October 31, 2013 by Stephanie

Happy Halloween! (And Grace Adoption Day)

Happy Halloween everyone!

This is the most excited I have been about Halloween in years. It was never a big thing growing up, besides waiting for the candy weeks later that my dad would get on sale from the Russell Stover outlet store.

Why am I excited now?

One: we got to dress up at work, which is really just an excuse for me to wear jeans today…

People were pointing at me all day saying, “I found Waldo!”

Two: the daycare at APSU comes around to the offices and does trick or treating during the day. Adorable. Plus our office gets really into decorating the office (for really anything) so we spent an afternoon ~~not working~~ jazzing up the office with Halloween stuff. Crafting at work what!

Three: since I have lived on campus for the last 10 years, I have never had real trick or treaters at my home as a grown up. I have been talking about passing out candy for months! I told Tom that we could go to a party only after we passed out candy. Seriously so excited for this event. We are supposed to have a terrible storm today, so they actually post-poned trick or treating until tomorrow night. Did you know they did that? We have a bowl ready if there are any troopers who do decide to come tonight. We may have gone a little overboard on the candy. We bought 6 giant bags since we know there are so many neighborhood kids. We didn’t want to be the “only two pieces per kid” people. And of course we picked out candy that we like just in case they don’t come.

This is two bags….

Four, it’s Happy Grace Adoption day! We got Grace exactly two years ago! Look how little she was! (Seriously Grace, you need to get this whole anxiety thing under control. We aren’t abandoning you..)

This was at the shelter the day we picked her up and the hour drive home.

Five, it’s an excuse to humiliate our dogs with costumes. Need I say more?

Oh the shame!

Recently, they have started literally making out like people. It is really sweet and weird at the same time.

The only way to get them to sit still for pictures is to bribe them.

They look more like jet packs or wings than buns, but they were cheap. And with these two rascals, we didn’t want to spend a whole lot of money on something that they could potentially ruin in seconds. They are still cute and fun to watch them react to them and each other.

I am linking up for Howl-o-ween at A day in A Joyful Life!

Anyone have any fun Halloween traditions to share? Do you dress your pets up?

October 14, 2013 by Stephanie

Doggy Etiquette

This weekend we saw a different side of Crosby. While on a walk, a loose dog came running up on us. Crosby was not having any of that. He “defended our [Grace and myself] honor.” Another dog had gotten loose and came rearing up on us ready to attack and tried to until Crosby had a say.

That experience along with many others I have had while on walks with my dogs prompted this list.These are just a few things I believe you should consider when interacting with dogs.

1. If you own a dog, know your dog’s temperament. You as the owner will know their personality the best, and with that how to control them.

2. If you see another person walking their dog(s) be aware of how the dogs are reacting to each other. If I notice that either mine or theirs are getting worked up, I either stop to give way for them to pass and keep my dogs’ attention locked on me (I bribe them with treats I have stashed in my sweet runner fanny pack), or I push my dogs to a run to get far enough out of sight. It is really obnoxious when people just gaffe at you as you are obviously struggling to hurry your two dogs along at the nagging of the stranger dog. In my effort to become a professional dog walker I have gotten tangled up in leashes trying to get my two dogs away from another dog whose owner seemed to be oblivious to the fact that their tiny dog was egging mine on. You are not helping with your stares or slow walking. Although, I am sure one of these days I am going to see myself on America’s Funniest Home videos trying to untangle myself after the dogs have spun me around and twisted the leashes around the three of us. So if you are trying to win AFV money by secretly recording me, carry on my friends, just let me in on that prize.

3. I think it is great when I see kids walking their dogs. It teaches them responsibility and how to take care of things. However, if the kid cannot control the dog when they are at their energy peak, they have no business being alone on a walk with the dog.

4. If you have a dog, you need to be ready to physically control your dog if they get aggressive. The owner of the dog who ran up on us the other night was afraid to control him in that state. This just allows the dog to continue the aggressive behavior without any consequences. Dogs are animals, and they need to know who is in control, otherwise they will be.

5. Do not bark at a dog that is not yours. You do not know how they are going to react. This is something that kids and drunk people should really stop doing. They think it is cool for some reason. I don’t come up screaming at you, why would you do it to my dog?

6. Do not come running up on my dog without asking. I don’t know how many times people have tried to touch my dogs without asking. Again, you do not know that dog, and you do not know how they will react to strangers. Case in point, Grace stiffens up like a statue and Crosby goes berserk with his licking/scratchy gurgling (his barking attempts). Same owners-very different reactions. So ask before you approach. Also something that kids and drunk people should learn to do.

7. If your dog goes poop in a yard that is not your own, PICK IT UP. Someone in our neighborhood leaves their dog poop all over our front yard. This is so rude in my opinion. Believe me, I hate picking up Crosby’s cyclone poop (he poops in rapid circles) that fills two poop bags, but I do it because as his owner it is my responsibility to get it out of their yard. You don’t leave your kid’s diapers in someone else’s living room do you?

So there you have it. A few of my tidbits on how to be more courteous with your dog interactions.

Do you have any words of wisdom for dog owners and dog interactors?

