Rightful Place

Sir Felix holding court on his throne

Order is restored!  The Pipe Spaniels are now in Rightful Place!

We did not know what Rightful Place was.  I do not lie, I did not know what "Rightful Place" even meant!  But SillyFamily tells Oscar and me that we are in Rightful Place.

Rightful Place means where you are supposed to be.  Oscar and me did not know!  We thought we were supposed to be alone having hard times.  We thought we were supposed to stay away from people like SillyFamily.  But we were wrong!  Rightful Place is with SillyFamily.

When we first came to SillyFamily we were very shy.  We did  not know this was where we were supposed to be.  We did not let SillyFamily get close...not without a fight!  But now I think it is not SillyFamily who was being silly.  I think it was the Pipe Spaniels who were being silly.

SillyFamily is awesome!  Now that Oscar and me are in Rightful Place we do not have to be scared!  We are definitely not scared of SillyFamily!  When SillyFamily walks by, we do not scurry out of the way.  When SillyFamily comes into a room we do not go to the corners or go "under".  Why would Oscar and me do that, when SillyFamily only wants to give us hugs and pets and sometimes treats?  Because we are not scared now we know that SillyFamily only wants to love us and protect us.  Before knowing about Rightful Place, we did not listen to SillyFamily, because we thought they might hurt us.  Now we know better!  Now we know to listen to SillyFamily because they want us to be happy and they do not want us to be hurt.

Rightful Place is not just one place! Sometimes
Rightful Place is on top of SillyFamily!

At first with SillyFamily we did not want to listen to go outside, or come back in.  Maybe SillyFamily was kicking us out!!  Or maybe they wanted to trap us when we came back in!  Now we now SillyFamily only lets us out because they want us to have fun and do our doggy business.  Oscar and me have learned about Poochie Bells!  Poochie Bells are on the back door.  We can bump them with our noses and SillyFamily will let us out.  We are very good with Poochie Bells!  Oscar says we should bump Poochie Bells all the time and make SillyFamily crazy!  But I told Oscar no, we will only ring Poochie Bells when it is time to go out.  SillyFamily was so proud when we learned to use Poochie Bells!  Now they do not have to guess when it is time for doggie business, or when the Pipe Spaniels want to play.

Oscar and me know coming inside is also good!  When we come inside we always get pets and snuggles, and sometimes we get treats!  Why would we be shy and not want in?  We were being silly.  Now we know about Rightful Place, we know it is safe to come inside.  When SillyFamily says it is time to come in, Oscar and I race to see who can get to the door faster.  Oscar is very fast!  But he is not as good a listener as me, so I usually win the race to the door.  Sometimes if it is MuddyWet outside, SillyFamily will wipe our feet before we go in.  We did not like that at first!  When it was MuddyWet we sometimes did not want to come in because we did not want our feet wiped!  But now we know inside is Rightful Place, and we get more pets, snuggles, and treats when our feet our wiped than other times!!

FlowerySmellingGirl says we are "almost normal dogs"!  The one thing we still will not do is go for walks on leashes.  Oscar and me are not scared of anything in SillyFamily house or yard!  But Outside is scary with many scary sounds and sniffs and people.  When we are Outside we just want to go back to SillyFamily places, and we pull and tug on leashes. SillyFamily is trying but we are still scared of walking Outside!  But we are trying to be braver than we were at first.  SmellyMan says someday soon we will be walking on leashes no problem.

Other than Outside we listen very well!  When SillyFamily tells us to stop something we are doing we stop, even though we do not know why.  Oscar and me like to WrestlePlay very hard and sometimes SillyFamily tells us to stop when we are WrestlePlay in the living room.  Why would they want us to stop?  WrestlePlay is the bestest game in the world!  Maybe SillyFamily wants to WrestlePlay too?  I do not understand SillyFamily sometimes but I know we are in Rightful Place so I listen and stop WrestlePlay when I am told.

Things are very good in Rightful Place!  There is no more "under" in Rightful Place.  Oscar and I do not go in our "under" spots any more.  Why go "under" when you can be out with SillyFamily?  That would make us Silly Pipe Spaniels.  We go wherever SillyFamily goes!  But when we are tired we have ComfySafeSpot with pillows.  Sometimes if we have played very hard we will go to ComfySafeSpot and sleep away from SillyFamily.  Otherwise we stay with SillyFamily.

The Pipe Spaniels have found Rightful Place!  If you are reading Felix's blog post I hope you too have Rightful Place, as life is so much nicer there.

Felix

Practicing Footsball with DwarfMan

It is almost that time!  I do not know what "that time" is, but SmellyMan says it is about "that time".  Evidently "that time" has something to do with the game of footsball.  SmellyMan has many red costumes with a big strange character on them, and he says "that time" means his red team is going to play games of footsball very soon.

Go Big Red!  SmellyMan says Pipe Spaniels must
say that when "that time" comes and footsball games are
played by SillyHumans.

I asked Felix what is "footsball", and he did not know.  It sounds strange, as it is hard to play ball with your foots.  It is much easier to play ball with your mouth, but SillyFamily and other humans do not seem to play ball with their mouths.  DwarfMan says he does not care much about SmellyMan's footsball.  But since "that time" is coming up, Felix and me thought maybe we should be practicing footsball with DwarfMan.

SmellyMan says there is lots of running around in footsball.  Felix and me like to run!  It is especially fun when we run in the back yard with DwarfMan.  DwarfMan only has two legs.  He is not speedy fast as are the Pipe Spaniels, but he is still fun to run with and chase.  We follow DwarfMan everywhere anyway, so playing footsball chase with him is following him around, only faster.

DwarfMan can not run away from the Pipe Spaniels, we are too fast!  But SmellyMan says there are other parts of footsball too.  He says there are silly costumes, and throwing and jumping on people.  Felix and me are very good at jumping, maybe we would be good footsball players!  But we do not have footsball costumes.

Felix and me are excited to see what footsball is like!  We are hoping when "that time" comes, that SillyFamily will play footsball with the Pipe Spaniels.

Oscar

Training of SillyFamily continues...

Oscar and me are still training SillyFamily.  It is slow going!  But SillyFamily is learning and getting better.  They are very good many times but then are frustrating at some times.  SillyFamily!  Do they not know that Oscar and me only want good things for them?  They should follow our training better.

FlowerySmellingGirl is a very clean human.  Maybe that is why she is flowery smelling, and SmellyMan is, well, smelly!  She keeps a very clean house and always seems to be cleaning.  Oscar and me are sometimes not so clean.  We are training FlowerySmellingGirl not to mind so much!  In this photo from tonight I am training FlowerySmellingGirl and DwarfMan to sit still with dirty Felix.  The training has gone very well today!  FlowerySmellingGirl and DwarfMan have sat still with me Felix for a long time, and FlowerySmellingGirl has not gotten up to clean anything.

Oscar and me are training SillyFamily about many other things.  They still do not understand Pipe Spaniel talk!  When StrangerDangers are by the yard, we will talk, but SillyFamily does not understand.  Sometimes they come out and try to make the PipeSpaniels quiet.  Does SillyFamily not understand?  Without Pipe Spaniel talking to StrangerDangers, they might have come into the yard and done bad things!  SillyFamily needs to learn that the Pipe Spaniels are only trying to protect them.

