Trick or Treat?

Nobody ever knocks on our door so my guard dog duties are pretty limited, except tonight!  Why didn't my human warn me it was Halloween? 

Tonight we've been visited by 4 fairies; 12 superheroes; a cat (which I chased away); 3 grumpy looking parents and a handful of teenagers who really should have made more of an effort. 

So far I've had 10 pats on the head; 5 ear scratches; a tummy tickle; made 3 teenage girls scream like errr teenage girls and made Batman cry!  We have this great thing going: there's a knock at the door, my human opens it and I rush outside to either screams or pats.  I love Halloween! 

Here are 3 of my favourite internet costumes for furry friends.  I really hope that last one are supposed to be ghosts and not the KKK!

Bye Bye Sandy

Phew!  That was lucky.  Sandy gave us a fleeting visit and left us with a little drying out to do but we were very lucky: we have power and I helped sniffing out any problems in the house.  Only downside is I can't get in front of the roaring fire because of the wet carpet. 

Woofs and sniffs to my furry brothers and sisters in NY and NJ.  I hope you guys dry out soon and aren't too traumatized.

Go Away Sandy

I'm heeding the advice of the humans and hunkering down to ride out the storm...

Oh Sandy

I'm not sure who this Sandy woman is but she must really, really important because everyone is talking about her.  People are talking about her on the news and the radio, even dogTV has been talking about her.

Thankfully I am well prepared.  I brought all my toys in from the garden last night , my human stocked up on food for us both, and I've got a stash of custard creams.  I'm snuggled in front of the log fire awaiting the arrival of this very special visitor. 

Eye Eye

Who would have thought gardening was so dangerous?  My silly human lost a fight with a pine tree and has been moaning and whimpering ever since.  I will give her credit for finishing cutting the lawn and having a cup of tea before getting it looked at but boy is she a poor patient. All she needed to do was wear her sun glasses on her face instead of propped on her head.  What a rookie mistake.  And she cut my morning walk in half this morning.  Something about it being too bright.  I'll make sure she gets up before the sun tomorrow so she has no excuse to short change me. 

New Yard

Oh my look at me, I'm starting to sound American.  When I say yard I really mean garden.  But look at it.  What happened to the grass?  Are we getting a donkey or something? It's all itchy and scratchy and I want my grass back. 

My human says it's so the new grass seed will grow.  It seemed to be doing fine on it's own, well until it was washed away with the heavy rain the other day.  I guess it keeps her busy and out of my way for a while.

Guard Dog

My human is threatening to put me up for adoption after last night.  Just before 4am I was rudely woken from my hot dog dream by the burglar alarm screaming at it's full 100dB.  Being the true gentledog I am I went into her room and ushered her towards the screaming alarm being careful to stay a few steps back so I could leap forward and disable any would be intruder.

She of course has completely misinterpreted my actions.  She is telling everyone I hid behind her and made her go and investigate the cause.  I had already accessed the danger and deemed it a false alarm - the box had fallen off the wall, triggering the alarm.  I was giving her ego a boost.  Letting her feel brave by tiptoeing to the phone already to ring 911.  As if I'd let her walk into danger.  When we will she learn I'm a gentledog - it's only polite to let woman and children go first!

Working Dog

I think this brings a new meaning to working dog.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-17814451

I'm saying nothing

Which is better?

Which is better, seeing a big dog with his head out of a car window or a big dog in the driver's seat of a parked car?  You decide.

Skippy

I met a man skipping this morning.   Not rope skipping, skipping skipping with his arms flailing around like he was being attacked by bees.  He stopped to say hello, scratched me behind the ears and skipped off again.  All that was missing was some happy music and warm sunshine. 

Busy

Spring is definitely a time of change.  My garden is blooming, mostly with weeds, but still blooming, the cherry blossom is out, pretty but smelly and the park, my park, is packed with people.  Four months I've had it to myself and the odd 4 legged woofer from the neighbourhood, but mostly all to myself.  The last few days it's been packed: football, baseball, basketball, tennis, they are all out there acting like they own the place.  It's nice to meet new people and eat the odd scrap they've left behind from their picnic but remember, just because you use the park for a couple of weeks in the spring it doesn't make it your park!

Spring has sprung

Another hard day in the garden watching my human pull weeds and dig over the veg plot.  If you ask me it's a complete waste of time and effort, just go to the shops and buy veg grown by a professional.  Get your priorities sorted and relax like me.  I love spring.  Not too hot, not too cold, just about right for an old dog like me.

  Me and my friendly flea catching a few rays

Let's come to some agreement

Picture the scenario: it's cold and snowy outside, I'm warm and snug in front of a roaring log fire, my human calls out "Ben, are you coming for a walk?"  I don't move, the fire is so nice and cozy, she calls again; still no movement from me.  After the third call I reluctantly get up and we go for a walk.  Ten minutes in and the sky turns black, the wind starts howling and within seconds I'm whiter than Santa Claus's beard! 

Don't get me wrong, I love a walk as much as the next dog but you know I'm getting on in life.  Would you drag a pensioner out in a snowstorm or let then sit by the fire?  I think we need to come to some kind of agreement - if you don't fancy going for a walk because it's cold and wet, chances are I don't either.  I have a yard, I'll let you know when I want to pee. 

Devotion

You humans think you know about devotion, you might be devoted to your children or your favourite football team, standing on the terraces for a couple of hours one day a week, week after week in the freezing rain.  That pails into insignificance in comparison to this...

In 1924, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took in Hachikō, a golden brown Akita, as a pet. During his owner's life, Hachikō greeted him at the end of each day at the nearby train station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachikō was waiting. Every day for the next nine years the dog waited at the station.

Now that's what I call devotion!

Read the full Wikipedia article here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D

Keep on Truckin'

I think my human is going through another mid-life crisis - she's bought a truck!  Yeah you read that right, a pick up truck.  I don't know if she's trying to fit in with the neighbours, become an all America or just wanting to start a gardening business, but we are now the 'proud' owners of a red truck.  I'm telling you now, there is NO way I'm going in the back of that thing.  No matter how 'cute' it looks to have a slobbery Labrador hanging out in the back of a truck I am not doing it.  She'll be lucky to get me inside the blinking thing never mind in the back.

Warning Signs

Maybe this would be a more appropriate warning sign for the house...

Guard Dog

Happy belated New Year everyone.

There's been a mini-crime spree in the area all centered around my house.  Four of the five crimes in the entire town were on or near my street.  OK so it was only thefts from cars but still I don't want anyone steeling my toys.  So I've been increasing my security patrols around the garden and practicing my bark.  Ah heck who am I kidding?  It's freezing cold outside so I'll stick with what I do best.... sleep in front of the fire... and let my human deal with any would be thieves.