Feline Friday - Nin is so loud

Nin's meowing is so loud that when I am standing outside in the driveway or front lawn, I can hear him!

Nin resting after all that meowing

Phody and his addiction and answers to questions

Zaphod has become a fetch-o-holic. As soon as it looks like we are going to go outside this is what he does:

Lady, we are forgetting something

I know the ball is in here. Let's get it. 

Because he is spoiled, the ball goes out with us almost every time we go. The only exceptions are walk time (which he knows because he goes on leash) and if we are going to the beach and sometimes with the Man.  I, the Lady, am too soft and takes it with them, even in the dark.

What is good about Phody, is even with the ball he will go and do his business.  With the me he is getting to play ball 4 or 5 times per day. All this extra exercise has him losing a little too much weight, so we have had to increase his food consumption!

Answers to some questions that have shown up in our comments:

We live in rural Quebec, Canada. We live just north of Canada's Capital Ottawa in the Gatineau Hills (if you want to look on a map we are about 30 km or 18 miles north of the city).
We have 2 acres of land.
We have lived here since August 2012.
We are very lucky that the dogs can eat that close. Phody does need to watch Hailey because she is always done first and does try and steal his food. If, on rare occasion, he steps away or lifts his head up, she will get in it and the gentleman that Phody is will just stand their with sad eyes.

Have as great a day you can because it is Thursday (I do not like a Thursday)!

Wordless Wednesday - Feeding Time

Gardening

We spent some time on Saturday helping our Lady in the garden while the man was trying to fix the lawn mower. Our Lady does not have a green thumb, but she is going to try this out. We think with our help she will do great.

We thought we would give you a tour of our backyard. We don't go there much. The pictures of us playing outside are usually in the front yard.

 Here is Lee checking out the hill behind garden. The Lady has planted 2 tomatoes, 2 strawberries, 2 cabbages and 2 red peppers. This will probably be it for this year. We want to see if she can keep those alive!

Here is the back of the house. The people are so excited that they will be staining that 69 foot deck soon. The part that is wider is off the dining room.

Note: The picture from Sunday's post was taken just after this one. Phody was so happy because he and Hailey got to wrestle and he thinks he won.

Our house has 2 garages. There is one to the side of the house and this one in the basement. If you look at the picture above this is between the 2 pillars on the far right of the shot. It is also messy. There are empty boxes from our move, the Christmas decorations, the patio furniture, which the people don't want to put up until they get the staining done and the wood for our fireplace (this enters on to the living room too so good location for the wood!)

This is some of the trees behind our place.  You can see the hill is steep and why we don't play back here as much. 

If you are standing behind the house facing it this is on the right. it is the septic field. Our Lady has done a great job at growing dandelions here! Here dream is to put a low maintenance flower garden here eventually. She may pick up a few plants to get this started as the spring goes on. 

You can see our Man's car peaking out on the left. He was parked in the driveway, hoping it would rains and clean his car!

 This is to the left of the house. Here Phod is looking to see if the grass the Man planted has started to grow. We aren't allowed to play on this right now.

Thanks for coming on our tour with us! Have a great day. 

A little bit of Mischief for Monday

While we have been relatively good this past week (we are just waiting for Emma to come on Saturday, then the mischief will begin), we have had a few moments of it (but none of it was us)!

The birds continue to cause mischief by pooping on Hailey's head. She was pooped on 2 times last week!

Goldby- our resident groundhog - caused mischief by moving in between our house and the neighbours house. There are 3 dogs who would love to get to know him better.

Otto von Bismark - our local otter - caused mischief by not letting Zaphod catch him when we went for a swim. 

Lady cause mischief by playing ball with Phod when it was dark and they kept losing the ball.

PS find out tomorrow why Zaphod was so happy yesterday!