SillyFamily also does not understand why Oscar and me are so jumpy sometimes.  They think it is because we had a scary time Before, when we lived in the pipe.  This is silly!  We are the Pipe Spaniels, we are not scared of anything!  We are jumpy quick so we can protect SillyFamily from danger.  When there are loud sounds, we are jumpy quick! We look around and try to find danger, and will protect SillyFamily if danger comes.  SillyFamily often comes and gives us SweetTalk when we are jumpy.  SillyFamily...do not worry!  We are being brave pups!

I think our training of SillyFamily will take some time.  They are very strange and do not understand the Pipe Spaniels.  Do not worry about the Pipe Spaniels though!  We are training SillyFamily very good.  Even though they are very strange, we are all still very happy.  Now back to my training of FlowerySmellingGirl and DwarfMan on the couch....

Felix

SmellyMan Update - August 7th, 2014

Oscar napping in the living room

It's been over a month since I've given an update on the pups myself, and it's been 6 weeks now since we've had the boys.  What great progress we've made!  Along with some little setbacks (OK, an outright scary moment or two!!) as well....

The boys have a definite favorite, and that is Alex (aka, Dwarfman).  They continue to consistently do things for Alex that they are much more hesitant to do with Lauri (aka FlowerySmellyingGirl) or me (SmellyMan).  The cutest thing is the whimpering.  Especially when the boys are in the living room, Felix will whimper sweetly whenever Alex walks into the room.  It doesn't matter how long Alex disappears for...he can go around a corner, come right back into the room, and it's like Felix is greeting a friend who's been overseas for a year.  As soon as he sees Alex, he starts whimpering. Oscar will pick up on it too and get excited, but for Oscar,. it's not whimpering, it's almost dancing!  He'll give a playful little hop or kind of rear up on his back legs when Alex comes in.  When Alex sits, he's inundated with wet sloppy kisses.  If he doesn't satisfy the pups, he may well get more whimpering and "dancing" until the pups have had their fill. SO sweet to see Alex become such a good buddy with them.

They are also so much more friendly with Lauri and I, but alas, no pleasurable whimpering or dancing.  Lauri I'd say is the next "favorite".  Lauri's "SweetTalk" definitely goes over big with the boys, and they'll give her a lot of wet sloppy kisses as well.  Lauri is definitely the favorite sleeping buddy, although frankly, they're both awfully good sleepers with whoever happens to be around.  One of the boys favorite hangouts now is the sunroom, but only when Lauri is sitting in the rocker in the corner.  When she's in there, the boys will inevitably come and lay on the dog bed by the chair, usually playing toys while Lauri reads a book or is on her iPad.

And then there's me!  I definitely do think I'm "third favorite".  You'd think that'd be a major bummer when it's 3rd out of 3!  But it's really not, because they've come so far with me as well in the last 6 weeks.  Our old dogs used to love to both lay in the futon chair in my office, because it's right by my chair and desk where I work.  I'm very glad to say both Oscar and Felix have picked up the same habit!  I work at home on Thursdays, and typically am on my computer upstairs.  It's a nice relaxing day, with both pups usually laying on the chair by me, or playing toys in the office. I guess you can say Alex is "King" of the living room, Lauri is "Queen" of the sunroom, and I'm "King" of the office, as far as the boys are concerned.

Sleeping is no issue whatsoever now.  The boys will sleep anywhere, with whoever is handy.  At night Felix will typically jump right up, and snuggle right by your head from the very start.  Many times, if you say it's bed time, the boys will go running upstairs, and Felix will immediately jump on the bed.  By the time you brush your teeth, he's out cold on the bed.  Oscar on the other hand is sneaky-snuggly.  He'll snuggle all night long, just as well as Felix.  But it's usually not from the start.  Usually when he comes upstairs, he first goes under the bed, and it's not until the light is out that he'll jump up on the bed and snuggle.  He's also definitely the most shy when daytime comes around.  He's fine as long as you're snuggling with him on the bed, but the moment you sit up or put a foot on the floor, he often goes right under the bed for a minute or two, before following you downstairs.  All in all though..VERY snuggly and sweet sleepers who usually give us no trouble, other than sometimes getting up earlier than we may like.

Going in and out of the house also now is absolutely no problem.  When we first got them, it was a huge struggle to get them to go either in or out.  Typically you had to open the patio door, and then stay away from it and let them go in and out in "peace", without you around. That's improved every single day, and now it's absolutely no problem to get them to go in or out.  We can stand right by the door, open it a crack, and they'll walk right past you going both in or out.  It's also SO nice to be able to just go out on the back deck and call them in, and have it actually work!  It's usually Felix who comes first.  You'll call for the boys to come in, and many times Felix will stop what he's doing, and RACE up the stairs and to the door.  Oscar then typically follows.

No problems eating or drinking either.  They still like to drink from the bird fountain/bath outside, but FINALLY they will now also drink water inside the house.  All it took was for me to shut off the bird bath for a few days!  Eating they're doing great too.  We have set breakfast and supper times, and put one bowl down for each.  They know now that's "it" for food, that if they don't eat then and there, the bowls will be gone.  We did this so they'd eat on our terms, instead of just setting food out and then wondering who ate, and how much.  They of course love their snacks and treats, like any dog.  They both will generally come right up to you and take treats right from your hand, although Oscar is still pretty shy about doing so sometimes.  Sometimes he won't do it if you're standing up.  But if you sit and offer a treat, he'll come up and take it.

Play time is improving as well, from the standpoint of them being comfortable enough to play around us, and with us.  They LOVE playing toys in the living room.  Oscar continues to love to "play ball", picking up a ball, dropping it, rolling it around, and having a jolly time.  Felix will pretty much play with anything...ball..chew toy...doesn't matter.  They love playing with each other, both inside and out.

All in all, they've come a long way!  I don't want to jinx it, but I dare say that Felix pretty much seems like a completely "normal" dog.  His shyness is SO much less, he doesn't have those scared reactions, he ALWAYS wants to be around you, he's such a licky littler lover that sometimes you have to get him to back off so you don't drown in slobber...he's really come into his own with us and become a little sweetheart.  I'm assuming it's a submissive type of behavior at times, or perhaps he just wants his belly rubbed, but he does spend a lot of time on his back around us!  At night he'll often lay right by your head, on his back.  During the day when playing or when we're petting him, he'll often roll over on his back for belly pats.

Oscar is getting much better, but is by far the more shy and "jumpy" of the two. Suzy and Clay were amazed when we said at first it was Oscar who was acting "braver".  That's definitely changed.  While Felix has become very brave and almost "normal", Oscar still is much more shy.  He's much more apt to "jump" at a sound or sudden movement, and is typically much more cautious at coming up to you for pets, or for treats.  He can still be an outright sweetie, such as at night when he'll snuggle it up for the night, or when I'm on the couch with him when he'll cuddle up and fall asleep.  He's getting there, but is behind Felix.

Felix chillin' in the back yard.

