Theo Plays Fetch

I know I've said it before, but Theo is just obsessed with playing fetch right now. When he's not chilling in the office after a nice session of ripping the fur out of his tribble (see all those brown bits behind him?)...


...or chilling on the new hardwood floors while Husband and I are cleaning up...


...he wants to play fetch...


...and more fetch...all the time fetch...


I could go on, but instead I'll just say that I may have a new favorite picture of Theo.

Check out my flickr for more photos.

I Love Reading (King Corgi Style)

Check out my non-dog blog for the full scoop on the awesome gocco cards I got in the mail from Ivy yesterday. The most anticipated of which was of course the latest in the "Real Corgis speak Welsh" line!

This one is "I love reading", which features a scholarly King Corgi on a university-like crest. The Welsh is in the place the Latin would normally go. It came out really great and I can't wait to see what's next in this line.

Thank you so much for the gocco cards, Ivy. Are you sure I can't repay you with a bookmark?

;D

In Which I Organize Things

The Corgi meetup group in my city meets once a month. Most times there are a lot of people, and even more dogs. Sometimes it's far away or I'm just busy that day. Overall I've been to about half the meetups since we got Theo, and of the ones we went to, only a couple I'd say Theo actually had a lot of fun at.

One of the members of the group who lives in a different part of the county often organizes walks in his area, around lakes and other scenic areas, and he invites all the other Corgi meetup members to join him. They're pretty popular I believe, but I've never been willing to trek all the way to his area. Last week one of the members finally said on the message board what I had been thinking all along. His walks are too far for her to drive out, so why don't we have one for people closer to her area? Well she lives near me so it got me thinking: why don't we?

I was in a rare state at the time...so even though I have a big weekend ahead of me involving lots of eating, and even though I hate planning things, I decided to go crazy and try and organize my own walk! Guess where? That's right, those lovely walking trails right by my house! Remember this?

Yay! It's finally cooled down enough that I feel comfortable taking Theo there again.

I'll *hopefully* be meeting a couple people with their Corgis (and non-Corgi dogs) this Saturday morning. And also, because I was afraid people would flake, Mouth and his 3 dogs will also be joining us.

I'm very excited, and if all goes well it might be something I organize regularly. At the very least I should finally have some new pictures of Theo out and about to post.

My Theo The Baby

I hate to say it, but Theo is one big drama queen baby. He squeals like a piggy and squirms like a worm at the silliest things.

Last night I trimmed the fur around his paws for the first time. I never saw the point before, but when I heard that it helps keep his paws clean, and after the incident with his growth, I decided it would be a good thing to do from now on. So I got some scissors, put him in my lap, gave him some treats to calm him down, and snipped away. Now mind you I was extremely careful not to cut his pads, so I left a fair amount of fur that I could have snipped away. Well he freaked. All out freaked. He was screaming, squealing, squirming, you name it. He acted like I was killing him when all I did was snip some fur. What a baby!

Is there something about paw fur anatomy I'm missing here?

Poll Time: Sleeping

I've been thinking a lot about sleep lately. Actually, I think about sleeping myself all the time, but I mean I've been thinking about where Theo sleeps and how it affects how we interact. Theo sleeps alone in his crate outside our bedroom door. This was Husband's one stipulation about getting a dog: s/he wouldn't be allowed in the bedroom because of his allergies. A small sacrifice for such a wonderful gift. Anyway, his crate is right outside our door so he can still see us and feel our presence when he's in his crate at night. I think that made a huge difference in getting Theo used to sleeping alone. When I put him in his crate at night as long as I'm in the bedroom he'll go right to sleep. If I forget something and have to leave the room he pops up and eagerly waits for me to come back. If I'm gone too long he feels abandoned and starts to cry until I come back. He's so needy sometimes it's adorable. So that's where Theo sleeps.

I was at the dog park last weekend and there was an adorable pug named Nestle who jumped right in my lap and gave me lots and lots of kisses. Her owner remarked that it's not so cute when she does it in the morning and wakes her up. That really got me thinking about the sleeping habits of dogs and how they affect their relationship with humans. I don't think Theo would ever be the type of dog to jump in my lap and lick my face, but would he be more affectionate if he slept in my bed with me? Does is independent personality come from sleeping alone? It's interesting to think about.

So interesting, in fact, that I decided to do another poll. Check out the column to the right. If you want to participate let me know where your dog sleeps, then leave me a comment letting me know what type of personality your dog has and whether you think where s/he sleeps has an impact on this.

How Many Treats To Change A Light Bulb

I've seen this many many times through email and other blogs, but I think I'll go ahead and post it because I think it's cute...

How many dogs and cats does it take to change a light bulb?

Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a burned out bulb?

Border Collie: Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.

Chihuahua: We don’t need no stinking light bulb.

Dachshund: You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!

Rottweiler: Make me!

Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Please, please, please!

German Shepherd: I’ll change it as soon as I’ve led these people from the dark, checked to make sure I haven’t missed any, and made just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

Jack Russell Terrier: I’ll just pop it in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture.

Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I’m sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!

Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

Greyhound: It isn’t moving. Who cares?

Australian Shepherd: First, I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…

Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

Corgi: Sure, problem. I’ll need a ladder. And a treat. Now hand me the bulb. And a treat. Take this burnt out one. Gimme a treat. And we’re done. I need a treat. And while you put away the ladder and throw out the old bulb, I’ll hoover the carpet looking for any crumbs I may have dropped. Look how clean this rug is. Gimme another treat.

Boston terrier: You want me to do what? Change what light buld? That light bulb? Does it squeak? Are you sure? And your certain it’s that light bulb you what changed?

