Denali had his first encounter with swimming on New Year's Eve!  He was very excited when we arrived because there were about 5 labs there!  Initially, he was more interested in chasing the labs around.  He got his feet wet on the ramp and then jumped out to chase another lab.  He had a life jacket and a very patient trainer with him.  I finally went to the opposite side of the pool, which is when he began to whine for me.  His trainer helped him across and he was very excited to see Mom!  He went in a little way each time, but never got completely in on his own.  When we left, I am not sure if Denali or I, was more wet!!
The next week, we went again.  Denali was so excited when we arrived and began whining, wiggling and jumping!  He got his vest put on and up the ramp, to the pool we went.  I went to the other side, and Denali came in with the trainer.  This time, once he was in - he swam on his own to me!  He was so excited!!  He swam back and went up the ramp.  He still wanted his Mom, so he ran around to the side of the pool and jumped in (who needs a ramp) and swam to me all by himself!! Good boy, Denali!  He's going be a great swimmer!

Meet and greet....

Louie and his new little buddy

Introducing a new dog to the pack is always interesting...  We brought Denali home and thought it would be best that we take him and his 2 new brothers and 1 new sister for a walk.  He waited outside sniffing his new outdoors.  Louie was the first the meet Denali.  He came running down the stairs at full speed from excitement to meet his new friend.  The sniffed and wiggled and sniffed some more!  That was the easy introduction.
Godiva and Bruno came down next, on leashes.  Bruno sniffed and walked away.  Godiva sniffed and looked at me as if to say, "Really??  Are you kidding me??"  We all went off n our walked.  Denali and Louie were fast friends.  It took about 10 minutes for everyone else to like each other, too!  Then we met my Dad's dog, Sunny.  She and Denali wiggled and that was it.  The 5 dogs and 6 people continued the walk and we all went into the house.  Everyone was getting along and then naps ensued!!

As of today, al  the dogs are getting along and loving the new pack dynamic!

Meet Denali!

It has been a long time since I have written....  Today, it is with a happy and full of puppy love heart that I introduce Denali!  About 3 months or so ago, I told Joe I wanted a puppy.  He thought I was kidding, then thought I was crazy.  I looked at all kinds of shelter websites, blogs, puppy pictures.  We even visited a shelter, which although made me cry, we did not find our forever puppy.  Then I came upon a site about Sheepadoodles.  They were cute, hypoallergenic and low shed.  Joe was sold.  We made and appointment to visit them.  We were in the car, ready to go see them and I changed my mind.  We didn't go.  It wasn't right.

About 2 months ago, I came upon JannieDoodles, a labradoodle breeder.  They had recently had a litter of labradoodles and they were cute!  I chatted with them and realized this was it!!  At three weeks old, Joe, Christa and I went to meet them.  There were 11 and they were ALL soooooo cute!  5 weeks to wait....  We were the 5th pick and we really wanted the one with the red collar "Mutley".  We arrived today at noon, still not knowing who we were going to get.  We walked in, and there he was!  Joe said, "Mutley's here"!!  We are so excited!  He's adorable!  Beau would have loved him....

another bread bandit

As I was walking downstairs into the kitchen, I heard someone jump on the counter.  I tiptoed down the rest of the way so I could sneak up on the culprit!  TAP...  I heard toenails - the same dog jumped down.  As I walked around the corner, I saw Godiva, sauntering and wagging, headed out the door with a loaf of gluten free bread in her mouth (which, by the way, is not the cheapest bread).  I looked at her and said "AHEM".  She looked a me, stopped wagging, continued walking and spit the loaf of bread at me on the way out.  She then went out to the yard like nothing ever happened.  THIEF!!!!!