I've probably made it sound like all peaches & cream, which for the most part, it has been!  But we still have a LONG ways to go in many areas.  They still do not like leashes, at all.  MAN we'd love to go for walks with these guys, but that's going to be awhile yet.  We thought we'd at least get them used to being out front and being around new people, sniff and smells, and dogs that walk by, so we thought we'd get some long tie-down leads and stake them in the front yard.  That way they're free to walk around on their own, get the "feel" for being out front and closer to other people and the street, but also get used to the "feel" of being on something that limits their movement (although they're long 30' leads).  Sounds good in theory!  Well this afternoon I put that theory to the test.  I thought I'd surprise Lauri and Alex when they got home, and I'd have both Oscar and Felix on their leads, staked in the  front yard when they drove up.  I put their harnesses on, got them out there (carrying them and hooking them up), and I was SO thrilled!  At first, anyway.  For 10 minutes, they cautiously sniffed around the front yard, they were moving around like they do in the back yard, they weren't cowering in fear, they weren't looking for an "escape".  GREAT!  Until...Felix "backed out" of his harness.

HEART.  RACING.  Given the "Great Escape" of last week where we had to chase Felix down for 2 hours, I was scared to death when I saw him shake free of his harness.  But you know what?  He didn't bolt!   He didn't run for the hills, like the Great Escape episode.  That time, handymen painting our deck left the gate open, and they got out.  This time, Oscar was still staked and calm, I was right there...and Felix didn't run when he had the chance.  Still VERY scared he was going to, but he instead just sniffed around, and stayed in the area.  Thank GOD.  I went over and opened the gate to the back yard, and thankfully, it only was a moment before he went running right through the gate and into the back.

After last week, one thing we did was put padlocks on the 2 gates.  We have neighbor kids who sometimes hit balls into our yard and go to retrieve them, and we didn't want them, or anybody else, to accidentally (or purposefully) leave our gates open.  So those gates are always locked now.  Now after today, I see I need to find a better "escape proof" harness, something a dog can't "back out" of.  At the time, Felix was on a harness from one of our old cocker spaniels, and they'd never "escaped".  Felix is a lot trimmer though and has a different body shape, and even me resizing it for him didn't seem to work.   Thank GOODNESS he now seems to know where "home" is, and he didn't bolt, but we won't be doing the out-front-on-a-stake thing again, until we find a harness system that is 100% secure.

Training overall is something where we'll have to continue doing a lot of work.  Just basic commands, ESPECIALLY a "come" command that gets them to come to you whenever you like.  We are continuing to look for a trainer who can come over and work with them, and do have a couple of names for folks in the area.  For that, and something like leash training, we were waiting until the boys had settled into things. I think they're getting to that stage where we can start taking more liberties and trying to do some basic training.

That's it for the update!  A long update to be sure, but I know there are folks who have been following their story, and would like to hear how they're doing!

SmellyMan (aka, Terry)

First Vet Visit

Alex and Felix.  Oscar is on the floor.

Zoinks!  What a strange morning!  Today started as every other day with SillyFamily.  Good sleeps and snuggles with SillyFamily during the night, playtime in the yard, and yummy breakfast.  But then Zoinks!

SmellyMan put our harnesses on after breakfast.  Why did he do that?  I did not know why harnesses were on.  Then SmellyMan and DwarfMan started acting strangely.  They are SillyFamily so they are always strange!  But this was stranger than normal!  They started going in and out of the house.  SmellyMan carried BigBlanket out of the house and then came back without it.  Where was BigBlanket?

Zoinks!  Then the silliness started!  SmellyMan picked me up.  HE PICKED ME UP!!  SmellyMan does that sometimes and I usually do not mind.  But this time SmellyMan picked me up and carried me outside!  Not GoodOutside, the backyard where Oscar and me play!  This was ScaryOutside, the front of the house where we do not play!  SmellyMan then opened the door to his ManTruck and put me in.

DwarfMan?  What are you doing in ManTruck?  DwarfMan was sitting in ManTruck, with BigBlanket.  SmellyMan put me down on BigBlanket next to DwarfMan.  I will not lie!  I was scared!  I had not been in this ManTruck!  I was shaking, but DwarfMan talked SweetTalk and calmed me down.  SmellyMan then disappeared.

When the door to ManTruck opened again, SmellyMan had Oscar! Oscar was NOT a happy PipeSpaniel!  I do not mind being picked up by SmellyMan. Oscar does not like it!  He wiggle-jiggles until he is put down.  SmellyMan had a hard time carrying Oscar to ManTruck, but Oscar too was put down next to DwarfMan.  SmellyMan then got in, and ManTruck started to move.  Where were we going?  Was it an adventure?  Oscar and I do not like adventure sometimes.  Sometimes it makes us scared.

We moved in ManTruck for a little while before it stopped. SmellyMan got out, opened the door, and he picked me up again.  PICKED ME UP!!  He carried me into BrickBuilding.  I had never seen BrickBuilding!  What was inside?  When we went in, BrickBuilding had other dogs!  And other people.  I did not mind the other dogs!  The other people were scary though, and I was shaking.  SmellyMan put me in a small room and then left.  Was he ever coming back?  Was this it?  Did Pipe Spaniels do something wrong?  Where was Oscar? Would I ever see him again?

However it was only a moment before SmellyMan came in carrying Oscar. DwarfMan was following them.  It was the four of us in the small room.  Why were we here?  Where was our cuddly pillow?  Where was FlowerySmellingGirl?  Where were toys?  Oscar and me did not know what was going on.

It wasn't long before AnimalMan came in the room.  I call him AnimalMan because he had many strange smells.  I smelled other dogs!  I smelled cats!  There were other animal smells I did not know!  What was AnimalMan going to do?  AnimalMan talked SweetTalk and seemed nice.  But Oscar and me are scared of strangers and did not know what would happen next.

AnimalMan sat on the floor with us.  He looked in ours ears.  He looked in our mouth.  He looked in our eyes.  He felt our bodies.  He listened to our hearts.  SmellyMan said he wasn't AnimalMan, he was AnimalDoctor.  Oh no!  Were Oscar or me sick?  We did not feel sick!  But if AnimalDoctor was looking at us, we must be sick!

It turns out AnimalDoctor was just there to make sure we were OK!  And we were!  AnimalDoctor said we seemed very healthy.  Good ears, good eyes, good teeth, no lumpy-bumpies, and very good hearts with no "murmurs".  I do not know what "murmur" is, but AnimalDoctor said it is very good our hearts did not have murmurs.  AnimalDoctor was very nice, and even gave us yummy treats at the end.

Oscar and me decided AnimalDoctor and rides in ManTruck may not be so bad after all!  SmellyMan said it was time to go home.  He picked Oscar up and carried him out to ManTruck, and this time, Oscar did not wiggle-jiggle.  He came back and picked me up, and Oscar, me, and DwarfMan all sat in the back of ManTruck and we went home.

It was an exciting morning!  Scary, but Oscar and me are starting to know that SillyFamily would never do anything to hurt us.  Even strange mornings like this morning do not seem quite as scary as they used to.  SmellyMan said he was going to ManDoctor after our AnimalDoctor visit.  Do not be scared SmellyMan!  If ManDoctor is like AnimalDoctor, it will not be so bad!!

