Hey, it’s Bearnard!
What is going on with this wacky weather? One day it’s cool and comfy, the next it’s brrr—freezing! I don’t mind the chill, but it’s sneaking in fast. Jolie has to wear her sweater because, bless her heart, she’s got hair like a human instead of a fancy fur coat like mine. I’ve got my awesome triple coat keeping me toasty, but Mom still makes me wear a jacket when it’s below freezing. Us littles just can’t keep the heat like the big dogs do!
Please give us cookies!
Leaf Beard
Crunching through the leaves
zzzzzzzzz
Vogue
This morning, Jolie and I were having a fine time chasing the sun spots on the steps when Miss Bossy Pants herself—Mini Cooper—sauntered up and started pushing us out of the way. Seriously, who invited these cats anyway?
Catching Sun Spots
Let me Pass, you Trolls
Anyway, I’m off to find another sunny spot before Mini does. Stay warm out there, friends—and remember, naps are best when your nose is toasty! ☀️🐾
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: cat blog, DogDaz, dogs and cats together, little dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pet blog, shih tzu mix, winter
Love our walks
GoldFinch
Don’t take any pics
Really don’t!
Waiting
Walking in knots
New cat bed
Hi. Bearnard here, reporting for the DogDaz Zoo!
Fall came fast – and so did my allergies.
I love to walk in the crunchy leaves, but all that autumn fun makes me itchy. Then I start biting my paws, which makes Mommy worried. I had my Cytopoint shot last month, and take Benadryl every day, but Mom says it’s not really helping. I really hope I don’t need another shot.
Still, the fall plants are beautiful, and we’re enjoying our morning walks. Mom say’s she’ll take more pictures if she has a hand free (we’ll see about that).
Mini Cooper
Mini minus a K9
Mini Cooper had a rough time with a bad tooth.
She had to have one of her canine teeth pulled. (Funny that they call it a Canine tooth when she is a Feline, right?). She is doing much better now.
She was yapping and yapping for a while, and we couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say. When you have a chatty cat, it can be harder to interpret their conversations.
The anesthesia – or maybe the painkiller shot – had her loopy for about 3 days. But once it wore off, she was back to being her usual Mini self. The photos above? That’s her yelling at Mom to start their daily laser tag game.
Want Cookies!
Playing in the dirt
Who me?
Give us cookies, or else!
Walk?
Fall is Mom’s favorite time of year.
Not just because Halloween is coming (her all favorite holiday), but because she loves the autumnal equinox too. She says it’s when the Earth “tilts to fall” here in the Northern Hemisphere and it marks the start of the new year in her heart and for her people.
It’s her time to count all her blessings, clean her slate, and start fresh. She says we get to start fresh too – more apples and honey for everyone! (Except me. I hate fruit. And I hate veggies. I am a pretty picky eater for a dog.)
Oh – and Mom went to the Maryland Renaissance Faire with Peanut
Peanut loves cosplay. She makes her own costumes and even her own chainmail. She is one of our other favorite humans.

Warrior Peanut 2025
When they came home Mom gave us new names.(Don’t ask, just roll with it.) Jolie, the Magnificant and Bearnard, the Brave.

Jolie, the Magnificant

Bearnard, the Brave
What’s your medieval name? Enjoy the fall.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: autumnal equinox, cat blog, cat teeth, cats and dogs together, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, Fall, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu
Hi. Jolie here reporting for the DogDaz Zoo.
I know that we don’t get spring anymore in the mid-Atlantic, but it seems like we went straight from freezing to boiling in one day. They say we are under something called a ‘heat dome’ this week and that the temperature will be hot-hot-hot. Mom thinks it is best to stay inside. We like to nap in the warm grass in the sunshine but she doesn’t let us do that for more than a few minutes at a time. She is especially afraid that I will get a sunburn because I have a short haircut and my skin is exposed. But even Bearnard, the black fur monster, loves to lay in the sun. Doesn’t he get hot?
K8 caught some pictures of me talking to Mom in her office. I like to get on the ottoman, right behind her desk chair, and paw at her to pay attention to me. Beary would not be so bold. I have to do it for the both of us. “Please, Mom. Stop what you are doing and play with us. Or better, give us cookies!!”
The summer is now upon us, as we have passed the Summer Solistice this week. These long days are confusing, as I want to go to bed but it is still light out. And, it is so hot in the mornings, that Mom has to walk us way early so our paws don’t burn. And also because we littles over heat qiuckly. The other day she had to carry me twice because I just didn’t want to walk any more. I am a delicate flower. Bearnard is too, but he refuses to admit it. When he gets home from a walk he drinks a whole bowl of water. Me? I just eat more cookies.

