Dogs Know What Real Love Is

They really do. I mean as humans we search and beg and wish for it and dogs, well, dogs just live it.

As I work at my computer, I can tell you exactly what the dogs will be doing.

Chief will have wedged himself into my lap somehow (given the fact my laptop is supposed to be the think on my lap).

Princess will be smushed up against my leg, partially under the pillow 'desk' that supports my laptop.

Molly will be on the dog bed next to me, just waiting for her chance to take me down a notch and be able to sleep on my pillow and, of course, Orlin will be curled up on his pile of blankets.

And Linus, well, he will be playing with his imaginary friend.

Each one of them is doing EXACTLY what they love.

Chief and Princess are absolutely certain true love comes in the form of full body contact. I can also feel them just absorbing and radiating that love as they sleep (because napping is also super far up the 'love' list).

Molly comes from a different school. For her, power is love. The more she can control the pack, the more loved she feels. As many of you know I was afraid for the move to the beach for her.

She was failing, looking old. But do you know what transformed her into nearly a puppy again? Barking at the other dogs on the beach. Power. It is the elixir that runs through her veins.

For Orlin, being near his girls (me and Molly), pointed out at the beach (the source of potential danger) and having his blankets 'just right,' is enough to make him practically purr.

Which leaves Linus, who I believe is love incarnate. Or maybe play incarnate. Which since he loves to play... #youseewhereIamgoing

Dogs don't just know what love is, they know how to soak it in and be content with it.

If that isn't the most awesome thing in the world, I don't know what is!

#dogsrule #catsarenttoobadeither :-)


Remember, Mommy has written a mystery novel about serial killers. Which might seem odd, but then remember Princess' obsession with them and it becomes a little more clear! :-)

You can watch the trailer, listen to the audio excerpt, and even read up to 50 pages before you buy! Follow the link here: http://bit.ly/b60jVe and here is a 50% off coupon as well! RH88E

Thanks so much and we will see you next week!

Orlin and I have a Signal

Even though I am a veterinarian, I still live in denial of how old Orlin is.

When people ask how old he is, I answer somewhere between 10, 11 or 12. Kind of like how I say I'm 29 (#ok #fine 39)

But he's not. First off I've had him for 13 years. And he was an ADULT. He could have been anywhere from 1-3 years old at the time I found him.

I don't even want to add those numbers on to 13 to come up with 14-6 yrs old.

Thank goodness he's in great shape. Deaf and cloudy eyes, but healthy.

But that old age is starting to creep in. He peeped on the bed the other day. He sometimes gets confused about what the routine is. He sleeps 23 hours a day.

I know he won't last forever.

So while my heart will break in two when he goes, I know, I just know, we will see each other again.

Because you see we've got a plan.

I figure if there is karma, Orlin is in about as good a stead as you could be.

He's been the best big brother a pack could ever have so he really should get his choice on what he comes back as.

After much debate, we have decided Orlin should come back as a medium-sized terrier.

He has always wanted to be a lap dog, but cramming 45 pounds into a lap has been awkward at best. But he wants to be big enough to protect everyone (that's just how he rolls). And he wants to be wire-haired so he can have great bed-head (again, how he rolls).

So about 6 months after he passes, I am going to start looking at the area shelters for him.

I know, I just know, it will be him, when that new dog gives me the 'signal.'

You see for all his life, Orlin has never just kissed me. He always looks into my eyes first, sniffs where he is going to kiss, then plants the most luscious kiss.

He doesn't lick, he kisses.

I have been called many things on the stream: "A weirdo," "Crazy," even "unprofessional" calling my license into question because I, you know, sit around and talk to my older dog about reincarnation (and having a sound plan for it).

But you know what? I don't care...at all.

Because I've been around enough to know that one day I will stop at a cage and Orlin will peer out through new eyes, sniff my cheek and plant a kiss.

And on that day, my heart will heal #again

Remember, Mommy has written a mystery novel about serial killers. Which might seem odd, but then remember Princess' obsession with them and it becomes a little more clear! :-)

You can watch the trailer, listen to the audio excerpt, and even read up to 50 pages before you buy! Follow the link here: http://bit.ly/b60jVe and here is a 50% off coupon as well! RH88E

Thanks so much and we will see you next week!