Felix

Battle for Supremacy!

It is not just fun and games for Felix and me!  We have good times with SillyFamily, but we are the Pipe Spaniels!  We can not spend all day playing and sleeping and getting ear scratches.  No!

Felix and me have many serious issues, and we can not only be playing.  Sometimes we must be serious and decide important matters.  This morning Felix and me needed to decide important matters.  There is only one way for PipeSpaniels to decide important matters.  BattleWar!  It is very serious battle for supremacy...you are not PipeSpaniels and you do not understand.  Only PipeSpaniels understand serious BattleWar.

Today was as any other morning with SillyFamily.  Felix and me got SillyFamily up much earlier than I think they wanted.  That is our way!  Do not fight it, SillyFamily!  There are many fun things to do, and you can not do them sleeping in bed!  We had fun time outside and ate breakfast.  That is when things got serious.

SmellyMan put many toys out for Felix and me.  There were many toys, but there is always BestToy.  BestToy is not just one toy, BestToy changes.  BestToy is always toy that the other Pipe Spaniel has!  If Felix has a toy, I want it because it is BestToy.  If I have a toy, Felix wants it because it is BestToy.  There is only one way to solve the problem of BestToy.  BattleWar!!

BattleWar started this morning when Felix wanted BestToy.  This morning I had BestToy, and Felix wanted it.  He declared we shall have BattleWar. BattleWar is VERY serious!  We are the Pipe Spaniels!  You do not mess with Pipe Spaniels in BattleWar!! Felix says BattleWar is most serious War there is, as it decides who gets BestToy.

We are VERY mean and vicious pups in BattleWar!  We mostly wrestle and push, but when BattleWar is very serious, we will use our mouths.  We are the Pipe Spaniels!  We have very sharp teeth and are very strong!!  BattleWar is very serious matter, and it is a wonder we do not destroy each other with our powerful fighting.  Once Felix said I used my mouth too much and it even hurt!  That is when you know BattleWar is serious.

There was no winner in BattleWar this morning.  After BattleWar was over, we both decided BestToy was not BestToy after all.  Felix took a toy and I took a toy, and we both played with our own toy.  We were tired after BattleWar, and decided there was no BestToy this morning.

There will probably be BestToy again later today, and we will again go to BattleWar!  Wish Oscar luck in BattleWar!

Oscar

BUSTED - Criminal Behavior

Busted!  And so young!  Oscar and me are too young to be criminal!  But according to FlowerySmellingGirl, we now are criminal.  I did not think we were criminal.  I was just having fun...at first!  Then I got scared.  I do not think I should be criminal for being scared.  Here is what happened...

FlowerySmellingGirl and Dwarfman came home and let us outside in the yard.  We like playing in the yard, and it is a good time of day when SillyFamily comes home! There were WorkerStrangers (DANGER!!) though who had been painting the back deck.  Oscar and me do not like strangers and we kept far away!  We went to the far corner of the yard, and saw WorkerStrangers had left the gate open.

We have never been outside of the yard or house!  What fun it would be, I told Oscar!  We ran out the gate very fast.  What a big world to explore outside the gate!  There were many other houses and yards and sniffy smells!  What fun this would be in BigOutsideWorld!!

FlowerySmellingGirl did not seem to think it was fun!  She acted VERY scared and started to run for us.  She yelled for Dwarfman and he came running too.  I was still having fun!  SillyFamily wanted to play chase in BigOutsideWorld!  I was playing chase, but Oscar did not.   He is big chicken and was scared in BigOutsideWorld.  He is no good at chase!  FlowerySmellingGirl and NeighborStranger (DANGER!!) herded him back into the yard.  Chase time was over for Oscar.

But not for me Felix!  I am VERY fast!  Why are SillyPeople so slow?  They can never catch Pipe Spaniels when we are running!  I played chase and keep away, with ME being the thing keeping away!  FlowerySmellingGirl did not seem happy playing chase, she seemed very scared and upset.  Why would she be scared and upset playing chase?  It did not make sense.  FlowerySmellingGirl got on the TalkieBox and told SmellyMan to come home quickly.  Did SmellyMan want to play chase too?  What fun!

Dwarfman and NeighborStranger (DANGER!!) chased me but I am very fast!  I ran very fast and very far.  I won!  Nobody could find Felix!  I am master hider!!  More NeighborStrangers (DANGER!!) saw me and talked SweetTalk, but I was not fooled!  I did not let anyone catch me!  I saw DwarfMan and FlowerySmellingGirl many times but they did not see me.  I am too fast!  I am invisible when I am hiding good.  I may be a SuperDog!!!

The game was starting to not be fun though.  I decided the BigOutsideWorld is scary!  There are many strange sights, with many strange dogs and NeighborStrangers (DANGER!!).  I was getting very scared!  SmellyMan was now home and was riding on his bike, while DwarfMan and FlowerySmellingGirl were looking in their car.  DwarfMan saw me once but I ran very fast.  Maybe SillyFamily left the gate open on purpose!!  Maybe SillyFamily does not like Felix, and wanted to chase me away!!

Finally SmellyMan saw me from his bike.  I was very far from home!  But when SmellyMan saw me, I ran very fast!  I was like a FastRaceDog and ran straight for 3 blocks before SmellyMan could barely start after me.  Was he going to chase me away too?  SmellyMan followed fast on his bike, with FlowerySmellingGirl coming behind in her car.  HAH!  I had lost them!  Felix was tricky!  I turned a corner and went another direction.  A NeighborStranger (DANGER!) had seen me though, and pointed for SillyFamily to follow me.

Drat!  SillyFamily was still trying to chase me away!  I found a yard with a fence. The gate was open!  I went in the gate...SillyFamily would never find me there!  I was laying in the back yard of a NeighborStranger (DANGER!!) when SmellyMan saw me.  SmellyMan saw me and called my name, then he RAN very quickly to shut the gate to the NeighborStranger (DANGER!!) yard.  I have never seen SmellyMan run so fast!!  He trapped me in the yard!

Curses!  I was sure BadTimes were coming.  SuzyClay and SillyFamily do not know, but I have had bad times with SillyPeople, back Before.  Before was scary, when Oscar and me were Pipe Spaniels.  SillyFamily had chased me away, and now trapped me in the fence.  Were BadTimes coming again?

SmellyMan opened the gate and walked into the yard with me.  You will not get me without another chase, I told SmellyMan!  But SmellyMan did not want to chase.  SmellyMan sat down in the grass and talked SweetTalk to Felix.  SweetTalk?  But SillyFamily had chased me away!  SillyFamily had left the gate open!  I thought SillyFamily did not want Felix!!

This was not true!  SillyFamily still loved Felix very, very much!  I was wrong, SillyFamily was not trying to chase me away!  I let SmellyMan pick me up, and he put me in the car with FlowerySmellingGirl.  I was very tired!  I was very happy to get home and be with Oscar and SillyFamily again.

The good news is that SillyFamily loves me!  The bad news is that Oscar and me are now criminal pups!  I think I am more criminal than Oscar.  Oscar went back to SillyFamily's yard right away, while I ran and played chase.  So far it is not bad being criminal though!   SillyFamily all seemed very upset, but now it seems I am getting more pets and hugs than ever before!! It is good to be in SillyFamily.  If the gate is ever open again, I will still run!  But maybe not so far...