Black and White Sunday - Zaphod

Nin and the Dogs

Picture taken March 2010 - Gemini, Loki (both who are at the rainbow bridge) and Nin

The above picture is not a posed picture, it is how they were all lying on the couch. Nin has always been the more tolerant cat with the dogs. Baggy HATED Loki and lived in the basement when he was alive. [In fairness Loki always tried to chase him and hump him. Baggy has become more tolerant of the dogs as the years have gone by].

Nin has always looked for ways to get along with the dogs, even if he has always been humped by them. First it was Loki who humped him (in fairness Loki would have humped anything - he was a really humpy dog - which makes us really laugh as he ended up with hepatitis). When Loki died Gemi started humping him (Gemi was nasty and violent and it was disturbing), and when Gemi died Hailey took over the job. 

It is usually after a humping that Lee will play with him as shown in yesterday's post. We don't worry about Nin clawing eyes out because he doesn't have front claws. Yes Blogville, we are the evil people who had our cats declawed. It wasn't our plan to do this. We tried everything we could think of (it was 17 years ago, we didn't have the internet to help us) and Nin continued to scratch everything. He scratched the couch down to the wood. He scratched the carpet. He would scratch your bag if you left it on the floor. My favourite - he would scratch the mirror (that is a horrible sound by the way). 

After he had destroyed everything but the scratching post, we talked to our vet and decided declawing was the only way to go. Because we were declawing him, we also declawed Baggy (who was not such a scratcher). I would like to say that declawing never stopped Nin from scratching. Up until old age caught up with him, he scratched and scratched and scratched. The day after he was declawed, he was scratching (and then he would look at his paw like "this isn't right" and scratch some more). He clear is/was an obsessive scratcher. So he is a clawless obsessive scratcher. 

Nin's obsessive behaviour has been a blessing in some ways, because it forced us to get him declawed. Because he is declawed we have to worry less about him and the dogs. So it has all worked out and they have lived together fairly peacefully for 13 years. 

Have a great Saturday!

Feline Friday - Playing with Nin

As long as she is gentle, Lee is allowed to play with Nin. At almost 18 years of age, he will tolerate her for a few minutes before taking off! Here are some pictures of them playing (taken from the stairs looking into the living room)

As you can see Nin doesn't love this!

PS: Thank you all for your comments on the bathroom. Most people like the green but I really only like blue, so anything that is not blue I don't love!

Happy Friday!

The New Bedtime Routine and a Tour of our Bathroom

Our Lady has created a new bedtime routine for us that goes something like this.

First she gets all the tools ready.

"You are gonna do this again?"

Next she brushes our teeth.

You don't really want to do this Lady and you don't need to sing that silly song while you do it.

Then it is brush time and time for our tick check.

Phod: "My favourite part."

Because Hailey is terrified of the metal brush we have to use the kong brush on her.
 It works but it doesn't capture the hair so the floor ends up looking like this.

She does this all in the bathroom so we will give you a tour of our bathroom. It is something like 14 feet by 14 feet in size. It is huge. It is bigger then Lady and Man's bedroom at the old house.

Here is the vanity. If you look behind the towels you will see where she keeps our toothbrushes and toothpaste.

With her back to the far corner of the vanity you can see the shower stall and the tub.

This is the view from the shower stall. The toilet is way over there. 

Just for some perspective here is a shot from the door (which is beside the vanity).

The young man who built the house dreamed of putting seating and a fireplace in the middle of the bathroom like a spa. Our Lady and Man don't know if they will do that. They like the space for grooming us. When our people are in the bathroom we tend to lay on the mats by the shower or tub and wait for them. When the Lady and Man's friends use the bathroom for the first time they always make comments like "that is unnecessarily large" or their favourite "I felt lonely in there." 

Our Lady didn't like the green wall at first when they moved in. But since Man won't let her paint since she turned us yellow that time she painted, she has learned to live with it. In a few years it will need to be painted with everything else and then she will make it blue.

Have a great day everyone! 

Wordless Wednesday - Blast from the past - First picture we took of Hailey

Freakin' Lady Out

Good morning Blogville.