Life on the Beach...

Is great.

Well... except for the fact that my dogs aren't all that fond of the water. And they could really do without the whole 'sand' thing.

Did I mention what adventurers they are? I mean, what dogs don't like the beach?

Um, apparently mine.

Don't get me wrong, they are happy as clams (no pun intended :-). Because I mean, come on, right on the other side of the fence is a dog beach.

Dozens of dogs all day long, every day for the pack to get completely angry at and bark until Mommy stops them.

How awesome is that? And for Princess it is a cavalcade of serial killers, each one scared off my her ferocious bark (and of course, Chief's squeak).

So far we have only been able to take the 'Bigs' on an actual walk on the beach. Technically the "Littles" have been on a walk, but their tiny paws never actually hit the sand.

Both Princess and Chief just freeze and shiver if you try to make them walk on that evil, evil, shifting stuff Mommy calls 'just sand, you dorks."

So the "Littles" go for what we like to call a "carry."

Mommy has Chief inside her bra #duh and Auntie has Princess on her shoulder.

I am sure we are the talk of the neighborhood (and you know that's exactly what we were shooting for #not).

"Hey do you know those two weird women at the end of the lane that carry half their dogs down the beach and the other half run away from the water?"

Yep, that us. The pack that never quite fits in! #anywhere #anytime

Remember, Mommy has written a mystery novel about serial killers. Which might seem odd, but then remember Princess' obsession with them and it becomes a little more clear! :-)

You can watch the trailer, listen to the audio excerpt, and even read up to 50 pages before you buy! Follow the link here: http://bit.ly/b60jVe and here is a 50% off coupon as well! RH88E

Thanks so much and we will see you next week!

Top 50 Dog Tweet!!!!!!!!

No, wait. It was the #47the Best Dog Tweet!

That pretty much rocked our world. I mean, the pack knew they were awesome, but to get over 3,000 votes? Holy cow!

All kidding aside, I'm not sure what the dogs and I are going to do every 20 minutes! LOL

I mean, obviously they don't understand (well, at least Linus doesn't) the concept of the bigger win here, but what they saw was Mommy several times an hour stopping what she was doing and praising them, and stopping and petting them, and generally all of us having a grand time.

If we went up, there were shouts and cheers and lots of kisses. If we went down, there were consolatory snuggles and smooches.

And let me tell you, they worked it!. If I was a single MINUTE late, Chief would put his paw out of his pink fuzzy blanket Igloo and tap me. Princess would come over and set up near my hand, in anticipation of the vote.

The Bigs even made sure they were napping at the right angle to see screen and share in the fun (without, you know, Orlin having to get up or anything).

So I just wanted to take this time and officially thank EVERYONE who voted! And especially @francinemhaas for nominating us in the first place!

It not got us into the Top 50, but brought me and the pack closer together (and got my Roomie to Tweet, so ya!!!!!).

Since Mommy has to earn money for dog food, we are going to take a couple of months off the contest, but we are planning on rejoining in July!

A nice long summer month to break into that Top 25!!!

Again thanks for supporting Pups :-)

Humans Have It All Wrong...

That whole sleep for 8 hours then WORK for 16?

Crazy talk!!!

Look how much the pack gets done...
Keeps a bird-free air space around the entire property
Monitors and deters serial killers 24/7 (not a single one yet to get in)
Notices and barks at any dog on the beach
Gets Mommy to pet them whenever they want.

And all that work and they do it being awake 3 or at MAX 4 hours a day!

Talk about efficiency! What you are you humans doing anyway for those 12 hours a day?

Instead of Olympics with ppl runnning and skating and jumping, they should have nap-offs. Or cute-ness offs (many times won by a napper).

Think of how much simpler everyone's lives would be if you just flip-flopped those sleep to awake hours!

Ugh, this blog took a lot out of them... obviously.

#timeforanothernap #14hoursofsleepandcounting

My Dogs Are Pro-Union!

As long as that union is made up of trouble-makers!