Hound Dog: If you slept all night and most of the day like a sane person you would not need that stupid light.

…

How many cats does it take to change a light bulb?

Cats do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is: “How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?”

Hehe. The Corgi one is so true! Theo is not just treat driven...he's treat obsessed. When I dangle a treat in front of his face, no matter what he's doing, I have his complete attention. His eyes go all googly and he just has to have it. It's nice to always have a way of making him obedient, but it's annoying that he sometimes will only be obedient if he sees a treat. lol.

The Vet Recognizes Theo

It's official. Theo is sick way too much. I broke down and took him to the vet this morning and she recognized him as the puffy faced dog from a couple weeks ago. Ack!

As you can probably guess, I took him to get his foot checked out. The bump was getting better, but not fast enough and there was a little bit of clear puss that was coming out when I squeezed it, not to mention it was still bothering Theo. It wasn't anything to really be alarmed about, but I'm glad I took him in. I was paranoid that there was a stinger or something stuck in there that was going to eventually fester. There wasn't, but the vet said that infections, even minor ones, on a dog's pads should be taken seriously. Apparently they don't get as much blood flow to their pads, so things are slow to heal, and if the infection spreads to the pads themselves it can get very serious. So she prescribed him an antibiotic to kill the infection quickly, just to be safe. Interesting stuff, eh?

Hopefully by the end of the weekend this little problem will be fully cleared up. And hopefully Theo won't need to go back to the vet until March for his next immunization!

PS: Have you noticed the new "followers" feature in Blogger? You can now follow blogs, basically like Google Reader (it links to Reader and you can import your list), and add a gadget to your blog to track who is following you. Check out the panel to the right to follow my blog! I don't want it to read zero for too long. :(

Officer Theodore

If you watch Theo play with other dogs you pretty much get the sense that he's like the bossy kid on the playground who tries to tell all the other kids what to do. One on one he plays normally, but when there's a group playing together he usually circles around the outside of the crowd and barks a lot. I know it's just his herding nature coming out, but I like to say he's policing them.

So when I saw this costume on the Petco website, it was love at first sight.

Say hello to Theo's Halloween costume! At least, this is the one I would like if they have it. I am so excited for Theo's first Halloween! I wish it were October already!

Update: After I posted this I had discussions with my friend Scot and my sister about this outfit and they both agreed that were this a human costume, it would look like something a stripper would wear. After a couple of hours, I came back to the picture and the first thing I thought of was...stripper! Arg! Apparently for Halloween Theo is going to be a slut*.

* That's not to say all strippers are sluts. Hey some girls just like dancing and lots of easy money. But that's the connotation that comes with wearing a vinyl police uniform.

Update On New Product: Antler Chews

First off, let me just say that when I was raving about antler chews last month I totally forget to give credit to Amanda and her Pugs Blog for introducing me to the product in the first place! So thanks Amanda for introducing me to this new wonder product!

Second, I just wanted to let you know that after having tried out the chew for a few weeks now I can safely say these things really are a wonder. Theo has already worn his chew down to almost a nub! A few more scrapes and into the trash it goes (I don't want him choking on a big piece)! I've already ordered 3 more. They were out of stock on the medium and I couldn't wait until they got more in, so I decided to go for the large. I'm confident that even if they're a bit big for him, he'll still hunker down and chew 'em like a pro.

Once Theo got to the marrow, I think that's when he really discovered his love for the chews. At first he was a casual chewer, usually preferring his Nylabone. But after he got to the marrow the Nylabone went out the window! I think I've seen him chew on it once or twice in the last 3 weeks. I'd say on the priority list, the Nylabone is at the bottom. I'm not sure whether the antler or a bully stick would win for the top spot...probably the bully stick because it smells enticing.

If I were giving an antler chew for the first time, now that I know how Theo reacted to it, I might have tried to encourage him to chew it more in the beginning, maybe by spreading a little peanut butter or something yummy on it, just until he got to the marrow and discovered its deliciousness.

If anyone has already or decides to try this product I hope you'll post a comment and let me know what you think.

Video Of The Week 22: For Nerds

Go check out The Food Bowl for a really interesting video they posted on how dogs drink. I know, I know. Who cares? Well that's how I felt until I watched it and saw the slow motion of a dog drinking water and it was so neat! Did you know they curl their tongue backwards to form a kind of dipper? It'll leave you staring at your dog the next time s/he takes a drink of water. Hehe.

Apple Of My Eye

When I was little I was one of those kids that always got sick at the worst times. My Aunt would always complain that I got sick whenever my mom would leave me with her (which was true, but it wasn't always my fault). I got the chicken pox on our trip to England when I was six. That sort of thing.

So I guess it's just me getting a taste of my own medicine to say that Theo is always sick! Not sick per se, but there's always something wrong with him. First it was that throwing up/runs incident. Then it was the runs again. Then it was throwing up. Then it was eye goop. Then it was face puffing. The latest thing has been limping. I know, serious stuff. Over the weekend I noticed that when I exercised him a lot (like playing fetch at the dog park, for example), he would start to limp on his front foot. I figured the front foot is better than the back feet because at least it's not an issue with his hips (which is a huge concern for Corgi owners!). But I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. I tried gently rotating his legs and elbows, but he took it in stride. I tried massaging his shoulders a bit, but I think he would have liked that either way. In the mornings he was fine again so I've just been watching him like a hawk, figuring he stepped on some uneven ground wrong or something.

I also noticed that he's been hesitant on our walks the last day or two. He's doing the whole foot planting thing he did when I first got him. This morning I couldn't get him to walk at all. Every 20 feet he would plant feed, lay down, and refuse to move. Since there was obviously something wrong I didn't push him and we turned around and went back home. I finally figured out what I think has been bothering him.