After a no mischief week we freaked our Lady out even more by having the perfect walk. We walked loose leash almost the entire 3 km. We pulled 2 times. Once when Lady kicked a rock and it scared us and Hailey pulled a little when she realized the car that was driving by was the Man.  We didn't pull even though there were fresh deer tracks. We didn't pull when the bicycle went by. Our Lady was able to walk us in one hand. This has NEVER happened before.

Maybe we have changed or maybe we are plotting for something big!

Have a good day!

Mischief-less Monday

Too cute to be mischief

We have left our Lady speechless - for the first time in almost 3 years, we have had a nearly mischief free week.

The only mischief this week was caused by the black flies (poor Lady has some crazy bites) and a little by the weather (it shouldn't rain on a long weekend). Also, someone, it could be any of us, peed on one of the dog beds (but that is because the Man was very late getting home and we really had to go, so hardly mischief at all).

Lady thinks this is because we went to camp last week and are now afraid we will be left at a place like that. We think it is just because she finally entertained us enough.

We will have to pick up our game for next week. Lady says another boring week like last and she won't have anything to blog about!

Happy Monday!

PS: Lady's pictures from yesterday show up the right way on her computer (when she went to rotate them) and on the blog on her phone. She doesn't understand.

Just relaxing - thinking about what mischief to cause next

More Long Weekend Activities

Waiting for more BBQ! 

Dear Blogville. Our Lady can't figure out why the pictures she took are suddenly going on their sides on the Blog. She also can't figure out how to turn them. [She is helpless sometimes]. We would like to help her but we have outside things to be doing, and Hailey needs to be itching her black fly bites (she and the Lady are covered). So please forgive us. We hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Having a fire - pass the marshmellows please

Long Weekend Activities - Relaxing

After a bbq of steak, great game of fetch, a swim and a visit to the neighbours, it is time to relax!

Feline Friday - Long Weekend Activities

Hi all,

It is Victoria Day weekend in Canada. This is a celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday. So for the weekend we will share some of our long weekend activities!

Today is synchronized eating:

For those who don't have a long weekend:

PS: The cats use to sleep with us too but Cinder was too annoying so they got tossed out. Zaphod would be welcome on the bed, but he prefers the floor and since Lee takes up enough room we don't encourage him.

Where do you sleep?

Hailey sleeps on the bed, usually curled up against one of our legs.

It is too early in the morning for Lady to figure out how to turn this picture.

Zaphod sleeps on his bed at the end of the bed or on the floor.

Where do you sleep?

Wordless Wednesday - My Wolf

Hailey's Annual Checkup - by Lady and Lee

Waiting in the waiting room of OVH

Lee: Dear Blogville, if sending me away for 2 days was not enough torture, Lady thought first full day at home should have a trip to the vet in it.

Lady: I am sorry Hailey, but you were due for your checkup and we needed your heart worm and tick treatment.

Lee: I would rather get the bugs then go there. It was horrible.

Lady: I know you were a little nervous, but you did the best job ever at the vet, I am so proud of you.

Lee: I was afraid if I was bad you would leave me forever. Sunday night to make sure you didn't sneak out of bed and leave me I laid on your legs all night. Did you notice?

Lady: Yes I did. I know that going to camp was a little stressful, but I know that you had a good time. Now, let's get back to your checkup. You had lost a little weight but are "perfect" at 35 lbs. I am happy that I am feeding you the right amount and you are getting enough exercise.

Lee: I look great! People in the waiting room commented on how pretty I am . . . .

Lady:  You are very pretty and you were too busy eating cookies to even notice you were getting a shot.

Lee: I got a shot? Really? I think you are making that up. Let's not talk about what the vet did after he gave me all those treats. It was horrible.

Lady: I know your rectal exam was not pleasant, but you have been licking yourself a lot and I wanted Woody to check to make sure everything was ok. You don't have any physical problems, your glands are small, so while it could be some sort of food allergy, it is more likely obsessive licking.