Felix

Hangin' with the Dwarfman

A quick note from me Oscar!  We are hanging out with Dwarfman this morning.  He left us yesterday!  He said he wanted to go fishing with SmellyMan.  SillyFamily...why go fishing when the Pipe Spaniels are home?  Playing with Pipe Spaniels is more fun than catching smelly fish.

Things are good in South Dakota!  We love Dwarfman!  We follow him everywhere.  We are tricky with SmellyMan and FlowerySmellingGirl.  We will let Dwarfman do things we will not let others in SillyFamily do.  Dwarfman can pet us and hug us whenever he wants! He is Dwarfman!  We are loving SmellyMan and FlowerySmellingGirl too.  We let them pet us and hug us but we are more shy with them.

They are bigger and are thus more scary!  Dwarfman is small and cute and innocent.  We trust him more.

Oscar

Dwarf Man not so bad!

DwarfMan is very snuggly!!

Things are not so bad in South Dakota.  Oscar and me love Suzy and Clay very much.  We miss you!  But SillyFamily is pretty OK too.

We were not sure about DwarfMan though at first.  DwarfMan was only here one day when we first got to South Dakota, and then he left!  Did he not like us?  Did he think we were ugly and stinky?  Not me, but Oscar is sometimes stinky, and he is always ugly.  Do not feel bad for him, that is his way!  DwarfMan may not have liked stinky and ugly so he may have left.

That is what I thought. But I was wrong.  Did you hear that Oscar?  That is the first time I have been wrong. You will not hear that again Oscar!! I am a very smart pup!  But DwarfMan did not leave because we were stinky and ugly.  He just had DwarfMan things to do with other DwarfPeople.  Now that he is back we have decided DwarfMan is good!  Maybe because he is Dwarf he has less bad in him than big people.  That is my idea.  I am very smart.  If SillyPeople are small they do not have room for bad.

DwarfMan likes to play games.  I like to play games!  So does Oscar!  He also likes to scratch us and hug us.  Many times DwarfMan sits on the floor in the MovingPictureBox room.  Oscar and me are VERY brave with DwarfMan when he is on the floor.  It does not matter what DwarfMan is doing, when Oscar and me come close DwarfMan stops what he is doing. We are the Pipe Spaniels!  He knows we are VERY important!  He will stop what he is doing and will hug us and pet us and scratch our chins and ears.  He is very nice.

Now that I know DwarfMan is nice, I get excited when I see him.  Whenever DwarfMan comes in the room, I start talking to him.  I like to talk to DwarfMan!  To DwarfMan it sounds like I am whimpering, but it is talking to DwarfMan.  When I WhimperTalk to DwarfMan, my bottom starts to shake back and forth.  I can not stop my bottom shaking!  I am excited to see DwarfMan and that must be why my bottom shakes.  Whenever I WhimperTalk to DwarfMan and my bottom shakes, DwarfMan gives me a hug and scratches my head.

That is very good!  DwarfMan is also a good sleeper. It does not matter who sleeps with Oscar and me.  We will sleep with all of SillyFamily.  When FlowerySmellingGirl was gone, SmellyMan sometimes let DwarfMan sleep in the big bed with us.  SmellyMan says it was so the Pipe Spaniels got used to DwarfMan, since DwarfMan had to go  when we first got to South Dakota.  SmellyMan is silly!  We do not have to get used to DwarfMan!  DwarfMan is awesome and is our friend.  Sometimes when we sleep with DwarfMan he hugs us while we sleep.  That is very good.

This is all good things in South Dakota!  We miss you very much Suzy and Clay!  But be happy because we are very happy!  We hope you are happy too!

Felix

World Cup Pup!

I am blue.  Really I am brown and white, but I am told you are blue when you are sad. That is silly because I still look brown and white, but I am sad so I must be blue. I am blue because the ball games on the MovingPictureBox are all done.  I really do not care about ball games on the MovingPictureBox, but SmellyMan was watching them and seemed to like when SillyMen kicked the ball in the big square net.

I have decided I really like SmellyMan.  It is boys week and we have had fun, even though we miss FlowerySmellingGirl. We have played in the yard and had so much fun.  We have played inside and had so much fun.  Me and Felix have been brave and have snuggled with SmellyMan while he watched the ball games on the MovingPictureBox.

I want to make SmellyMan happy.  I love him so.  SmellyMan liked ball games so I am going to learn to play ball games.  I am told the next ball games are in four years, and I want to be ready.  I am practicing ball games so I am good.  Maybe if I am good enough I can play ball games on the MovingPictureBox and make SmellyMan happy.

I do not have a black and white ball like on the MovingPictureBox so I am practicing with a blue ball.  I am getting very good.  I will pick up blue ball and carry up to the couch.  I drop the ball and then hit it with my nose.  SillyMen on the MovingPictureBox liked to hit the ball with their head so I think I must learn this.  I hit the ball with my nose and watch it fall off the couch.

It is a very exciting game!  I will see the ball fall and get excited and go down and get it again.  Then I bring it up on the couch and push it off with my nose again.  I will do this many many times until I am good enough to play ball games on the MovingPictureBox.  I have four years to practice and I will be very good.

I hope FlowerySmellingGirl likes my ball playing.  I miss her very much and hope she still loves me when she gets home.

Oscar

My tongue is too big for my mouth...

I am ugly.  I have read Felix blog where he says so.  He says my tongue is bigger than my mouth, and that I am ugly.

It is true.  My tongue is longer than my face.  I do not know my mom or dad. Felix says one was an anteater.  He says I am one part spaniel, one part anteater.  It is true, my long tongue does not lie.

It is very long when I am playing and it is hot.  It starts out in my mouth and gets longer and longer.  Felix teases me and says I will trip over my tongue.  That is not true. It is a very long tongue but I do not trip on it.

I do get dirty tongue though when I am playing hard.  The other day SmellyMan said my tongue looked like it was dipped in chocolate.  It was not chocolate, it was dirt.  When I play hard I forget about my tongue!  Maybe Felix is right and I will trip on it. I do get dirty tongue.

It is not easy being ugly.  Felix is so very handsome.  He tells me he is handsome, so it is true.  And he says I am ugly.  My tongue is very long. Also my face spots are bigger than Felix face spots, making me very ugly.  We are both brown and white, but Felix says his is a handsome brown.  I think that means I must be ugly because I am darker brown.

I do not mind being ugly. I can not help ugly!! I was born ugly, and I guess I will live as an ugly dog.  It does not bother me.  I am still very loved!  Felix says I am ugly on his blog, but he also follows me everywhere.  He plays with me and sleeps with me.

Maybe I am not so ugly after all!  SillyFamily also plays and sleeps with me.  I do not think SillyFamily would like me if I were so ugly.  Maybe Felix blog was a joke.  Maybe I am not ugly after all!

No...that is not true.  If it were true I would not have anteater tongue. I am ugly but I am happy.  I am being brave.  I am posting about my ugly, so other ugly pups know you can be happy even if you are ugly.

