Gifts from Santy Paws

When we had only two small dogs, Santy Paws delivered toys and treats every Christmas. Since then, Santa has spent too much money on vet bills and food to afford Christmas gifts. But today, Grampy Santa delivered a basketful of slightly used tennis balls. They were a great success. Each dog spent hours (well, maybe minutes) chewing the coating off each ball. The balls ended up looking like sickly but beloved navel oranges, as you see here...

The Great TP Mystery

When the puppies were younger, we had to keep the bathroom door closed because the toilet paper was too much of a temptation for them. They would grab one end of the roll and festoon the living room with TP. Eventually, that game lost its appeal and we started leaving the bathroom door open again.

In the past week or so, we've noticed that some critter has been chewing on one end of the TP roll..but who? Was it one dog, or were they taking turns?

Today I caught the criminal in the act. You won't be surprised to learn that it's Goober, and that he experiences not one ounce of shame or regret about this bad new habit. His response to my reprimand: "So what?"

So what?

Goober says, "So what? So I'm bigger and fatter and shinier than all the rest. What did I do to deserve all this? Not much. I just had to creep down the driveway, quivering and crying, get Grammy to pick me up and hug me, and the rest is history. Yeah, so I'm part pit-bull. You got a problem with that? Huh? Huh?"

The 9 Dogs Howling Version of the Vulcan Mind Meld

Teddy: I'm thinking Florida Keys.
Berry: I'm thinking Mediterranean Food Tour.
Teddy: But I'm too relaxed to get up and make the reservations.
Berry: And who's going to pay for it?
Teddy: Grammy & Grampa?
Berry: Get real! They keep asking me when I'm going to get a paper route and earn my kibble.
Teddy: They're so mean!

Let sleeping dogs lie

Even Goober looks sweet and angelic when he's asleep.

When they're awake, Jinx and Goober argue constantly about who's Top Dog, but come nap time, it's kind of nice to snuggle up with your brother.

Goober's First Snow Day

Every kid loves a snow day...no school, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, catching snowflakes on your tongue, making snow angels. This photo shows Goober enjoying snow for the first time in his life. The other dogs, who are more blase about snow, stayed inside where it was warm and dry, but Goober stayed outside, sometimes playing, sometimes just enjoying the magic of a snow day.

Possum and the kittens

Possum's kittens turned out to be boys. Possum's going to the vet to be spayed this Friday, and the kittens will go with her to be boarded that night, because we don't trust Trudy with them if Possum's not there to protect them. They're feisty little guys, but they're still far too small to stand up to a big dog.

Holiday greetings

A friend of Mr. P's who lives in Connecticut sent him a Christmas card and wrote on it:

"My best to the wife and 4000 dogs."

You'd think he'd actually been here to visit, saying that. It might feel like we have 4000 dogs, Roger, but it's really only 10.

Only 10?

Where's Waldo?

You might look at this picture, taken at 7:00 this morning, and think there's enough dogs in the living room. But there's only 6 dogs: Polly, Georgie, Berry, Teddy, Jinx and Patch. Meg and Goober were AWOL, Blackie and Trudie were outside, and goodness knows where Waldo is.