Moving mountains for mutts…

April 29, 2009 by Toby

What do gay marriage proponents and mutts have in common?    Both want equal rights for all!  A frontpage SF Gate article announced that the AKC is finally allowing mutts in their competitions, but under segregated conditions.   Click here.  The real reason for this decision is because if I were to compete, I would win the appearance, agility, and speed categories hands down.  The purebred owners who have spent big bucks on training and grooming would be howling in frustration and disbelief, causing pandemonium among their beautified and Botoxed dogs.

From the comments that people have posted, I’m glad that there is a lot of love out there for us mutts.   And seriously, what real dog wants to spend its life competing with other snobby dogs?  One person went so far as to call AKC buyers “purebred zealots”.  Either way, I think this is a huge step forward by bringing attention and recognition to mutts.  We have equal abilities and are not second-class canine citizens.  And who knows, the next dog you get at the shelter can be the next champion mutt!

Doggie play on San Jose

April 27, 2009 by Toby

Late Sunday afternoon.  My doggie friends came to hang with me in the ‘hood.   Mom went to pick up Dennis and Alva while I stayed to play with Bruiser.   We got along great and chased each other for a bit under Auntie Helen’s supervision, but soon got into a major fight.  Dad heard the commotion and opened the door in time to see Auntie Helen get knocked down.  Grandpa jumped out of the cottage to help separate us.  Each of us, including Aunt Helen, wound up with some scratches and wounds by the time Mom got back.

So the three of us headed to the park over the freeway.  We crossed the overpass and walked down this zigzagged, graffiti covered path to the park.  A family was having a picnic there, so we went to the other end of the field.  I was on a long leash.  Bruiser got under my skin, rubbing it in my face that he was off the leash, so I took a lunge at him.  That’s when the mayhem began again!  We were growling and snarling loudly and probably scared the little kids at the park.  If we weren’t attached to our leashes, I would’ve pulled a Mike Tyson on him.  I hear dog ears are more delicous than human ones. 

Later, the big people went grocery shopping for dinner.  They separated all of us: me in the cottage, Alva in the yard, and Bruiser in the house.  Bruiser’s dad then came to pick him up a little early.

Alva and I got along like angels in the house.  Er…that’s after we got scolded a couple times for trying to chase each other inside.  But hey!  Who can resist??   I can’t help being the life of the party.  We mellowed out pretty quickly; I think both of us were pooped (no pun intended).  Alva’s an old dog whose company I don’t mind, but whenever Mom or anyone comes to pet me, Alva shoves his face in between us and starts licking that person’s face.  He’s such an attention hog.   I continued my angel-like behavior and ignored it.

After dinner came the photo ops.  We canines were excellent models.  I’m the only young good looking one, though.  Alva’s old, greying and has a big, knobby head.

While the big folks were watching a Mike Tyson documentary, we went to sleep.  Ahhhh…. I wish these fun filled days would never end!

Paradise in Santa Monica

March 29, 2009 by Toby

I’m in LA with Mom and we’ve been here for a week.  We met a nice lady named Jai who invited us to her apartment courtyard for a playdate with her dog.  Finally, I can run free in Santa Monica!  The dog park here started checking dog tags and only allowing SM dogs to play there.  But it’s ok, we love the long walks and plenty of landscaping for me to do my business. 

Dad arrived yesterday.  More to be updated later…

Playdate with Bruiser

March 15, 2009 by Toby

The weather was overcast in San Francisco, but every day is a sunny day when I have a playmate!   The last time I saw Bruiser he was a little puppy.  Now he’s a rambunctious teenager.  When Auntie Helen first brought him over, we got into a bit of a mish mash, growling and barking, until we were separated.  It was time to leave the house!

The humans spent a long time trying to get Bruiser in his harness.  Not sure if they put it on right, but we headed out anyway.  The weather was cold and drizzly, but we had a blast.  When we got back, we hung out in the house for more play.  We were confined to the kitchen and I REALLY wanted to go into the yard.  But then I got distracted doing tricks for treats.  Mom and Dad were impressed at how well-behaved I was.  I came when called, even when Bruiser was boxing me. 

Sad Story for a Dog

March 14, 2009 by Toby

Walks in Dad’s neighborhood are usually short and sweet, long enough for me to get my business done.  Today during our morning walk, a white dog that looked like a husky ran across the street, without its leash or owner, and started jumping around to play with me.  I had fun at first, but then Mom tied me to a pole to try and reach for the dog.  The dog jumped away.  Then the owner came running across the street. 

His first attempts at catching the dog were futile.  Then he tried grabbing the dog and collar.  He got ahold of the dog, which started twisting violently.  The dog got aggressive and bit the owner’s hand, leaving an inch long gash.  Mom asked the owner if he had a leash.  He went across the street. 

