National Dog Week

Well folks 22-28 September is National Dog Week.  It sure feels great to have a whole week, but it should be a whole month.  Do you think the schools teach the kids about Mercy Dogs, Messenger Dog and the Soldier Dogs.  Talk about famous dogs like Lassie, Rin-Tin-Tin, Bullet, Asta and Yukon King.  Maybe a day dedicated to Terhune where they could talk about Lad, Lady, Grey Dawn, Bruce, Wolf, Fair Ellen, Thane, Explorer, King Cole, Thane and Sandy.

Sherman's First Bath

As for National Dog Week, how did we get to celebrate it.  We got a bath today.  It was Sherman's first bath.  Pup, you have to wonder about our Dog Dad. 

Essex & Sherman

No Key, but Healthy

Alas, mates we had no luck finding Cayo Hueso.  We will try again next year, arggg.

However, Dad was picking up our dog poo and noticed strange white specs.  They reminded him of tiny grains of rice.  By paying attention Dad made a health discovery.  Good health is worth a lot more then Cayo Hueso.  Those little white specs were pieces of a tapeworm.  The next day Dad got two pills for each of us.  We ate dinner and Dad gave us our pills.  Mr. Tapeworm has crossed over to the dark side.

Dog poo can tell a story about the health of a pup.  So it is important to pick up poo, look at it and throw it out.  Picking up after your pup, the park is more sanitary and less diseases are spread.  Dad uses those little plastic bags or plastic grocery bags for doing the pickup.

Be Healthy Friend,

Essex & Sherman 

Black Dog the Pirate

Avast yee Pupaneers and Collieneers, this is Black Dog the Pirate from Cayo Hueso.  Me and my first pup are here digging for buried treasure.  Gaze into my glowing eyes.  You will join us here for Pirate Day to help us dig.  You have no choice, you are under the spell of Black Dog.

Black Dog the Pirate circa 2008

Arrrggg, Doggies.  Cayo Hueso is the name the Spaniards called Key West, it means Bone Key.  That must mean there is a magical key that will take us to a Pupaneers dream of a vast stockpile of bones.  Argg, we have to find Cayo Hueso and the best time must be on Pirate Day.  Now you have to come back with me and help my first mate, the Sherman-nater.  We have to find Cayo Hueso.

Happy Pirate Day

Essex & Sherman

The Mask

We spent last night by ourselves and the Friday night last week too.  Dog Dad went in for a sleep study.  After the first one the doctor told Dog Dad he had sleep apnea.  Last night, he went in to be tested wearing a mask. 

The Mask

He will see the doctor later this week and will be on his way to getting a Constant Positive Airway Pressure machine, which is commonly called a CPAP.  We have a feeling he will look funny in it, but if it gives him more energy to play with us, clean up the house and take us on walks, then we are all for it.  We do like the idea of having an active Dog Dad. 

Dog Dad was tested for allergies too.  While he won't find out the results till Wednesday, we now know he is allergic to dust mites.  That means some changes in Dog Dad's sleeping den (bedroom).  The rugs are being moved to the living room and his Korean blanket is going to be taken off the bed.  Sigh, he will miss that blanket.  He is hoping this results int his sinuses finally clearing up after decades of congestion. 

Essex - Forever Vigilant

Sherman is Happy to See Dad

In the meanwhile, we will take care of him and guard the house whenever he is gone.  Then just like this morning, when he comes home our tails will wag and doggie kisses will follow.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Sherman

T. R.

Dad was talking to us today about his most favorite president, Teddy Roosevelt.  He noted that 111 years ago today, Teddy Roosevelt was sworn into office as paws-ident of the United States of America.   Dog Dad said he loved Roosevelts sense of justice and over coming adversity.



Teddy Roosevelt
Picture from Wikipedia

Roosevelt had a Chesapeake Retriever, Sailor Boy; a Terrier, Jack, A Spaniel, Manchu, a mixed breed, Skip; and a Pittbull Terrier, Pete.  Pete was probably the most famous because he ripped the French ambassador's pants during a White House function.  That must have been a sight to behold.

Roosevelt stood up for the little man and did a lot for them with his Square Deal.  At the same time he looked at everyone to pitch in and help.

Some of Dad's favorite quotes are:
- "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." 
- "The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." 
- "The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything."

 - "Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."

Looking at today's world, Dad would love to see another Teddy Roosevelt lead the United States.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Sherman

We're Addictive?

We didn't realize that we were addictive.  Well at least that what our cyber-paw friends over at "The Collies of the Meadow" believe.  Thanks guys, we appreciate "The Addictive Blog Award."  We wonder if we need a warning label for our blog.  According to the rules we are to thank the giver, link to them, talk about why I blog and why we started, post the award and then nominate 10 others. 

 

We started blogging way back in June 2007.  It all started after we read a post by our shirt tail cousin, Tosca, titled “Lassie is Boy in Drag.”   Essex, Deacon and Dog Dad all laughed so hard that Dad almost fell out of his seat.  We e-barked Tosca, she encouraged us to start blogging and join “Dogs With Blogs.”  The rest is history.

 We blog for several reasons.  It provides a record of our lives.  We meet pawsome cyber paw pals.  Dad finds ways to groom, train and keep us safe.  It gives Dad a reason to talk about history and travel in the WABAC machine.  Dad especially likes traveling back to see historic outer space, sports and military history.  He believes it is important to remember the past, because we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes if we don’t.  All friends we have met via blogging, e-barking and in the Dogs With Blog Chat Room makes things even better.  In the end however, we blog because we like talking about these things with other like minded pups. 

We nominate:

Jake & JH at http://barkalotboyz.blogspot.com/

Bert at http://fourleggedviews.blogspot.com/
Jan's Funny Farm at http://jansfunnyfarm.blogspot.com/
Ludow at http://ludwigvanpup.blogspot.com/

Dawn King at http://dawnkinster.wordpress.com/

Kess at http://itsadoggieslife.blogspot.com/

Asta at http://astasworld.blogspot.com/
Duffy at http://colliesandlife.blogspot.com/
Garth at http://theworldaccordingtogarthriley.blogspot.com/
Ruby & Bart at http://rottrover.blogspot.com/

There are other paw pals out there we would love to nominate.  Some of them rarely blog anymore.  We miss them. 

Essex & Sherman

Munich 1972

We went on trip with Dog Dad in the WABAC machine today.  We travelled back forty years to 5 September 1972, the location Munich, Germany.  The world was very different back then, times were simpler.  They were not as politically correct, a war was being fought in a place called Vietnam and Watergate had not yet torched the nations soul.  Dog Dad was a scrawny young High School kid.  The Holmhaven collie line was represented by a young pup named Holmhaven Magic Flash. 

Holmhaven Magic Flash, UD

We are at the the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany.  We are going out for a walk and the time 4:30 am local.  We hear noises and look at Dad, eight terrorist have broken into the Israeli apartment in the Olympic Village.  The news coverage is intense, we watch as a tragedy unfolds before the eyes of the world.  It ends the next day at 12:04 am.  The news reports that all eleven members of the Israeli Olympic Team, a West German Police officer and five terrorists are dead. 

The 1972 Olympics are remembered for other memorable events like:

 -   Mark Spitz winning seven gold medals and setting a new world records each time.

  -   The United States losing it's first Olympic basketball game in a controversial finals to the USSR.
  -    Two USA medal winners turning their backs to the US flag when the US national anthem was being play, then being barred for life. 



1972 Memorial Plaque in Munich, Germany
from Wikipedia

These memorable Olympic events, were overshadowed by the tragedy.  Afterwards the word terrorists would be etched into the worlds and our nations vocabulary.