I don't even know how to describe it. A callus? A blister? It's a small growth on the side of his pad, under the fur, on one of his middle toes. It's hard, but it's definitely a growth. It doesn't seem to cause him pain because he didn't cry out when I inspected it, but it obviously causes him discomfort because of the limping and refusal to walk and the fact that he kept trying to pull his foot away from me when I was looking at it. We have puppy class tonight so I'll try asking the trainer if she knows what it is. So far I'm guessing it's something not serious that just needs to heal.

Anyone seen anything like this before?

Update: My trainer thinks it's just something that got caught in his paw that irritated it. Today it looks more like an owwie than a growth. I've been cleaning it and putting Neosporin on it in the hopes that it'll go away soon. If it's not improved by tomorrow morning I'll call the vet.

We had some words this morning (read: he bared his teeth and snarled at me (but of course didn't even think about biting because he's as gentle as a kitten (where does that expression come from? Kittens aren't very gentle))) while I was trying to clean out his owwie. He was freaking out over the hydrogen peroxide I was trying to pour on it, even though I don't think it was hurting him because it was already basically clean. It didn't fizz or anything. So I got really annoyed at him because he was being such a bratty baby and I wasn't even hurting him. Ugh.

The Bench Warmer

Now that I've got some caffeine in me I'm feeling a little better, and I remembered an experience at the dog park yesterday I wanted to share.

But first off just let me lament the combination of sweltering heat (I'm supposed to be living in a desert here!) with the days getting shorter. With the weather as it is it doesn't cool off enough to take Theo out to the dog park until at least 6pm. There's no point in going sooner because none of the dogs will play when it's too hot. They just sit in the shade and pant. It's boring. With the days getting shorter it starts to get pretty dark by 7:30. As you can see that doesn't leave much of a window, so I'm amazed I was able to work out taking him twice this weekend.

Ok, so we were at the dog park yesterday. Theo usually stays close to me, but still run and play with the dogs nearby, but yesterday he was apparently super needy. He kept jumping up on the bench and laying down next to me! I was amazed! As I've said in the past, I must be within eyesight of Theo at all times, but being within arms length is a no-no. If I sit next to him, he'll get up and move 2 feet away and lay back down. So for him to jump up and sit right next to me was a pleasant surprise, but very strange. It wasn't hot, he wasn't tired. I just can't explain it!

Great Weekend, Bad Monday

I had a really great time with Theo this weekend. He was snuggly and sweet and never gave much of a fuss. He let me sleep in until 9am both days! He didn't pull on our walks and he wasn't too adamant that I play fetch with him every waking moment of the day. He was playful but also calm. It was heaven.

This morning he woke up at 4:40, wide awake and ready to play the day away. He was so enthusiastic on our walk that he tried to pull the whole way. He was pouting when I wouldn't pay attention to him. *sigh* It was nice while it lasted.

When Theo has those great moments I always hope its his adulthood peaking through and when he's being a poop face it's just him being a puppy.

Food Is A Tricky Question

Someone who just got their Corgi puppy last week asked me how much she should feed him. It reminded me that I haven't talked about food a whole lot on this blog even though I meant to. Part of the reason is that food is a tricky subject. Every dog is different, just like people. Just like there are people who can eat chili cheese fries all day and still be a twig (damn them!), I'm sure there are dogs that can eat a lot of kibble and still keep their girlish figure.

First off you have to decide how often to feed them. Some people do once, some people twice, and some even more. I would say it depends on how old your dog is. When we first got Theo he was a young pup with a raging metabolism, so we fed him 3 times a day. Actually, I only just recently reduced him down to 2 meals a day. I don't think I'll ever feed him just once a day. How would you like to be fed once a day? I think it's better to spread it out into a morning and evening meal.

How much to feed your dog obviously depends on what you're feeding your dog. I've read that if you use high end kibbles you actually have to feed your dog less because their more nutrient rich. I don't know if that's true, but generally if I eat a chicken salad vs. junk food I don't get fuller any faster on the salad. If anything food with fillers make me feel full longer. I would just use the bag as a guideline for how much to feed. I say guideline because I've heard from more sources than I can count that dog food companies suggest too much food per meal (more kibble fed = more money for them). So try feeding a little less and see how that goes. I myself feed Theo a combination of a natural diet with a high end, high protein kibble mixed in. So obviously it's harder to determine what's the right amount to feed.

An important thing to keep in mind is the age of the dog you're feeding. When we first got Theo he was eating maybe a cup a day. That quickly changed as he got older and at one point he was probably up to ~2 1/2 cups a day. Now that he's older his metabolism is obviously slowing down so I've actually been feeding him less than I did 2 months ago. Interesting how that works! When I asked Bailey the Beagle's owner how much food she gets, she said a cup a day. Bailey is 5. She's also smaller than Theo so I'll never feed him that little. Right now I feed Theo about 1 1/2 cups per day. The point is that there's never any one answer for how much to feed a dog (which is probably why I never found good information on it). You have to look at your dog, their weight, their habits, their age, and judge accordingly.

Don't worry, your dog won't roll over and die if he's one pound overweight. There's a trick to see if your over or under feeding your dog. Feel your dog's ribs. Can you feel them? If you can't feel ribs put little Fido on a diet, he's a fatty! Look at what kind of food you're feeding and how much. If you're still feeding puppy food, it's probably time to switch to adult. If you feed 3 cups a day, try reducing to 2 1/2 cups. I know it's hard to change your dog's eating habits, but if you stick with it, it quickly becomes the norm.