October 1, 2013 by Stephanie

There is dog hair EVERYWHERE

Literally.

There is dog hair everywhere.

Even in my foot.

You read that correctly.

I have gotten dog hair splinters several times.

Yes, I feel absolutely ridiculous saying that I get dog hair stuck in the heel of my foot.

This weekend I got one so bad that it was starting to bruise my foot.

It looked like Tom was doing surgery on my foot to get it out. He had a head lamp, tweezers, nail clippers, and a needle to dig that sucker out of my foot. That single piece of hair was half an inch. That little bugger.

Doing rudimentary surgery on your significant others foot is love.

Trusting your significant other with above items to dig out a dog hair is love. (Although he did live in a place without doctors for 6 months)

This is love.

These are the moments we see right before we go to sleep now. A beautiful embrace in their slumber.

I love them so much.

Even if it means I have a dirty house with the never ending layer of dog hair no matter how much we sweep and wipe things down.

Even if it means that we now have two full size comforters on the bed because only one means that Tom and I are never comfortable sleeping.

Even if it means on a regular basis I have a dog hair splinters.

Those rare moments seen here make me love them despite all that.

I am taking in these moments of love.

September 17, 2013 by Stephanie

Do they make nose strips for dogs?

A lot of people have been asking how Grace and Crosby are adjusting to each other. They are now inseparable best friends.

We have really lucked out that both dogs have been pretty easy. They seem to really like each other. We have had a few minor issues with Grace adjusting. She is a little jealous, but we can honestly say that she has been doing better when we are gone since she has a pal now. Thank the Lord there is hardly any poop vomit anymore to deal with. Her separation anxiety is really being subsided by Crosby! She is just having anxiety now when we are home…

This is Grace playing her version of catch. She just pounces and then leaves it there.

They keep each other occupied for the most part. They have had a few little fights, but only one time did we have to intervene because we thought it would go bad. Tom brought out a voice that surprised both of us and the dogs. Grace is kind of a diva and starts most of them, but that makes sense since she was here first.

I love when you can get shots like these two.

He is a pretty cool dog. He loves standing at this corner. He would lay there all day if we (and Grace) let him.

They do a really good job taking turns eating. It is really adorable. I am not exaggerating that they will literally take turns and line up behind one another to eat and take mouthfuls to the rugs so the other one can get their share.

They have started playing tag with each other in the back yard. Grace is faster than Crosby, but she never actually picks up the ball. So he gets it every time and then they will chase each other around as Crosby throws it up in the air like he is playing monkey in the middle with her. One of these days I will get a good video of it.

They even share toys well. They usually end up chewing on the toy together. There is a bone there if you look under Grace’s chin that they are both chewing.

Seriously, we have the best dogs.

I have underestimated how big Crosby is though. He has a good 15/20 pounds on Grace. Yesterday I was playing around with them. Crosby attempted to give me hug, and I wasn’t ready for it and accidentally fell into our curtains in the second bedroom…pulling them down off the wall. Then he just slathered me with kisses as I laid there laughing.

We have figured out the sleeping arrangements now so that has been better for all of us. Although the next couple nights will be glorious with a little extra room while Tom is at field training. Some times long distance has its plus sides. Usually, Tom and I end up with no blankets and on our respective edges while both dogs snuggle each other in the middle of the bed with scads of extra room for stretching. Or we will make an obstacle course for them to the bed so we can get to sleep before they do and have our own snuggle time. It has become a production to go to bed in our house. And we are getting used to the snore machine.

Every day is a new day with things we have to figure out. I would say that the transition is a success, and we couldn’t be more happy right now with our little family!

Grace is trying to show Crosby that she has all the power.

Tom is testing out all of his hunting gear, and the kids wanted to be involved.

They are so much fun, and I love moments like this that they are side by side…and still.

We will be traveling for the first time with them in a few weeks. That will be the true test of how the transition is going.

Hope to see you all back for the fall craft on Thursday!

September 3, 2013 by Stephanie

Talks with Tom #8

Well night one with the dynamic boxer duo was a trip.

This was our conversation when it was time to go to bed. To be honest, this was after Tom and I laid in bed hoping for the best for a half hour as they dive bombed into the bed over and over again.

Tom-It’s like two six year olds at their first sleepover. I am trying to tell them to go to bed, and then I find them with flashlights, giggling and playing connect the dots.

Me-Connect the dots, huh? Is that a big sleepover game?

Tom-I’m half asleep. Just tell people I said the game was Operation.

They did eventually settle down. Grace is a big instigator and just wants to play. Crosby is just like, “I will play but then give me some space lady.” Typical. Crosby finally laid asleep in the closet while we bear hugged Grace to sleep in the bed. Then Crosby kept us up because he is a HUGE snorter. He sounds like a pig, so every 5 minutes or so we would hear this loud grunting, and then we would start busting up laughing. REM cycle never happened…

They are having a blast with each other though, so day 2 is going well. We really lucked out with these two. They are just playing so well together, and they don’t fight over food or attention we give each of them. It’s like they were made for each other.

And good news…Grace is not scared of the yard anymore! Yesss!

Here are some shots from this afternoon.