Each and every day I am shocked at how much trouble my four little angels (Chief was watching as I wrote that otherwise I would have written 'devils') can get into!

And they are coordinated. I'm not sure if they actually mean to help each other out, but tag-teaming Mommy is an hourly event.

Want an example? I'll give you an example!

I go to take the dogs out for their potty break. Simple, right? #notsomuch

I've got Chief in my jacket, so you'd think he couldn't get into trouble, but usually he starts it.

He'll squirm or heaven forbid squeal (randomly if he doesn't like how he is tucked inside my shirt).

Of course I must attend to his every need so I take my eyes off the rest of the pack to find out what has inconvenienced Chief this time.

As if their watches were coordinated, Princess runs off into my Roomie's bedroom to chase a cat, Orlin heads for the bathroom trash, and Molly sprints down the hallway to check out the kitchen for tidbits on the floor.

There's much yelling, then cooing to Chief, then yelling at the rest of the pack, but NO ONE is coming back.

I head to get Princess before she annoys the cats (remember she's 5 pounds they are between 9 and 22lbs so she's no threat just a massive pain in their booty).

She comes running out with that, "What? I didn't do anything" look.

Next, to get Orlin out of the bathroom. Now he really is going deaf (and not surprisingly is the most deaf to the words "Orlin, Come!") so I have to physically touch him to get him to notice me.

The whole while I am stomping my foot, calling Molly, who hauls her booty around the corner before I can catch her in the act (she, of course, has that 'I was just making sure the kitchen was properly secured for the rest of animals safety' excuse going on)

Great, now we can head --

Princess snarks at Orlin (mainly for just breathing, you know her), I turn to address this new frackus and Molly somehow slips past me into the cat room to check the litter boxes!

"Molly!!!!!!!!!" a stomp. "Don't you make me come --"

Chief squirms. Princess notices a cat on the china cabinet and makes a sprint and Orlin gets confused and goes back in our room.

#Oy #yohyoh

And guess what? They need out again!

#willnevergetanythinelsedone!

The Short Con…

Ok, the other dogs were perturbed that I wrote a blog devoted to Molly’s badness and missed out on their incredible efforts to run my life.

So, here goes!

We will start with Chief, mainly because he keeps glaring at me and using his mind-control powers to have me always acknowledge him as my #1.

Oh, wait, that’s one of his badness..es!

You see, he doesn’t go for the long con (because quite frankly he doesn’t have to put that much energy into getting what he wants).

For most things, he just puts on what we like to call the ‘shivers.’ He wants picked up? He shivers. He wants dinner, shiver. He wants me to put down Princess and pet him… you guessed it ‘shivers.’

I mean how can you deny a 2 pound Chi with no body fat and flat haircoat when he is shivering to death? (no matter its 90 degrees)

And on the table scrap side? He knows I would never willing give him any food off my plate.

But every night he wiggles his way into my lap while I’m eating and just happens to catch any food that drops from my plate.

Molly’s long con? A bite every few weeks to months. His method? Sweet, sweet tidbits each and every night!

Now Princess, her badness is all about the angles. She works ‘em. What is the exact position that is equidistant between the two food bowls?

Princess will find it, then lay in wait for any dog to cross her path, then WHAM! She strikes like a cobra and growls like a lion.

She is also an opportunist. Mom looking the other way? Cat around the corner, KAPOW, she’s off like a cheetah. Then when you yell at her, she comes back…”What? I wasn’t doing anything bad (in my opinion)!”

Linus? Well, his badness is in the fact he simply can’t sit still. He’s more of a pinball wizard than a mastermind.

And Orlin? He has no plan, my angelic, boy. Oh, he does bad, but usually at the behest of the long con girl. Need a distraction? Orlin will provide! Need a hole dug? He’s your guy.

The only problem is, when you find him being bad and ask him why he did it, he’ll look to the one that put him up to it.

So he’s a great henchmen as long as you don’t mind being squealed on ☺

I’m sure there’s more badness in here somewhere (like Princess’s trick to hide under the covers right where the other dogs jump up so she can attack them), but that’s for another blog!

Wishing you less criminal dogs than mine!