If you can feel ribs, great! Can you count them? As in, if you move your hand over your dogs ribs can you distinguish each rib bone well enough to count them. If the answer is yes, give Fido a snack! He's too skinny! That's the happy medium you want. You want to be able to feel your dog's ribs but not count them. Hey, I can still feel my ribs, does that mean I'm not fat!? Hehe. Again, that's just a guideline. I can still feel Theo's ribs, but to me he still looks a little tubby sometimes, so I've been really watching what I feed him. But at the same time I think it's just him getting bigger and his "chest dropping". That's what one of my neighbors refers to it as, and it's true! When Corgis get bigger their chest seems to grow down. LOL!

So now that I've spilled the beans on Theo's eating habits, anyone who wants to join in tell us what you feed your dog, how much, and how often. Do you think I've left any important information out, or just gotten something wrong?

Swapping Is Fun

Check out this awesome gocco card I received from Ivy yesterday!

She made it herself using her gocco machine thingy. It's the Welsh Corgi King and it says "Hello my subjects!" in Welsh. She made a bunch when she was doing her gocco card swap, and apparently didn't end up sending these out, so when I was going on and on in her blog about how awesome they were she offered to send me one! With a nice note inside! How nice!

Didn't this turn out great? I just love the picture, and I love that it's in Welsh! There's even her company logo printed on the back. You can't tell from the picture, but the ink sparkles and just looking amazing.

Really fantastic job, Ivy. I hope you'll be inspired to make other Welsh Corgi King related products!

Now here's my problem: the creative blogging world works in swaps! What could I send back that would match in awesomeness? And it should be something I make, since that's kind of the point. Pretty much the only things I make are either knitted and crocheted, and even those things I'm just starting at. Hmmm...would a nice crocheted fan bookmark be appropriate?

Hey Ivy, what color do you like? :D

I'm Awarded! That Makes Me Happy!

I'm so flattered I've been honor with another blogging award! Awww, thanks! And here I thought only one or two people even read my humble blog. It's those cute puppy pictures, right? Gets 'em every time.
Llyn M. on her blog picked Corgi Tails as one of the six blogs she likes (and makes her happy?). To pass it on I need to list 6 things that make me happy. I've been in a foul mood lately with Theo being a teenager and the construction on the house taking forever and a half, not to mention a bunch of drama at work, but this will be good to help me remember the good things in life.

1. Blogging! Blogging makes me happy. It's hard for me to explain why... It's like having a diary that's way more awesome and that I don't mind people reading. LOL! I feel so emo!

2. My husband and puppy. I know it's cheesy, but they do. I love them both to pieces. I love spending all my time with them. My life wouldn't be whole without them.

3. Food. I have the waistline to prove it! Good food (and wine!) makes me happy. Or maybe I should say meals, since good food with good friends is the best way to spent time.

4. The moments before I fall asleep. This is another hard one to explain. Crawling into my own bed every night is sometimes almost orgasmic. Husband finds it hilarious. I just love that feeling when all your muscles relax and you can just let the stress of the day fall away before you drift off to pleasant slumbering unconciousness. Does that make me completely weird? I feel a little weird...

5. Small, unexpected gifts make me happy. I had a friend who once told me that I was the easiest person to shop for because the smallest, simplest thing would light up my day, and it's true! Whether it's my mom sending me flowers because she knows I'm having a rough time, or a fellow blogger sending me a card she made just because I said I loved it (Thank you Ivy! You're the best! I'll post more about it when I get a chance to take some pictures). My day was brightened just today because of a small, unexpected, and thoughful gift.

6. Making things. Whether its crocheting an afghan or knitting a scarf, I love the feeling of accomplishment, not to mention the quiet time with myself while I'm making them. I love when I cook or bake something that comes out delicious and not totally ugly. It makes me happy to dream up a story in my head and spend the next few days adding and expanding it. As hard a time I have with finishing things, it does make me happy when I finally do it.

Wow, I did it! 6 things! It's getting late, so maybe there'll be a better thing I think of tomorrow, but that's the best I have for now. Now, 6 blogs that make me happy.

1. The Senakams. I've said it before but I just love Ivy's blog. She goes fun places and takes gorgeous pictures, and a lot of times Bryson gets to go with her and have an adventure! She helped inspire me to get out and do fun things with Theo like training classes beyond just obedience, or going to the beach to splash around.

2. Smitten Kitchen. I am obsessed with this blog right now. Since food makes me happy, lusting over food on someone's blog does too. I've been eating out for over 2 months now and I can't stand to eat another fish taco (I never thought I'd see the day!). Somewhere along the way I started dreaming about cooking and baking in my new kitchen, and eating home-cooked, healthy meals. I can't wait! I've already saved about 20 recipes from Deb's archives and can't wait to try them out.

3. Craft Stew. Lynn's blog is a lot of fun, especially lately with all her Dear Jane quilt squares. She helped inspire me to take up crocheting again and learn to knit. I saw all the awesome things she had made and wanted to do the same! She has an adorable Corgi just 2 weeks older than Theo, who I just love to see pictures of. Hey Lynn, how about some updated pics?

4. I Heart Linen. Rashida makes just gorgeous things. She doesn't update very often, but when she does, she has pictures of creative and fun projects that she's sewed amazingly. Some recent favorites of mine include a fabric calendar with fabric-covered buttons for dates and quilted bias tape. How fun! She has an etsy shop, but most things seem to sell out immediately.

5. Pink Lemonade Boutique. Lisa is another sewer of gorgeous things. This time handbags. Her handbags are just beautifully awesome...like sell her my first born for one beautifully awesome. She also has an etsy shop, but I just haven't had the mindset to buy anything yet, but from the pictures her bags look well made and very creative in fabric choice and style. If I ever start sewing again, I can only dream of making things that beautiful.