Hang in there ugly dogs!  SillyFamily loves both Felix and I. Maybe I am just ugly to handsome dogs like Felix.  Maybe I am handsome to humans!  SmellyMan scratches my ears and calls me a cutie.  I do not know that word, but do not think it means ugly.  If you are an ugly dog, do not talk to handsome dogs.  Find a SillyFamily and they will love you even if you are ugly.

Oscar

Boys Party!!

Artist's depiction of the Boys' party

[Felix] It is party time!  FlowerySmellingGirl said she was going to a meeting and it would be boys party.  It will be so much fun.

[Oscar] We have never had "party"!  You do not have party when you live in a pipe.

[Felix] We are boys so we must have party when it is just boys.  That is what DwarfMan has said.  Oscar do you know what to do in "party"?

[Oscar] We have never had party! You must listen Felix.  I have asked SmellyMan. SmellyMan said we must dance and listen to music and eat yummy food and have fun.

[Felix] We have had lots of yummy food since we got here.  Maybe South Dakota is always in party!!

[Oscar] Do not be silly Felix.  You can not always be in party.  Party is for special times only.

[Felix] You are right Oscar.  I am excited for even yummier food!  SmellyMan said when there is boys party you must have beer.  Did you try SmellyMan beer?

[Oscar] SmellyMan had a very special party beer last night.  It must be made from trees as it was called root beer.  When boys are in party they must drink special party root beer.  I did not try root beer...it did not smell good.

[Felix] We are just pups, maybe we are not old enough for party root beer.  I cannot wait to share party with FlowerySmellingGirl.

[Oscar] FlowerySmellingGirl will love boys party!! I too cannot wait until she joins party!  She will have fun with the Pipe Spaniels!

[SmellyMan] Ummmm...guys....the reason it's called a "boys party" is because FlowerySmellingGirl is gone for work and won't be back for a week.

[Felix] Boys party means there is no FlowerySmellingGirl?  You are funny SmellyMan, FlowerySmellingGirls loves the Pipe Spaniels very much.  She would never leave us.

[SmellyMan] I'm sorry guys, but she got on an airplane and flew a long ways away.  She won't be home for 6 days.

[Oscar] You are not kidding SmellyMan?  FlowerySmellingGirl will not be back for boys party?!?!?  You said boys party would be fun!!

[SmellyMan] We can have fun with FlowerySmellingGirl gone!  What would you boys like to do?

[Felix] It is no fun without FlowerySmellingGirl!  Boys party is no good!  FlowerySmellingGirl!!  FLOWERYSMELLINGGIRL!!  Where ARE you?   AaaaaRROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  AaaaaROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Oscar] AAAAAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[SmellyMan] Silly pups, howling will not bring FlowerySmellingGirl back.  She might read your blog though.  Do you have anything to tell her?

[Felix] Boys party is no fun without FlowerySmellingGirl!  Please come back soon!

[Oscar] Come back soon!  We love you FlowerySmellingGirl!!!

Oscar and Felix

Smellyman Update - Puppy Earmuffs and More

It is Friday! It is our day off!  We are very busy!!

The boys say they're taking the day off, and they're graciously allowing me to blog in their place today.  An update on the boys' progress, in "human" language...

Other than the great Fireworks Fiasco of July 3rd, where fireworks really spooked them and they were cowering in the bushes in the yard, it's been slow and steady progress.  We're now almost 2 weeks in. The first few days, the boys showed curiosity in us, but it was mostly suspicion.  We'd let them out in the yard, and they'd occasionally come close to you, checking you out, but rarely coming close enough for a touch.  That certainly has continually improved.  Now when you're outside with them, they will come and "check in" with you very often.  Sometimes that means just running up, stopping a foot or so away, and then resuming their play, but sometimes it means coming up for finger licks, or more and more often, for full-blown ear rubs or other contact.  What's especially encouraging (and heart-melting!)...if you let them out for a bit and then go outside, many times when they see you come out onto the deck, they'll race in at full speed and come up onto the deck to greet you, in full-bore "wiggle-butt" mode that shows they're genuinely happy to see you.

Going in and out continues to improve.  We were really worried the July 3rd incident was going to be a big setback, but it was just a temporary blip.  It's now usually not difficult at all to get the boys to come in and out when we want. They often do pause on the deck, giving a suspicious look in for a little bit before coming in, but it's nothing like before where you always waited inside with baited breath, praying they'd come in.

They're eating and drinking well, with the one continued oddity of never using inside water, and always waiting to drink from the outside bird fountain.  I now make sure I clean and fill that every day! I'm wondering what the boys will do in winter, when that fountain is put in storage!  Eating has really progressed.  At first, we had one bowl out all the time.  They would eat, but always in "private" when we weren't around.  We just wanted to establish where food was.  For the last several days, we've done it differently, now that they're more used to us.  We have separate bowls for each of them, and we have set feeding times.  We also have the bowls closer to us and the kitchen table.  Now they know when it's "chow time", and that there will likely be SillyFamily sitting at the kitchen table when they eat.  We said we'd put bowls up on the counter if they didn't eat during this time, just to teach them 1) there's a set chow time, and 2) it's OK to trust us and eat while we're close by.  However, it hasn't been an issue at all. Given our schedules, one of us is always up before the others, and at breakfast, they will come and finish all their food with someone sitting right there at the table.  It's the same at supper...they'll come and eat all their food with us sitting close by.

Inside time, during the day, is still the time when they act quite shy. We have a 2-story house with basement, but no matter which floor we're hanging out on, we're now generally gating off the other floors during the day, so they have to be on the same floor as us.  That's typically not an issue anyway.  Even though they're in shy daytime mode, they still typically want to be near us.  For example, if I leave the main and 2nd floor open and am up working in my office, they'll usually come up and hang out in the office area with me.  If we're downstairs, they'll hang out down there.  Often though, it's still in a "safe" spot, behind a chair.  That too is changing though.  Particularly if we're in the main floor living room, they'll often come out to play toys.  "DwarfMan" (Alex) has a laptop and he's often sitting on the floor with the laptop on the coffee table.  The boys will often go right up to Alex and let him pet them.  Alex has been so good and patient with them!  When they come up, he'll stop what he's doing, and then very slowly move his hands out to touch and pet them.  The boys do the same for Lauri and I, but not as much yet, not during daytime inside.  However, if you're sitting on the couch, they will come up and give you a foot lick or a quick ear rub, and now Felix a few times will come up and jump up on the couch and want to sit next to you.

However, most of our "touching" time is at night (more on that in a second!) and when they're in a "safe" spot.  I had to go back to work this week, and one thing we wanted to do was establish their daytime safe spot.  That's a doggy bed in the corner of the laundry room, a quiet spot away from the front door and windows.  We put a gate up and they have access to the laundry and mudroom areas.  It's really worked wonderfully!  No problems at all while we resumed a "normal" schedule this week. And that "safe" spot on their doggy bed is also one area where we really establish physical contact between us and the boys.