Stay cool – your friend, Jolie Olie
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: cats and dogs together, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu, Summer, summer solstice
It is already mid-May, WOW, time is flying, We want to wish you all the wonders that May flowers, pollen, and bugs bring, Yes, Bugs!! They are Bearnard’s favorite thing. Our annual cicadas are brooding. These are not the big 17-year cicadas (click link to read about them), but he still has a great time jumping and stomping. At night, he never wants to come inside because he waits for any movement on the ground, so he can bounce.

I can’t get a video of his antics because it is too dark at night to see them on screen, so here is a cute video of the tail-wagging Goofballs instead!
Enjoy your spring!!!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: bugs, cicada, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, nature, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu, Spring

There is a great deal that goes on at the DogDaz Zoo from month to month. We sleep; we eat; we walk; we nap; we find the sun rays; we eat snacks; we sleep; we walk – you get the idea. The wonderful thing is that we do it together. Yesterday was the IDES of MARCH. They say that you need to beware because people could be out to kill you. Being little, we think people and things are always out to kill us; I guess it was no different than any other day.
Today is Mommy’s birthday so we are giving her lots of hugs and love. She was born between the Ides of March and Saint Patrick’s day. Does that make her a Roman Mastiff or an Irish Wolfhound? Either way, she is the best dog Mommy in the universe. She gives us lots of everything and in return we cuddle and lick her endlessly.

Next week is finally SPRING. It has been a cold winter and we are done with it! We are ready to move on to the flowers and the bees.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day – let’s party like a leprechaun.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, Ides of March, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu, St Patrick's Day
ACT 1: The Workout
Jolie here – You know that Mom needs help whenever she changes her bed. It is my responsibility to ensure that the mattress gets a good workout.
ACT 2: Bearnard the Useless
Bearnard is not very interested in domestic activities.
I invited him to join me, but he thought it was a photo shoot for a centerfold of DOG Monthly.
ACT 3: TEACHING the Mom How
I explained to Mom that she was doing the sheet thing all wrong but she won’t listen.
ACT 4: FINI
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Blog, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pets, shih tzu mix

Bearnard here. I want to tell you the story of our vacation. Someone thought it might be a good idea to take us on vacation with the family this year. Mom had been training us for months to ride nicely in the car with seat belts in the back seat (the blue straps). The first leg of the trip was from Annapolis, Maryland to Raleigh, North Carolina. That was about 5 hours. We did great. It was not Mom’s fault that Hurricane Debby was traveling with us. It rained 80% of the way. But we finally took a break in the drizzle and smelled some new stuff in a picnic area. Then we got to Aunt B in Raleigh and met her and her cat, Gracie (who did not like us much). It was our first time in a hotel and Jolie was terrified of the elevator. Mom had to carry her in and out.
We also hated all the noise in the hotel and I especially went crazy when people were making noise in the hall late at night. Mom did not get much sleep because she had to leave the TV on all night to try and keep me calm. We really liked being on the back of the couch in the hotel room and we took turns looking out the window at the parking lot.
The next day we got back in the car for another 3-hour drive to Sunset Beach in North Carolina. Mom had a nice apartment for all of us to stay in and we took lots of walks around the property. However, Jolie started to get really sick after a day or 2. Mom emailed the vet who said to put her on the usual rice and chicken tummy diet and try some CBD chews. She thought it was stress. She had already planned for me to take more of my stress medicine (which I live on anyway) but she thought Jolie would be ok. Then V figured out it was the WATER. Mom drinks bottled water all the time, so why not us! Once we switched to bottled water, in 48 hours she was much better. Mom never brought us to the ocean beach because we were having so much trouble just on land.
After a week we were back in the car but this time for a 9-hour drive: it was horrible. About 5 hours in, I could not deal with being in the back seat any longer and needed to be upfront with Mom. Finally, Mom gave in and let me be in the front (against her better judgment). She always has the passenger front airbag turned off because she worries about us being in the front if there is a car accident. The airbags would kill us instantly she thinks.
Did you know humans cannot pee at the rest stops along the highway with their animals. They actually have guards sitting there to make sure that people don’t bring their animals in with them even in the 100-degree weather. So Mom has special signs for the car. She carries 2 car keys with her and locks us in with the air conditioning and radio on. She puts signs on the windows because she drives a hybrid and people can’t hear the engine and figure we are in trouble. (DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A HOT CAR – EVER!!!!)