Lee: If you humans could lick yourself you would understand.

Lady: O Hailey! Overall you got a clean bill of health and we got sent home with your and Phody's Revolution. Usually, Woody says to start it June 1, but because of where we live and the number of ticks he has seen already this year, we started it today. We will also be doing a daily tick inspection. Hopefully I can pair that with your teeth brushing and create a routine for you.

Lee: I am ok if you don't. I don't care if it is healthy.

Lady: Well, since my goal is to make sure you live until 10 Hailey, these are the things I am going to do.

Lee: I just want to know one thing, why didn't Phody have to be tortured too?

Lady: He will be, he is due for his check up in the summer. I don't think I can handle you both at the vet!

PS: The weather is silly here. Last week it was over 20C and yesterday we had some snow. This morning it is very frosty. We want nice weather!

Happy and Sad - We Remember - by the Lady

I have found in my life that there are many days that signify both good and bad things in my life. Today is one of these.

May 12, 2005: This signifies the day I defended my Master's thesis and escaped a toxic thesis adviser, and more importantly, Gemi's Adoption Day. She was a gift from the Man for finishing my Master's. 

May 12, 2010: This is the day Loki died. 

So today we remember the joy of bringing a new puppy home and the pain of saying goodbye.

Gemi, Aunt C, Loki and Lady enjoying a sunset at Grammie and the Big Guy's

We are back!

Hi everyone,

Aunt C thanks you all for the birthday and wedding wishes.

We had a great horrible time at camp. All we got to do was play and watch TV in our suite. It was just awful. We were all very tired when we got home and we had a big nap.  We will catch up with all of you tomorrow.

In the mean time, apparently people love weddings, so my Lady says we should share some pictures of that. Plus it is funny to feature our Aunt C and new Uncle D's wedding on a dog blog. Teehee!

Our Grammie the traitor holding a dog in the hair salon

Lady's cousin Jake walking Grammie 

Aunt C and the Big guy going for a walk

The Lady and Man. They clean up ok.

Aunt C and Uncle D. It looks like they are happy.

Feline Friday - Party Time

Baggy: "Man make sure they have a windowless cell and only get gruel."

Dear Blogville,

First, Happy Birthday to my Aunt C. She loves me Baggy the most of all the animals in this house, even if I bite her nose.

Secondly, the real party starts later this morning when Man, Lady and those stupid dogs leave. The dogs are going to jail (where I have been saying they need to go for decades), while the Lady and Man are busy with  Aunt C and soon to be Uncle D's wedding which is tomorrow.  

As I am independent man, I get to be in charge of the house while the dogs are gone.   For that time   I get to do whatever I want when I want [Editors note: This isn't really different than when we are here] and won't get sniffed by those stupid dogs. 

Aunt C, soon to be Uncle D and Lee sharing a kiss

Lady is concerned about boarding the dogs. In the 13 and a half years she has ruined my life by having dogs she has never had to board them. People would always take them or come and stay with us. This was necessary for the evilest of the dogs, Loki, who couldn't be vaccinated and therefore couldn't be boarded. But now, she has bad dogs, and the people who would likely take them are all going to the wedding, so they are going to jail. I say good on them. Lady figures Lee will be completely freaked out next week and destroy things. I say, oh well, maybe you could just leave her there.

At any rate, Lady wants me to let you all know that she will write about jail and the wedding on Sunday or Monday. She will be busy and not be blogging.  She won't tell me the computer password. She says that she needs to monitor me on the computer. 

I say, Happy Birthday Aunt C and Congratulations Aunt C and soon to be Uncle D  I think it is great that for your birthday/wedding you gave me the gift of being dog free. 

Love a very happy king of the house Baggy

Thursday - How to be happy- Sun Puddle

People would be happier if they enjoyed the Sun Puddles more.

All four were in the puddles until I got the camera and then Nin got out!