6. A Day in the Life of our Pugs. Amanda's header in her blog says it all. She has two adorable pugs with attitude and a creative imagination herself to make a fun blog. This blog is, I think, the very first doggy blog I started reading and have stuck with it ever since. I remember I found it while reading through the archives of Cute Overload. Miko and Meimei are adorable pups who cause an endless amount of trouble. I can relate!

It was so hard for me to choose just 6 blogs that make me happy. If I comment on your blog, that means I love it. I'm a total lurker, so it takes an awesome blog to get me to come out of the woodwork. Hehe. I hope you all will pass it on!

He Came, He Boarded, He No Doubt Conquered

I just have to ask...is Theo the only dog in the history of dogs who likes being boarded? I really think he would have liked to stay rather than coming home to our messy, under construction home. Can't say that I blame him. I guess it's a blessing since now I know I don't have to feel guilty if I have to go out of town and leave him behind. It's a vacation for him too. I'm sure it helps that he's a master charmer wherever he goes. I swear they gave him stuff they normally charge extra for just because they like him. Perfect example: when I went to pick him up from the vet last week I told the receptionist I was there to pick up Theo. "Oh is he the adorable one we've been loving on all afternoon?" Yes. Knowing him, he's just the one.

Mouth, ever the dependable friend, offered to pick Theo up since the boarding facility was going to close before our flight landed. We stopped to pick him up on our way home and Theo had obviously had an afternoon in heaven: hanging out in a big back yard with 3 other dogs and free feeding. When he got home he just collapsed into his usual sock pile (now moved to the office since we were banished upstairs) and slept the evening away. It was too cute.

I got a funny email from Mouth this morning asking what time the boarding facility had fed Theo because he "seemed hungry" when he was at his house. I laughed when I read that. How exactly does a Corgi "seem hungry"? Or I guess I should say "especially hungry". I tried to explain to him that just because Theo bolted straight for the food bowl and ate 3 other dog's food, that doesn't mean he was starving. Just because he gets all bug-eyed when you show him give him food doesn't mean he hasn't been fed for 3 days. And just because he cries and whines when he sees you with food doesn't mean he'll die of starvation if you don't share with him. He's a Corgi! That's what they do! Whether it's been 5 days or 5 minutes since their last meal, they act the same. At least Theo does.

Oh, and check out this picture of Theo I took while I was shooting him in his sock pile:

I love it! I have no idea how I did it. I just loaded the pictures on my computer and there it was! Whatever setting I had it on, it really doesn't do well with movement does it? Hehe. Theo kept giving me dirty looks while I was taking pictures because he hates the sound the camera makes when he's trying to sleep. Poor baby.

A Good Idea: Book Club

Manda Girl is having a kind-of giveaway over on her pugs blog. She's been given the opportunity to read some dog-centric fiction books for review and wants to pass it on. She'll send out the extra copies of the books she has with the stipulation that you read and review them so she can post it on her blog. It sounds like a fun thing to me so I've already emailed her asking to participate. The books don't sound like anything I would voluntarily pick up at a bookstore, but who knows? They might be a fun read.

Leaving My Baby Boy

We're off to Seattle for the weekend minus a big member of our family: Theo! He's being boarded at the facility we take him for doggy daycare. They're all very nice and Theo loves it there, so hopefully he won't miss us too much. I know I'll miss him! We're going to a memorial service, so this is not a vacation (I'm not even bringing the camera!). Hopefully it'll go by quickly so I can get back home and try and have a little fun with Theo for the holiday.

Everyone have a good weekend! What fun activities do you have planned with you pup over the long weekend?

Allergies Attack!

This morning I woke up to find Theo looking like this:

The whole right side of his face was swollen! He looked like that one kid at summer camp that had so many mosquito bites, their face swelled up and their eyes swelled shut. I checked in his mouth and all along the gums and under his lips to make sure that it wasn't an infection from a cut in his mouth. All clear. He wasn't in any pain, he just was obviously uncomfortable and itchy. He was licking his feet and scratching his sides. I figured it was allergies and gave him some children's Benedryl. Awhile later the swelling around his eye went down, but his whole muzzle was still puffy. Poor guy!

He's in doggy daycare right now. We gave them instructions to call us if the swelling didn't go down so we could take him to the vet. I have no idea what he reacted to. We didn't feed him anything new yesterday. I'm guessing the construction dust from the remodel got in his sinuses or something.

Once again we have an example of Theo getting sick and possibly needing vet attention right before we leave to go out of town! Ack! Husband and I will be gone for the weekend for a funeral so Theo will be staying overnight at the facility he goes for daycare. Hopefully we won't have any problems!

Update: The daycare just called and said that the swelling wasn't going down and the other side of his face was starting to puff up. Great! Husband is on his way to take him to the vet. I'm guessing they'll just give him a shot of a stronger antihistamine, charge us an arm and leg, and send us on our way.

Update again: Husband just got done at the vet. They said they thought it was a bite, even though they couldn't find one. Husband thinks they're full of sh*t and it was construction dust. Whatever it is, they're keeping him for the afternoon, shooting a bunch of stuff in him, and charging us $300 for it. Goodness this day just gets better and better.

Theo At The Beach

If you haven't yet checked out my newest flickr pictures, there's a ton of Theo (and some other Corgis from my meet-up group) at the dog beach this last weekend. We had such a blast! Even Husband had fun, and he avoids having fun at all cost. He hates the beach (it's the sand of course), but he still had undeniable fun! When were leaving and walking back to our car I turned to him and said "that was fun!" waiting for the usual apathetic/grumpy response. But he surprised me by enthusiastically responding that it was fun. No one sounded more surprised than him.