My favorite...Doggie Earmuffs!!  When you get home they're always asleep on their doggy bed.  You come in, go to the laundry room, lay down to greet them...and it's doggie earmuff time!  I stick my head right between them and give them big hugs and greet them.  Man, NOTHING warms the heart more than doggie-earmuff time!! When they're in a safe spot, be it the doggie bed or behind a chair, they will always let you hug them, give ear rubs, belly rugs, etc. as much as you want. We make sure to do this a LOT, to get them used to our contact.  The boys are probably like WHOA!!! What are you doing!?!? This is our safe spot, SillyFamily!  Stay away!!  They're initially "on edge" when you come in for contact in a safe spot, but give them one ear rub and you get a happy groan while they "lean in" to the contact.

One time we have NO anxiety issues at all...nighttime.  Hence the previous blog post on "Skips-so-Frantic" (schizophrenic) pups!  After the first 3 nights where they slept on the floor in various spots (with me with them a couple nights), the 4th night I just went and picked Felix up and put him on the bed.  They now know bed is "OK", and they certainly adapted extremely quickly to sleeping!  When we go to bed, they'll initially lay on the floor, or in Oscar's case, they'll typically go under the bed.  But after a few minutes they'll come out.  Felix will put his paws up on the bed to check things out, then jump up and settle in.  Oscar will then follow.  Once lights are out and everybody is dozing off, it's a big puppy love fest!  They will let you do ANYTHING at night...pets, ear rubs, belly rubs, playing with their paws...anything. As Suzy said happened with her and Clay, Felix will nearly always sleep high, by your head.  He's usually either curled up in a ball, often in the arms of whoever happens to be there, or is splayed out on his back.  But his head is nearly always by one of our heads.  Oscar is also often high, particularly because he always wants to be by Felix, but sometimes he's down by your feet.  The one thing you MUST be prepared for at night...slobbery licks!! Felix particularly is QUITE fond of showing his affection with licks.  Given that he's always up by your face, your face and ears are his primary targets!  It's SO sweet sleeping with the pups, but you do have to sometimes put up a "lick barrier" blanket between your face and Felix, to get him to stop licking so everybody can go back to sleep!

We've not many real "negative" issues with the boys. Lauri leaves for work very early (usually around 6), and sometimes Alex and I aren't up when she leaves.  There was one day this week where Alex and I didn't get up until about 6:45, and at some point after Lauri left, there was some poop by the front door.  They probably just weren't out long enough that morning and didn't know what to do with nobody else up yet, because otherwise they've been perfect in their house training.  The only other issue has been chewing. It really has been very minor, but there was an incident yesterday.  I heard "chewing" behind a chair in our living room, one of their favorite "safe" spots, but I saw toys sticking out and thought they were chewing on a toy.   It started to sound weird though so I went and looked, and Felix was gnawing on the back leg of the chair!  Sigh.  He carved up one edge pretty good.  There have been a few other times where we've seen the boys (usually Oscar, not Felix), go up to like the edge of the coffee table and initially "mouth" it.  We say "Leave it", what Suzy would say, and it stops immediately.  They're by that one chair so often it really surprised me that after almost 2 weeks, Felix decided it looked tasty!   Given that they're always with us, the chewing isn't a big concern, but we did order both some "bitter apple" spray and the "EQYSS McNasty" spray that we'll put on potential "chew" spots to nip it in the bud.

That's it from SmellyMan!  We now resume you to your regularly scheduled programming.  Oscar and Felix will resume their blogging tomorrow!

SmellyMan (aka, Terry)

Lord of the Strawberries

All hail Ser Felix, Lord of the Strawberries!  I am not picky.  You may call me Lord of the Strawberries or King of the Strawberries or the Strawberry Knight, it does not matter.  You may call me "Ser", "My Grace", or "My Lord".  It does not matter which.  All that matters is I rule the strawberry patch.  You must bow before me.

Oscar and I LOOOVE our yard.  We will play and play and play.  Sometimes we sniff and explore.  Sometimes we play with sticks and other things we find in the yard.  But we also like to wrestle and chase.

I am a very good wrestler.  This is a new yard and Oscar and me must decide who rules what part of the yard.  We will chase and wrestle for a long time.  Sometimes Oscar wins, and sometimes I win.  We are both very good (but I am better).  I am king of the strawberry patch.  Oscar and I have wrestled many times in the strawberry patch.  It is easier to wrestle there now.  At first the strawberries were very tall and thick.  It made it hard to wrestle.  Now the strawberries are flat, and we can wrestle much better.

SmellyMan laughs when we wrestle in his strawberries.  He says it does not matter, berry time is over.  But SmellyMan is wrong.  He is not wrong that it does not matter.  He is wrong when he says they are "his" strawberries.  We are the Pipe Spaniels!  This is our house and SmellyMan must do as we say.  It does not matter when berry time is.

I am Felix!  Lord Of the Strawberries!  I am ruler of all who cross into my strawberry patch!  Oscar and I have fought fair and square and it has been decided!!

There are still many other places yet to conquer.  Oscar is King of Under Bed and King of Behind Chair.  I will not fight him for those, he is King.  Oscar is also King of Daytime Doggy Bed.  But I am King of the Strawberries.  I am also King of the Flossy Bone.  We have fought many battles over Flossy Bone and I am the King.  Oscar does not agree and says he is King of the Flossy Bone.  But I took the Flossy Bone and hid it behind a chair upstairs.  I am King because he does not know where it is.

SmellyMan, do not reveal my secret to Oscar!  I am King of the Flossy Bone!!

Felix, Lord of the Strawberries, King of the Flossy Bone

Ode to "Under"

Felix is a stinky poet.  What is a haiku?  It is not a poem. There is no rhyming in Felix poems.  Felix says he is smart, but if he was smart his poem would rhyme.

I am a much better poet than Felix.  I am smart and know my poems must rhyme.  I have made a poem.  It is about being "under".  I like being under, and this poem will tell you why it is so good.

ODE TO "UNDER"

Is it any wonder

Why I like being "under"?

Under is safe and cozy

A place to be sleepy and dozy

A place I can bring my toys

And keep them from the other boy

Under keeps bad things away

It is a place where I'm OK

When I'm scared it calms me down

It turns my frowns upside down

Try "under", you'll like it too!

it will help when you're feeling blue

THAT is a good poem.  

Felix also likes "under", but only when I am under. When I am under, sometimes Felix joins me.  He makes bad poems but he is good at making me feel better when I am under.  Then Felix will come out from under and I will follow him.

I love Felix very much but do not tell him that.  Felix will get big head and think he is very important.

Oscar

Skips-so-Frantic Pups

Felix and I had so much fun last night!  SmellyMan said we were "Skips-so-Frantic". That is a big word but he says it means we do not act the same all the time.  This is true!  It is all part of Oscar's plan.

I am a deep-thinking pup.  I am the smart one, not Felix (yes Felix, I read your blog posts!!!).  I am thinking it is more fun to be silly, shy, crazy, sleepy, bouncy, slow, all at different times.  Why do the same thing all the time?  That is boring.  Oscar's plan is more fun.

When we came to SillyFamily, I was brave and Felix was chicken.  BAWK-BAWK-BAWK, Felix-chicken!!!  I am still brave but am acting more chicken.  This is mostly to make Felix feel better but also because it is fun to be different.  It is fun to make SillyFamily crazy with Skips-so-Frantic.