My new favourite picture of my Hailey Bug

Note about Hailey and hoarding her toys: Hailey rarely plays with toys and she doesn't usually hoard them. However, when Emma was here and she and Phod were playing with all the toys, Lee became a little protective!

Wordless Wednesday - Jealous Hailey - "They are mine"

Swimming and more mischief

Spring is finally here and even though the people think the water is ice cold, we pups are ready to play.

Video 1: Phody swimming.

You will hear Man say "Oh Hailey" that is because she had a big poop right on the middle of our little beach.

Video 2: Lee playing her fun game of steal the stick. This is as deep as she has ever gone into the lake. Our Lady and Man wonder if she will start to swim this year.

Now for our Monday Mischief:

It was suggested we weren't mischievous enough in our post yesterday so this is what we did on Monday.

Man left the bathroom door open so we took out the garbage.
When Lady got home Lee ran into the garage and peed on the floor.
When Lady had us out front doing our business, the horses started to run so Phod took off after them. He went down our street.  Lee thought about it, and had the tie out on, but was not attached to anything and she just stopped at the driveway.
Uncle Chris caused mischief by texting Lady that she forgot to give him Emma's leash and harness when he picked her up. Lady pointed out it was really him who forgot to take it.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Mischief Monday - Another week of lots of mischief

Last week we had a lot of mischief again.

Here is some of it:

Emma: "I am too cute to be so much trouble."

Emma caused mischief by having  one accident every day she was here. This was better than her last visit but she still doesn't ask to go out. She will look Lady or Man square in the eye and then pee or poop on the floor. She is gone now and Lady has some ideas for the 2 months she lives with us over the summer.

Emma caused more mischief by taking one of Phod's rope toys apart and Lady caused mischief by throwing it out.

Emma caused more mischief by sneaking into the cat room to eat their food and poop.

Lady caused mischief by getting a stupid idea that we should be outside a lot on the weekend. She kept taking us out. We went on tie outs a lot. We were so tired we couldn't even get into trouble on Sunday.

The mosquitoes caused mischief by biting Lee a lot.

Lee caused mischief when she wandered off and didn't come right back when Man was working on off leash training.

The horses caused mischief by standing at the fence when we walked down to the lake. When we barked and charged at them, one of them kicked at us!


So it was another mischief week.

Hailey will miss Emma because she causes the most mischief! Not to worry, Emma is coming back May 31st and is with us until early August as Uncle Chris is on exercises for the military.

The video

Hi Blogville,

It was so, so nice yesterday we didn't get in front of the computer at all! We were outside playing. We will talk about that later.

Here is our video of Baggy on his walk.

Feline Friday - Baggy Going for a walk

The Man got this brilliant idea to put our 18 year old indoor cat out on leash on the weekend. Here is what happened!

Lady will try and fix the video later.

He did try to go right back inside.

It was funny.

Baggy would prefer to stay inside!

Also, we are sorry we didn't get to visit everyone yesterday. Our Lady was a traitor and instead of coming home after work went to Aunt C's to meet our cousins. She says they are delightful, even if they don't photograph well!

Princess Panda

Lupul grabbing a treat

A note about our yard: We live on 2 acres. The video was taken at the front and shows the open part on the grass at the front and side. The rest is mostly treed.

Happy Friday!

Frisbee Time

First about walking 3 dogs:
Lady usually has Lee in the left and Phod and Emma in the right, however she couldn't do that and take a picture if we were all in one hand so for picture purposes she put us in one. Walking 3 is different and we tend to go short distances (like 2.5 km instead of over 3). As for what happens when we decide to go different ways, which happens about 1x a walk, it includes a lot of swearing, tugging and calling our names. We haven't managed to pull her over yet. For the most part we aren't bad walkers.

Frisbee:
Cause it was so nice we are playing  outside a lot more. This also helps make up for the fact our walks are shorter.

Here is the video Lady wanted to share on the weekend and finally figured out how to get it off her camera!

Wordless Wednesday - Walk from Lady's view