The dog starting humping me.  I did NOT like that at all.  Mom saw the situation was going from bad to worse.  So she untied me, dragged me across the street while the dog was humping me, and went to the open front door of the nearest house, which she assumed belonged to the owner.  The dog followed.  She called the owner but he wasn’t there.  Then the owner came out.  He didn’t seem to help at all, so Mom got the dog inside and closed the door.  Then she knocked on the door again to see if the owner was ok.  She told him that the dog should NOT be biting people and he should be taken to Animal Control.   He was like ok ok, and closed the door.  Then she called Animal Control to report the incident. 

She was concerned that:
1) A dog that bites people was not properly contained
2) The dog may not have had his shots (the owner seemed irresponsible)

Forty-five minutes later, Animal Control calls Mom and tells her that the owner came to turn the dog in.  She was relieved to know that he did the responsible thing.  Now maybe the dog will be evaulated, properly trained, and find a more experienced owner.

Later that day, Mom and Dad stopped by Animal Control to get me a new license.   She asked about the dog.  It turns out that the owner had the dog put down!  Or as Uncle Paul says, sent to the “farm”.  The poor dog probably had very little training.  Turns out he was an Akita, not a husky.   That breed requires experience and committment.  The report says the dog bit the owner and a dog.  Mom talked to the Animal Control person, who said it was pretty bad for the dog to even bite his owner, especially at such a young age.  The Akita was a year old and not neutered. 

People should NOT be adopting dogs unless they know what they are getting into.  The dog was beautiful, which is what probably attracted the owner to him.  I hope the dog is happy on the farm.  :(

Mom and Dad are home!

February 15, 2009 by Toby

Today Mom and Dad got back from Vietnam.  Boy, I had  rough 3 weeks while they were away.  Immediately after the left, I started having diahrrea.  It lasted at week.  The vet told Grandpa to put me on a diet of chicken and rice, and I lost a lot of weight.  They had my poop tested for giardia and parasites but it turned out ok.   My poop texture was a little wierd though.

Mom and Dad finally picked me up after 3 long weeks!  Yay!   Poop’s back to normal, though I have another few days left of antibiotics.  The real reason I was sick was despair, I thought they abandoned me.  But now, all’s well and I can’t wait to go back to digging up flowers again.

Bloody Ear

January 22, 2009 by Toby

The scab on the tip of my ear refuses to heal.  I think it catches on thorns when I run through the yard.  Once the wound is open, it takes forever to heal since I keep flapping my head.  Today, Mom didn’t realize the scab fell off again, until she saw drips of blood on the floor and splatters on the wall.  Yuck.  Good thing my paws can’t grasp a cloth or else I’d have to clean up the mess myself.

Bandaged ear

Toby Woby Bowser Wowser

January 11, 2009 by Toby

A beautiful clear day in SF brings the doggies and their human pets out.  We met up with Auntie Helen and her nephew Bowser near the Golden Gate Bridge.  Bowsie was a jumper and whiner.  But he got more attention me!

New Year’s

January 2, 2009 by Toby

Cousin Kelsey and her boyfriend Kevin came to visit.  Kelsey is staying with Kevin (from OC) while on winter break.   Both of them go to school at CSU Monterey.  Kevin is a cool guy.   Apparently his mom has 3 dogs.   We took a walk on Venice Beach, then on the Promenade.

Doggie Dinner Date

December 30, 2008 by Toby

Wow, I have more friends in LA that I never knew about!  We visited Dad’s ex-coworker, Wacky Jackie, who lives in Mar Vista with her fiance and two dogs.  Bebe (AKA Jeremy) was Aunt Jackie’s dog for the past 12 years.  He came from Singapore and is a shitzu – cocker spaniel mix.  Dad said Bebe’s seen a dog shrink before because of his separation anxiety issues.   Apparently, the neighbors are not thrilled with him.  Aunt Jackie showed us a fat envelope filled with neighbor complaints and city notices about the barking that goes on when she’s not at home.   

Kiki is a recent addition to their family, a 1-year old shitzu she took in from a friend who couldn’t care for her anymore.  Kiki played nice and even let me eat out of her food bowl.  Well, actually I just helped myself.  She can’t do anything about it because I outweigh her by 65 lbs.

The big folks had dinner that Jackie cooked, while I sniffed the dogs.  Small dogs aren’t very playful, though we did have a good noisy run in the yard.  I found a piece of rawhide on the floor and begged to go outside to bury it.  Unfortunately, it was confiscated when I growled and snapped at Kiki for trying to take it from me.  

Aunt Jackie’s place is a dog heaven, but to humans it would be a testament to her wackiness.  Lots of pictures with her, Bebe and Kiki.  She showed us her Bebe scrapbook and the holiday postcard she took of the dogs at Petco.  Some tiles on the floor have dog footprints.   A basketful of dog toys sits in the living room.  The dogs have their own room that looks like a nursery designed by Winnie the Pooh.    Get this – Bebe even has his own shrine in the office.   His poster is plastered on the wall by his name.   The only thing that’s missing of him is an Andy Warhol painting. 

After dinner, everyone went upstairs to tour the house and have dessert.  They left me behind a baby gate downstairs!  That sucked.  But we ended the night with a potty stroll around the neighborhood.  I had a fun night.  It sure beats going to someone’s house that is overrun with annoying kids.