In real life I look even worse than in these pictures. My camera seems to want to color correct. I guess “lobster” isn’t deemed an appropriate color for a human.
Mommy says I have to tell everyone that she has never raised a paw to me in real life.
************************
To find out what other mischief Bitey and Toby like to get into, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside they visit the Museum of the Imagination where they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Unlike Valentine’s Day, where Toby got me a gift more suited to his tastes, for Mothers’ Day he got me a gift I could actually use.
I can still chew on the shirt if I want to.
**************************
Come with Bitey and Toby on a tour of the Museum of the Imagination as they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun in Dream Our World.
When a new delivery driver started this route, she memorized every home that had a pup and left a Milk Bone on top of each package she delivered. It didn’t take long for all the dogs dog in the neighborhood to recognize the sound of her truck and bark like crazy whenever they heard it.
Toby can hear the engine a half mile away. If we happen to be out for a walk when it is coming, he will plant himself in the middle of the road to wait for his personalized biscuit delivery. He puts on such a performance that sometimes the driver has to stop traffic to give my little monster a Milk Bone. Woe to the dog several houses away that can see my boy eating his treat and yet is too far away to get hers!
And yes, Toby will climb the steps to get to his biscuit if he gets the chance.
What can I say? I am a sucker for Milk Bones.
****************************
Would you like to see what else Bitey and Toby are up to? Then pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside the boys visit the Museum of the Imagination and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Yesterday was a day or horrors for my little guy. For the second time in a month, Toby stepped on a bee. Well, I’m presuming it was a bee. We were walking in some grass, not even near clover or other flowers, when Toby jumped and started waving his paw around. As soon as he got stung, he started vomiting and having diarrhea. I filled 6 bags full of puppy stuff before I could even get him turned around to head back home. He suffered like that for 4 – 4 1/2 before he finally fell asleep. It was not the day either of us had planned.
I stepped on one of these creatures about a year ago. Whatever the stinging thing is, it hides under the grass and gets you when you step on it. Most would say these are ground bees, but my understanding is that ground bees live underground, not that they hide in the grass.
The good news is that Toby seems to be feeling better today. He is a bit tired, and his appetite isn’t quite what it normally is, but he is much more chipper. I was just wondering if anyone knows what stinging thing might be lurking in our grass. Or, what ( if anything) can you do for a pup who is having a reaction like this. My human doctor seemed to feel that the only bee sting reaction you need to worry about his anaphylaxis. Is the same true for pups?
*****************
To find out what Toby likes to do when he is not suffering from being poisoned by nasty critters, pick up a copy of Dream Our World! Inside, Toby ad his big brother Geordie explore the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
On Tuesday I decided to trade Toby in on a skinny puppy with short fur and big eyes. Not a bad bargain.
When we got to the groomer’s, Toby figured that if he never got out of the car he wouldn’t have to get a bath. He firmly planted himself on the seat and refused to budge while I tried to tempt him with beef cubes and sweet words. The whole time I was struggling, the lady in the car beside us was laughing and laughing. She said she used to have a Cairn terrier, and he was equally stubborn. She asked if she could take a picture of Toby to send to her daughter as their pup had died several years ago and was still deeply missed by the family.
We talked for a few more minutes, and she mentioned that her Cairn’s dad was named “Robbie” and was from a town not far away. I was stunned for a moment. I asked, “Did you adopt your pup around 2006?” She said that sounded about right. Robbie was my dog’s dad too! It turned out that her dog any my Geordie were littermates!
Happy memories of brother biting.
One day the two brothers showed up at the vet’s office for checkups at the same time. These photos are of them doing their Smothers Brothers “Mom Always Liked You Best” routine. (The one doing the biting was, of course, my boy.)
**************************
If the story is not about me, then who cares?
*****************************
If you would like to see more of my boys’ adventures, then pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, my pups view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun!
For years, scientists have known that plantsemit chemicals into the soil to communicate with each other. The plants send chemical messages through fungal networks to warn other plants about threats in their environment. Plants also emit electrical signals to sense and respond to what is going on around them. That lovely scent of a freshly mown lawn? It is actually all those blades of grass and flowers releasing chemicals as a cry for help with whatever is damaging them.
For those who feel they are doing something extra ethical by not eating “something with a face” and instead eat plants, this article might be interesting.
It turns out that not only do plants use chemicals, electrical signals and fungi to signal distress, they also make sounds. While above the limits of ordinary human hearing, the sounds plants make can be heard by insects and animals.
Last week we had an island of sunny dryness in an otherwise cold and rainy fortnight. Everyone in town cut their lawns at the same time. Imagine the disturbance in the Force that day. For those with ears to hear, the clicking-screams must have been deafening.
Like I care. I’m going to keep eating grass whenever I want!
I think Toby’s biggest complaint about the Great Mow Day was that all the tall grass clumps he chooses for #1 were gone at the same time. It was so hard to decide where to go.
************************************
*
Feel like celebrating something galactic for May the Fourth? Then why not add an Alien Hand ASL pillow to your decor! The pistachio green hand forms the American Sign Language sign for “I love you”. This pillow would make a great gift for someone you think is “out of this world”!
Don’t worry, it’s not till July, but you should get your tickets early.
I wanna be a ball retriever!
***************************
If you would like a picture of your beast and his/her favorite tennis ball, then visit the Pet Portrait Page at L Bowman Studios for information on sizes and pricing. Trust me, you can never have too many pictures of your fur babies!
A friend who lives in a different part of the country said she had never heard of onion grass. I thought I would take some pictures of mine to show her what it looks like. Of course I took stinky monster with.
This is onion grass. It is kind of like chives. It inconveniently grows in the middle of lawns, and when you mow, the whole neighborhood smells like an Italian restaurant.
The roots are deeper than you might think, so it’s not easy to pull them out.
As soon as Toby noticed that I was getting rid of the onions, he wanted to help. He would dig around the roots, then try to pull them out with his teeth. What was funny was that he really didn’t like the taste or the smell of the grass. He would snort and sneeze each time he did it.
Mom, are you digging something? Then I want to dig too. Achoo!
No matter where I sat, he had to come right up next to me to dig. He covered me with dirt and filled my boots – but not in a good way.
Not my image.
My mom tells stories of when she was little, and her family bought milk from a nearby farm. She could always tell when the cows got into the onion grass because their milk tasted like onion. I can’t imagine how horrible that must have been with oatmeal.
******************
Come join my boys at the Museum of the Imagination in Dream Our World. Inside, they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
I recently got a new garden tool. After using it a few times, I am not sure it can compete with my old one.
First, I try to pull a weed. / Toby is off in his own world.
Then he he stops in order to see what I am doing.
First the left paw…
Then the right…
Then get out of the way, mom, it’s Toby’s turn to work!
What was so interesting about this experience was that Toby watched which weeds I was digging up, then he sought them out and removed them himself. I don’t know if he meant to be helpful or if he thought he was depriving me of the fun of clearing ground, but it sure was great having him around!
I’m a good digger. I know it.
****************************
Would you like to immortalize your own little digger? Then consider having his or her portrait done! Information on sizes and pricing is available on the Pet Portrait page at L Bowman Studios.
The Adventures of Bitey Dog 