Let me start off by saying that my comments on the pictures below will be below the pictures themselves. When I read other people's blogs I notice some people right above, some below, and some do both in one post! I always find it confusing, and I'm a big enough dork to actually tell you upfront. So there. Now we'll get on with it...


I was pretty nervous about how Theo would do at the beach. The meet-ups lately have stressed him out a little because there are just so many Corgis! Plus, Theo isn't a big fan of water, so I made sure not to get my hopes up. I figured at the worst we would watch a bunch of Corgis play in the water while we sat and watched.

It was pretty tentative starting off. As you can see, Theo was afraid of the waves at first. He would run out when the waves were out, and then run back to us when the wave came in. It was so adorable!

Thankfully Theo gave us a pleasant surprise: he was playful! He chased Corgis, he barked, he frolicked. And after he was comfortable with all of that, he played in the water! I've never seen him so happy. He was also very excited to discover that he could eat water, salt, and dirt all in one gulp! I was not so excited about that, but I figured it wouldn't kill him (I had fresh water standing by for when he was thirsty from drinking salt water).

He made me proud by always sticking close to us. Even when he wandered off to play, he always gave me his attention when I called his name. If you can't pick my Theo out of the gaggle of Corgis in the picture, he's the one looking right at me like a good doggy.

Theo would only go up to a few inches of water. Eventually I wanted to see how he liked swimming, so I tricked him a little. I waded out into the water and called him to me. He was doubtful, but he really wanted to be where I was, so he waded out too. As you can see from the picture, he got a bit google-eyed just going chest deep.

Then a wave came in and he was swept away! Hehe, ok, not really. He was just forced to swim a bit to get back to shore (it was only like 6 feet away). The picture above is literally his very first moment swimming. He sank a bit at first, but he figured out how to doggy paddle in mere seconds. I guess I'm a sink or swim kind of a mom.

Theo made a beeline right back to shore. As adorable as he looked swimming, he was in a panic the whole time. I felt so guilty! I'm a terrible person, I know, but I think it was a good experience for him. I think next time I'll just carry him to deep water and support his belly a bit while he gets used to it. I didn't think of it at the time.

When he got to shore Theo shot me the dirtiest look he's ever given me and ran straight to Husband for safety. He ignored me and wouldn't go near the water for a couple minutes afterwards. But like most kids when they're pouting, he got over it quickly and before long he was back to normal. Though Husband told me later than when he walked out there with him, Theo kept growling at the waves. Hehe. You tell 'em Theo!

Pulling out the tennis ball for some fetch definitely helped. Usually Theo is too distracted to play fetch when we're out with other dogs, but this time he was able to focus. And boy was he focused! We purposefully threw it out into the water to see how he would react with the waves. He was too obsessed with the game to pay any attention to the waves (he gets like that with fetch when we play at home). It was so funny watching him try to soccer kick the ball back across the sand. Hehe. It didn't work out very well for him.

We were all thoroughly pooped afterwards, and proceeded to do nothing the rest of the day except rest (and give Theo a bath, which was anything but restful...). We'll definitely have to make more trips to the beach this summer! Since the temperature is sweltering during the day, the beach is pretty much the only place we can take him that qualifies as "out and about". Is it Fall yet?

New Product: Antler Chew

I've heard about antler chews for awhile now, but I only just now finally got one for Theo. I wasn't able to find any sold locally, so I ordered one from this website. As you can see from the picture at the left, Theo loves it. He chewed it for hours and hours, quietly gnawing away.

Antlers chews are just what they sound like: they're pieces of antler from deer or elk. They don't splinter like rawhide or bones and they don't stink like bully sticks. As your dog chews they wear down smoothly. Right now Theo's has little gnaw marks in if from where he's chewed it.

I'm curious to see if Theo will stay interested in it long term. After chewing on it from a couple days now his interest is waning a bit. Has anyone else given their dog antler chews? What was your experience with them?

Video Of The Week 21: Sparkly Kibble Dancing

I saw this video posted over on Mag's blog and thought it was hilarious!



What a ridiculously cute thing to do.

One Of Those

OMG, I am totally those moms who forgot to pick up her kid from daycare! The place we take Theo for daycare closes at 7pm. I was talking with a co-worker, talking about Disneyland and his apartment flooding and what not, and next thing I know he's looking at his watch and saying "Sheesh, how late do you guys stay?" I looked at the clock, expecting it to be about 6pm, expecting to reply "Oh about another 30 minutes". But when I looked at the clock it read 6:58pm. "SHIT!!!" was all that came out of my mouth. I had totally lost track of time, and the daycare was like 20 minutes away. Shit. I called the place, no one picked up. Shit, I'll bet their gone for the day. I decided to chance it. I left a message saying I was on my way and booked it there. About halfway the woman who works there called and asked how close I was. I said about 10 minutes and she said she would go ahead and stick around until I got there. Phew! If I didn't like the place I take him before, I definitely do now! I would have been seriously bummed if I'd had to leave Theo there overnight.

PS: Pardon my French.

Fetched Out

I've experienced some serious cabin fever these last few days. Our entire downstairs is right now unlivable (well we could live on a concrete floor if it wasn't dirty and if Theo wasn't always walking around trying to eat debris, but that's just not the way it is), and our upstairs isn't much better. All the stuff from our kitchen, living room, dining room, family room, laundry room, and downstairs closet (minus the big furniture) is now upstairs in our guest room and loft (today a co-worker exclaimed that he couldn't believe we had fit it all in those two rooms...it was a delicate process). That leaves the master bedroom, which we don't hang out in because Theo isn't allowed in there. So really we've been banished to the office and the hallway. That's it! It's, what, 120 sq. feet? I was ready to murder just about anyone by the end of the weekend.