Mom also downloaded an app for her iPhone called ‘iEXIT.’ This tells her where stores are off exits on major roads. This way she was prepared to stop at a PET STORE or HARDWARE STORE because they allow animals to be inside (so we could go to the potty with her). It is terrible that she can’t just go under a tree like we do.

Truthfully, we love being with the family, but can you leave us with a pet sitter next year. It was exhausting!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Blog, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pet vacation, pets, shih tzu mix, sunset beach, vacation

Hi. Bearnard here. Mom says that I always look like a ‘deer in the headlights.’ I am not really sure what that means but it can’t be good. I guess it is because I am a little nervous most of the time – OK all the time! Well, people I don’t know make me nervous. Dogs, other than my sister, Jolie, make me nervous. The FedEx person, the Mail Person, the Doordash person, actually almost any person I don’t know makes me nervous. Once Jolie says they are Ok then I might calm down (or not). Even though Mom tells me it is all right to ‘walk away’ from the things that scare me, I still like to bark my head off. Well, the world is a terrifying place when you are 14 lbs and a foot tall. I don’t understand why Jolie is so friendly.

Did I tell you that when Mom makes her bed that scares me. Jolie on the other hand thinks it is hysterical and undoes all the work that Mom just did by rolling and knocking all the pillows off and undoing the covers.

Being out in the yard is super scary. (Let me in!!!!) I bark at the neighbor’s dogs and freak out if someone walks by. And don’t get me started on people jogging!

I guess, pretty much, unless I am in a really feisty mood, I worry about everything.
But the newest thing that Mom found I am terrified of is flies.

@iphoto.com
The other day Mom was looking all over for me and I was hiding under the bed. You see, I was so scared of that buzzing noise that I couldn’t stay in the same room with it. Mom thinks it may be because of my supersonic hearing or the fact that flies are so erratic and unpredictable and that is very unsettling to me.
Last night V had to trap a fly in a jar so that I would settle down and go to sleep (I bolted out of bed and ran away when I first heard it). That buzzing is crazy! V thinks maybe I had a bad experience with a fly (like being bitten or stung) before I came to live with my wonderful family. Don’t they understand that those horrible things appear out of nowhere and fly at you!

Underneath all this nervousness I really am brave.
Does anything scare you?
DogDaz is going on vacation until later this month. Look for some great stories of how we did on our first hotel adventure. See you soon!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: black dogs, dog fears, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, flies, insect fear, little dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, scared dog
Rescue Picture
1st Day Home
Birthdays happen so fast. Bearnard came to live with us in September 2023. They did not know his birthday. They did not know his age (maybe 2 or 3). In keeping with DogDaz tradition of giving all our rescues holiday birth dates, (because most rescues don’t actually come with real birth dates), his birthday became July 4th. BEARY is officially 3 DogDaz years old.
Jolie and Bearnard Nov ’23
2024
Jolie & Bear April 24
And we are loving every minute of him!
Kisses from Jolie for Beary’s Bday!

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: dog birthday, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog