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
You may not be able to tell, but we are bored. Mommy works too much and we always have to ‘hang out.’ We want to play more, run more, eat more, do more things, but nooooooo. We have to wait. Life as a dog can be very boring.
But we forget all about being bored when Mom finally takes us for a walk.
Now that is fun! We love to walk.
Have a wonderful walking Wednesday.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog, Dog People, dog rescue, Dog Walk, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pets, shih tzu
Our day starts like any other, with me, Mini Cooper, and BEARnard, rolling on the floor waiting for breakfast.
Then Beary and I get to spend some time in the sun.
We spend a good amount of time looking out the windows so we can bark at squirrels and other intruders.
We like to go on our daily walks, no matter what the weather.
We spend time waiting for Mom to return from wherever she goes.
We like to be together and cuddle and talk with each other.
Mom likes to read with us on her lap and to look out the window and watch the world go by, just like we do.
And we spend most of our time sleeping the day away in Mom’s office.
We love our life and we are sooooo grateful that we get to spend our days this way.
How do you spend your days? – Always, Jolie
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: cat blog, dog, dog blog, DogDaz, Gratitude, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pet blog, shih tzu mix, Thankful Thursday
We got hair/fur cuts. Aren’t we gorgeous?
This is my glamour pose
BEARnard is such a manly man. He could be a centerfold in a magazine.
Mom says we are the cutest team in the world and loves how we help her in the office. Bearnard can be pretty silly at times (but of course I am the perfect lady).
Do you like getting your hairs done? We like it when it is over.
Have a fantastic Friday – Jolie the Magnificant
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog grooming, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, grooming, little dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu mix
Bearnard here – I can tell you that I am not used to snow days. Actually, I don’t think I ever saw the white stuff before. Being Littles, the snow is right up to our bellies. And worse than the snow on the ground was the Arctic freeze. Mom would not let us outside without our sweaters on because it was -9 degrees with the wind chill and she was afraid that we would become pupsicles. The snow was wet and stuck to Jolie’s hair in clumps. Lucky me, my fur is thick and resilient.
What a week of snow and ice it was, but then it changed to 75 degrees and foggy. I am happy that we were able to go for long walks in the grass again, even though there were still some snow banks left over from the days before. Now everything is wet and muddy (including our bellies), but puddles are fun for me. Sadly, Jolie hates the rain and the puddles because of her burned paws, but she does it.
Mom says this weather reminds her of some science fiction books where planets have such varying temperatures between night and day that the humans have to be prepared to freeze when the sun(s) go down and roast when the sun(s) rise. I do hope we don’t get to that point. Was it too cold to play outside by you, too? – Your friend, BearBear
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
V took that great picture of the bluebird and the squirrel tail by the feeder. Those critters sure did eat a lot during the storm days.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Mischief Monday, papillon mix, Pet, pets, shih tzu mix
Mom says I am the Queen of Begging. Especially when there is really really really good-smelling stuff to beg for.
Can you find me trying to sneak onto the table? (pic by K8 – thx)
My Aunt B asked Mom why every picture of us looked like we were asking for food? That’s because we always are.
We hope you got all the turkey and fixings of your dreams. Now Mom is getting ready for the next holiday cook – potato latkes!
Did you know that Mom has a food blog? lorianskitchen.com You can find many of her gluten-free, dairy-free, and occasionally vegan recipes there (Peanut was vegan for 6 years but now is Pescatarian). Why doesn’t Mom have her dog food recipes there? We want to know!
– Jolie Olie the Queen of Begging (don’t tell Noel because she is the Queen of Everything).
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: begging, Blog, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, Food, lorian lipton, LoriansKitchen, papillon mix, Pet, pets, shih tzu mix, Thanksgiving
Mom wasn’t ready to put the gorilla away, so he became a pilgrim for Thanksgiving. Wishing everyone a wonderful turkey time. This time of year is when we need to really think about those things that we are thankful for and let the people we care about know that we care about them.
We are thankful for all of you!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, papillon mix, pet blog, shih tzu mix, Thanksgiving
DogDaz Zoo 