Life has been very busy with our new brother, Charles the Mugwump. He is a very silly little guy. He likes to steal the big dog toys and take them across the room to his bed (usually dropping them half way because they are bigger or heavier than him). Louise really likes his teeny tiny tennis balls (there is a lot of squeaking going on). Even Nine, the Mancat, is coming around. Everyone is getting along, sort of, as long as Mom puts Charles in his exercise pen when we are having dinner or high value treats, like antlers. Learning about life with a dog that is the size of a cat is a new experience. He needs what any dog needs: he loves long walks with the pack, running in the yard, and cuddling, but he also wants to climb on things (like the cat tree) and play with the cat toys. Mini Cooper and him will become close friends, I think, once she figures him out. Life at the DogDaz Zoo is never boring.
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)
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.
Being December, the fairy garden and Christmas dog are lite up under the DogDaz pines. Since it gets dark around 4:30 PM here, we get to enjoy the twinkling of the holiday lights for a long time in the evening.
The early darkness also means we are walking at a time when many cars are coming home for the evening and people are tired and speeding around the corners. Of course, everything I wear is black, and so is Louise. To keep us safer during the walking time, the girls wear lights around their necks (maybe I should too?). I recently read that flashing light collars are not healthy for dogs (I can’t find the article to share it here). It said that the flashing can scare them, give them headaches, or even seizures. That would not be good. So, to be a good pet protector, I have been putting their lights on the steady mode. My dilemma is that I don’t think people see the dogs as well (check out the video of us blinking below).
What do you think? I like the blinking for safety and I really think that the flashing is actually behind them, so do they really see it?
Do your dogs wear lights when walking in the dark? Do your use flashing or steady lights?
You can sure see Louise better in the darkness with her red light on. Sofie’s blue light is almost hidden in all her fur.
We stumbled upon an outdoor holiday tree down by the river. What a nice place for a picture.