Poor Theo, as I mentioned in my last post, is stressing a bit about it too. Who can blame him? Not only do his living conditions keep shifting, but they also keep getting smaller! I'm sure he feels just as cramped as we do. He's been coping through constant games of fetch. And I mean constant. All weekend he followed me around with his giant tribble, wanting me to throw it for him. If I didn't throw it, he would cry and whine and protest until I gave in and did it. I felt bad for him because I'm sure he was just bored. I tried to take him out as much as possible to keep things interesting, but it's just too cramped.

So in the end the whole weekend was pretty much spent with me sitting on the hallway floor trying to read while every 10 seconds or so I had a tribble flying into my lap ready to be thrown. Let's just say, if this keeps up much longer, that tribble is going to be the first victim of my murderous rampage.

Adorable, Affectionate

Theo is a wonderful dog. He's fun, playful, friendly, and for the most part well behaved. Husband and I often thank our lucky stars that we ended up with a dog with lots to offer in the brains, looks, and personality department. One thing Theo is not (generally) is affectionate. Before our heinous remodel began I often mentioned my precious morning couch time with Theo. It was precious because it was usually the only time in the day when Theo would be affectionate with me.

By affectionate I mean letting me pet him as he lay next to me rather than moving 2 feet away where I couldn't reach him. Or sleeping with his head on my legs or feet, rather than sleeping where I am in view but not close enough for touch. Usually that is Theo's thing. He likes to be able to see me, to be close to me, but usually not actually being touched by me. He's the kind of dog that doesn't like being scratched behind the ears because it means he'd have to sit still. He doesn't like belly rubs because it means I'm focusing on petting him rather than playing fetch with him. That's just Theo. He loves people, loves being around them, but just not into being pet.

While that's mostly still true, I've noticed Theo has been a lot more affectionate lately. Last night Theo was sleeping in our office while Husband and I sat at our desks. My chair was turned out towards the room because I was reading. Theo was sleeping behind Husband's chair when all of a sudden he got up, walked over to me, laid down on my foot, and went back to sleep. He never sleeps that close to me! Better yet, after awhile my foot got tired of being in that position so I moved it. Theo woke up, lifted his head, and gave me the grumpiest, dirtiest look. Adorable! It wasn't until I put my foot back next to him that he laid back down and went back to sleep. Then this morning as Husband and I were driving him to doggy daycare before heading to work I casually rubbed the back of his ears because I was checking for any dry skin (Theo had fleas last week (that's another post), and his flea bath left some residue or something behind his head). Apparently Theo loved it. As soon as I did it his eyes closed, his tongue went out, and his head went up. I stopped for a minute and then did it again, and the "oh yeah" expression came back on his face. It was hilarious! I rubbed his ears the rest of the car ride, and I loved it.

I think the reason for all this sudden affection is probably related to stress from the remodel. We had to move everything upstairs (including Theo!) the weekend before last. He didn't like losing his play space anymore than I did. Whatever the reason I'm loving the new affectionate Theo, and I hope he stays this way!

Part 3 - Mendocino Trip, Botanical Gardens

The best part of our trip to Mendocino was the afternoon we spent at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens, which is located about 7 miles north of town up the 1. We actually almost didn't go. It was the last day of the trip and I was feeling lazy and tempted to hang around all day, but thanks to my mom and Husband (and my sister and her husband for buying the tickets!), we ended up going.

It started off pretty ho hum with some ordinary plants I had no interest in identifying. Then all of a sudden it got awesome. There were these cool scraggly trees. There's nothing I love more than scraggly trees on an overcast day. Sure, it's gloomy, but for some reason it makes me happy and pensive.

After the scraggly trees were some bluffs. Who doesn't like a nice ocean view in between garden viewing?









The real treat came when we got to the dahlia garden. There were Dahlia's everywhere, with a grassy lawn in the middle of them and a artistic wooden gazebo-like structure at the end of the row. Could you imagine getting married there? You wouldn't need a florist, that's for sure. Seriously, the Dahlia garden was so gorgeous I would have gone just to see it. There were all different kinds (who knew there were different kinds?) and the colors ranged everywhere from white to orange to purple. Plus, tt was a great opportunity to use the macro setting on my new camera!








And guess what else was cool about the gardens...it was dog friendly! You can take your dog into the gardens as long as you stay on the path and keep them on a 6' leash. No extra charge. Theo had a blast. He was always looking back and giving us a "hurry up!" look when we dawdled. He wanted to see what the gardens had to offer!

The happy look on Theo's face here is because he's have a roaring good laugh over the fact that mommy and daddy had to wipe some stray poop off his booty. Yuck! Lots of walking seems to make Theo have to poop when he doesn't really need to. The rest of my family gave us a "and that's why I don't have a dog" look. Lovely.






Another cool thing at the gardens that most of my family ended up skipping over was the vegetable garden. It was a ways off the main path, but when I saw the sign my mom and I decided we'd check it out. I wouldn't recommend bringing your dog into this area. It's, well, a vegetable garden! Lettuce, zucchini, and lots of other veggies (as well as fruits) grow in planter boxes only a few inches off the ground. Very easy access to a food-obsessed pup. But they do allow people tastings, so my mom and I had fun picking a blueberry and currant here and there. Man did they taste great right off the bush! I just love the way this picture came out.

