As we enter 2017, I look forward to another great year of learning, laughing, and loving with your wonderful pets, and poems, and stories, and stuff. You, my blogfriends, are a wonderful gift that I give myself every time I open my reader or check my comments. I look forward to continued antics in 2017.
There are lots of boxes and bows and things to play with.
All our people, large and small, are gathered together.
We love Christmas morning. It is a special day.
Christmas day at the DogDaz Zoo humbles us every year, as we celebrate how lucky we are to be a family, to be together, to be warm, to be fed, and most of all, to be loved.
May the light of the season guide you and bring you peace.
Your friends at the DogDaz Zoo
(Clockwise from the top right)
Sofie Bear, Louise, Charles (the Mugwump), Nine, Mini Cooper, Stella, and Noel (the Christmas Cat)
I believed in Santa for many many years. There was never a religious connection for me when it came to Santa Claus. I figured Santa and his reindeer brought gifts to everyone, everywhere, this time of year. There is no tradition of giving gifts for Hanukkah (it is not the Jewish Christmas). But we would get one small gift and, of course, I thought it came from Santa.
My biggest dilemma was figuring out how he got in the house. We did not have a fireplace, though I knew we had a chimney. Being the very bright child that I was, I figured Santa came down through the exhaust fan over the stove. Made sense to me when I was 7.
Wherever your find magic in the holiday season, DogDaz Zoo, wishes you a fur filled and fabulous Caturday. My your candles burn bright (away from cat’s whiskers or tails) and your donuts be sweet.
Louise and Sofie are figuring out that the little guy is not going anywhere. He is not just visiting, he is staying forever. He tried to go to sleep with Louise (bottom right with flash). She is so sweet, I think she was confused but would have let him stay the night. He really likes her kennel, maybe because it smells worn in.
Sofie and him had a little fight last night. It was really my fault because they were doing so well, I gave them all treats together. Big mistake. Sofie is not ready yet for that much closeness. (bottom 2d from left) I know better than to feed him outside the exercise pen, but I did not realize nylabones would have the same effect. Charles tried to come visit me and had to pass Sofie (who is always at my foot). Sofie is cranky when it comes to anyone (dog or cat) getting too close to her, sometime even Louise. Well, that was fur raising for a moment. Charles was beside himself and hid behind V the rest of the night.
Pecking order establishment. I worry about 50 and 60 lbs dogs against 13 lbs.
I had to block the rabbit holes under the fence. Never really worried about that with the big dogs. I liked the holes so the critters could pass through the yard. But now, Charles can escape, so I blocked them with long flower boxes until I can nail boards down in the spring (bottom 2d from right).
The girls are now teaching Charles how to stare Mommy down (top) when eating at the table. If 4 sad hungry eyes weren’t enough, now I have 6 looking at me, pleading their case.
Louise, Sofie, and Charles are going to be great friends (paws crossed). Even the cats are coming around.
Charles, formerly known as Chi Chi Forest, is officially joining the DogDaz Zoo this afternoon. It has taken what feels like an excruciating amount of time to go through the adoption process with the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, but finally, he is ours. Louise and Sofie passed the meet and greet with flying colors. I think I was the most nervous of them all. Charles is an 8+ year old long hair Chihuahua / maybe Pomeranian mix. I guess we will all be learning a lot about little dogs.
DogDaz Zoo 