It is most fun to be Skips-so-Frantic between LightTime and DarkTime.  During LightTime we are acting not brave. SillyFamily will sometimes pet us and scratch our ears, but we act chicken and often do not let SillyFamily close.

We are not devil dogs!  We are Skips-so-Frantic!!

It is very different at DarkTime. DarkTime is time for playing and being silly!  We are very brave at night.  We sleep with SmellyMan, FlowerySmellingGirl, or DwarfMan, it does not matter which.  At DarkTime we will jump on SoftSleepingPlaces and snuggle with SillyFamily.  Felix likes to lick SillyFamily during DarkTime, and sleep by their heads.  I like to lick feet and sleep by their legs.

But we are Skips-so-Frantic pups!  We get lots of pets and snuggles at night, even though I think SillyFamily is tired when we are brave during DarkTime.  Last night SmellyMan was getting face licks.  He rolled over to pet Felix, but it was not Felix, it was me Oscar!! It was me by his head being Skips-so-Frantic and licking him.  I was pretending to be Felix because DarkTime is time for being silly.

Felix and I jumped between DwarfMan's SoftSleepingPlace and the big people's SoftSleepingPlace last night.  We also played and wrestled in the hall.  It was so much fun!

But now it is LightTime, and we are shy again.  SmellyMan wonders why we are sitting behind the chair when we were so brave and silly last night.  We are the Pipe Spaniels!! We are Skips-so-Frantic!!! SillyFamily will never understand us!!!

Oscar

A Haiku! By Felix

Oscar again says he is too tired to blog.  I am the smart one anyway so I will blog again today.

Summertime napping

Too warm to play with Oscar

He is sleepy too

I am smart and am a poet.  SmellyMan tells me this is a "Haiku".  I think that is human for "dog poet".  

Oscar and I were very lazy today.  It is hot!  South Dakota must be much hotter than where we used to live.  I told Oscar that means there will be no snow here. We did not like snow when we lived in a pipe.  South Dakota will be warm and will not have snow.  It was so warm we did not want to play outside much today.

I think it is also because Oscar thinks he looks silly on hot days.  His tongue is longer than his face, and is too big for his mouth when it is hot.  He does look silly but I do not tell him that.  I am nice. He is not as smart as me and will not read this.  You do not have to worry.

Oscar and I do like sleeping in our new house.  It is full of soft places.  When SillyFamily is watching MovingPictureBox, we will sleep on SoftFuzzyFloor.  We did not have SoftFuzzyFloor in our pipe.  Oscar is scaredy-cat and still likes to sleep behind a chair.  I am braver and will sleep in the open more than Oscar.  I am very good looking so did not run away when SmellyMan took this picture.  Maybe Oscar HideSleeps behind the chair because he is ugly.

He is not as handsome as me, but I do not tell him that.  I am nice.

Felix

It's War!!!

Close your eyes guys!  Maybe War will go away!!

Holy puppy chow!! We're at War!  Well, SillyFamily is at War, I think!  I will tell you why.  Oscar and I had a quiet day.  SillyMan left us again!  FlowerySmellingGirl was with us alone for awhile.  And when SmellyMan came back, he had DwarfMan with him.  We had not seen DwarfMan since our first day here!  It was very quiet until DwarfMan came home. DwarfMan is loud and silly!  He is a jabberbox!  But it was later when Oscar and I found out we must be in War.

We had a nice day with a lot of time outside, with SmellyMan this morning, and FlowerySmellingGirl later.  Tonight Oscar and I were doing our evening sniffs when the DarkTime started to come.  Then War started!! What have SillyFamily done to make the neighbors mad?  It started out with a little bit of noise and light, but then SkyFireBombs started going off around our house.  It was loud and bright!  I will not pretend about this, BOTH Oscar and I were very scared!  We have never been in War before!!  We did not know what to do!!

SmellyMan tried to get us inside, but we did not know if inside is safe in War.   Oscar told me we should hide in the bushes, then the WarMakingPeople would not find us.  We hid in the bushes so well that SmellyMan could not find us!  SmellyMan got FlowerySmellingGirl, and they walked around in the yard with MagicLightSticks.  They are VERY brave, to be looking for Oscar and I during War!  They must love us very much!

Oscar and I decided that even though we were scared, SillyFamily must love us and we should be nice.  We are now part of SillyFamily and must protect them.  I was ready to fight WarMakingPeople!  I barked VERY loud to scare WarMakingPeople away, and so did Oscar.  They did not stop making SkyFireBombs though.  SillyFamily finally got us inside, and we could not hear War as much.  Maybe Oscar and I hiding tricked the WarMakingPeople to go somewhere else.

It was an exciting day!  But Oscar and I do not like War, and we hope there is no War tomorrow.  If there is War, Oscar and I will hide again and trick the WarMakingPeople!  If that does not work we will bark loudly and protect Silly Family.  We are the Pipe Spaniels!!  You do not mess with our humans!!

Felix

Yard Time!!

SmellyMan left the house for a few hours today.  SmellyMan has been always been home with us so far, so it was scary to be home alone!  Felix and I showed him who was boss when he came home though!  And that is ME, brave Oscar!

SmellyMan got home and let us outside.  We love outside! There are so many sniffs and places to explore in this new yard! Felix and I thought we would teach SmellyMan not to leave us alone any more, so we did not go inside when SmellyMan wanted.  That is your fault SmellyMan!  We were mad!  SmellyMan stayed outside with us and tried to get us to go in, but we are tricky boys!  We are also MUCH quicker than SmellyMan!  It was a fun game!  Felix and I would go up the stairs and act like we were going inside, but then we'd run down the stairs into the yard and play some more.  It is fun teasing SmellyMan!

Playing in the yard is fun, but Felix is such a bother!  He likes to jump on me and wrestle.  I like wrestling too, but Felix acts like such a puppy.  I am not a puppy!  I am a big boy dog!  I played with Felix but got tired in the yard.  Felix got tired too, and we both tried to nap in the shade.  SmellyMan could not figure out why we wanted to nap outside but did not want to go inside.  We were just playing tricks!  We were so tired after playing for 3 hours that we finally let SmellyMan herd us inside.

I am the brave big boy dog out in the yard!  I am also the boss!  Because I am brave boss big boy dog, I must check in on SmellyMan very often.  I must make sure SmellyMan is not up to no good!  SmellyMan likes to sit in the grass while we play, and the best way to check on SmellyMan is to smell him and lick his fingers.  He is smelly, but he is extra smelly when he is being naughty, so I must check.  I sometimes let him scratch my ears too.  I like my ears scratched but I will not tell SmellyMan that!  Felix is not so brave.  He sometimes will go to SmellyMan for a finger lick in the yard, but that is all.  Felix is not smart!  Ear scratches are good!  But he is just a puppy and does not understand.

Felix and I were very tired after our long day in the yard.  We came and slept on the fuzzy blanket. We were so tired that we let SmellyMan lay down and rub both our ears.  Even Felix!  But we tease SmellyMan.  He thinks we love him when he scratches our ears, but when we wake up we are shy again.  Hah SmellyMan!  We are the pipe spaniels!  You will never understand us!!

Oscar