Well that's the end of my Mendocino vacation. It was lots of fun but way too short. This was my first real vacation with Theo and I think it went really well! He was really well behaved for the most part (minus the incessant pulling on his leash!), and he really helped keep me out and about (something I don't do enough!).

Part 2 - Mendocino Trip, Mendocino Proper

Theo had a blast in Mendocino. He was actually pretty psychotic from his bubbling over excitement. He was either full speed hyper or full speed sleeping most of the time, but in some rare instances of mellowness I managed to get a picture or two.

In the morning my mom and I would get breakfast together at the bakery. Here's Theo waiting patiently for me to drop a goody. This was a Mendocino first for my mom and I. I've never been awake early enough to go and get breakfast with her, but thanks to Theo, I'm now an early bird!







After breakfast I would take Theo for a walk on the bluffs, just the two of us. Theo just loved the bluffs. I think he would have been happy standing there all day just sniffing the ocean air. It was adorable seeing his nose in overdrive with the same look on his face that dogs get when they stick their head out of a moving car.










After breakfast he was usually pooped and nap while Husband and I got ready. He thought the shams and top comforter we threw off the bed was for his own personal use. It was pretty adorable.

He loved sleeping in the same room as Husband and I. In the morning he would try his darnedest to jump up on the bed, and at one point he actually did it...when the bed was empty. Husband said it was hysterical watching his facial expression go from triumph to disappointment.







After lunch Husband and I took Theo for another walk. We walked around town and did our town shopping, which included Mendocino jam and mustard, Mendocino fudge, and looking around Out of This World and the Gallery Bookshop). And then it was back out to the bluffs.

This is Theo's pirate face. Arggg!













And in between all the walking there was of course more eating of delicious food, drinking of Navarro wine, and hanging out. But Theo mostly just slept during those parts, or played fetch with my sister and her husband. Theo never gets tired of playing fetch with his tribbles.

In the evening my family played a new game called Time's Up. It is frakking awesome, and absolutely hilarious to play with your family.

It was a great vacation, with the only downside being how quickly it was over. For most pictures see my flickr album.

Part 1 - Mendocino Vacation, Navarro

I decided that there's so much awesomeness from my vacation I want to post about, I had better split it up into a few so it doesn't end up a novel (and I don't end up blogging all night, hehe). So I'll start off with our wine tasting at Navarro winery. Navarro is located on highway 128 (off 101) in Philo, which is a little ways past Boonville (seriously). The road has lots of ups and downs and all arounds, so if you get car sickness (I do!) roll down your window and take it slow. No one likes to drink wine on a queasy stomach.

The area surrounding the winery is very picturesque. They have picnic tables right outside their tasting room so you can sit and enjoy the view. Or there are other tables around the property in other pretty settings. There are flowers pretty much everywhere. We actually stopped in Healdsburg for lunch (a cute town I had never been to before...very Sonoma), and we were in a hurry to get to Mendocino, so we didn't sit and enjoy like I would have liked.



The tasting room is a friendly and relaxed setting, and unexpectedly booming considering it's surrounded by nothing but small towns. I guess they got some street cred. There is no tasting fee and they had I think about 15 wines to taste with no limit on the number of wines you could taste.

Even though Navarro is one of my favorite wineries I'm going to go ahead and say that their reds aren't that great. It makes me sad because I love red wine. A good red wine is just the best thing ever. Their reds are definitely drinkable, but I wouldn't say they're worth driving to Philo for. Their whites, however, definitely are! The winery is most known for its Gewürztraminer, I would say. It is delicious. And if you want a real treat try the Gewürztraminer Late Harvest. It's a sweet wine, but not too sweet. I don't really like most dessert wines, but this stuff is guud. It's a bit pricey though, so I just got a half bottle (sorry friends, that means we're not sharing!). Also, it may sound pricey, and it may sound silly, but try some of their grape juice. It is so frakking good. I hate juice you buy at the grocery store because they’re so sweet! I don’t taste fruit, I just taste artificial flavoring and sugar. Blech! Navarro’s grape juice tastes like it actually came from grapes, and it’s sweetened just the right amount.


And last thing I'll say about the winery is that it is surprisingly extremely dog friendly! Dog-friendly wineries is definitely not something I kept an eye out for before getting Theo. Who knew tasting rooms allow dogs? We found out by accident. We assumed Theo couldn't come in so Husband was sitting with him outside, but somehow Theo got inside and once the people working the tasting room spotted him they immediately told us that he was welcome and they'd love to have him roam around. How nice! They let him wander wherever he wanted (you can see his curious george booty in the picture to the left, they really let him go wherever he wanted!). They fawned over him. They fed him treats. At one point they even gave him some grape juice out of a wine glass!

Apparently the owner of the winery is a big dog lover. He has a daschund who goes out on the tractor with him and helps with the process or something (I'm a good listener). There's a picture of him and his dogs (one has since passed on) hanging on the wall. So it's like company policy to be dog friendly. :p Whatever the reason, any dog is welcome in the tasting room, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience, in my opinion.

I like stopping off at Navarro before heading to Mendocino because it just starts the vacation off right. That way we're all stocked up on wine!

PS: I uploaded all the pictures from my trip to flickr. There's a lot of 'em!

We're Back And Relaxed

Ok, actually I'm not as relaxed as I would have hoped, but it was still a lovely vacation. I've pulled the pictures off my camera, but I haven't had a chance to upload them, so I'll have to wait until the weekend to upload you all on our fun time in Mendocino. I took a lot of pictures. I can tell you that we drank lots of good wine, ate lots of good food, went on lots of beautiful walks, and Theo was a spastic little spitfire the whole time. Check back soon!