Saturday, August 16, 2008

Pet Fest, Ren Fest ...

So, dogmom is working this weekend. Or, so she says. She came home smelling like other dogs.

She said she's working at the Pet Crossing booth out at the PetFest at the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee. We think she's doing something else.

I mean, whenever else she works with the people at Pet Crossing, we get to go. I mean, well, we get to go sometimes. Other times, she makes us stay home.

We don't know what this Renaissance Festival is. I mean, we probably wouldn't want to go, since we don't know what it is and all. But when she said Pet Fest... I mean, then we were interested, ya know?

We heard her talking to Tory at Dog Pad when she got home, too. I mean, well, at least if she's going to go play with other dogs, well, she should let us go do the same, dontcha think?

Wuf Ya!

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Floyd Bit Dogmom

Again.

He's a naughty kitty. I think that's why she's packing her suitcase and she said that Randi's going to come and take care of us for a few days. She says no... but I think that's it...

See?
I mean, well, I'd leave if Floyd did that to me! And I'm not too upset that we don't spend too much time with him... if that's what he does to dogmom.
Anyways, she said she's been planning this trip for a while. She just didn't tell us about it because we aren't going to Dog Pad. Instead, Randi's going to come and visit three or four times a day to make sure we're behaving ourselves.

Like we don't always? Harumph... as Tosca would say.

Anypaws, we hear that Gemi's doing really well since her surgery. Her recheck appointment is on Thursday, so if we can pry dogmom away from the computer, we'll post what Randi finds out.

I, on the other hand, am still swollen and milking it after my surgery on Monday. See?

Wuf Ya!

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Hercules Went to the Rainbow Bridge

'Member Hercules? We didn't talk about him a lot, but we mentioned him on our blog a couple of times. He went to our doggie birthday party. See here. And here. He didn't particularly like us... cuz we're bigger than him and he had a big ego, being a Corgi and all...

Anypaws... dogmom used to work with Hercules' dad. And here's what Herc's dad had to say about him:

HERCULES’ GUIDE TO BECOMING A BETTER PERSON

Pictured is Hercules, the Weber family’s pet of the past 11-plus years.

I wouldn’t normally talk about my home life in a blog that is mostly news and notes for Southwest editors and reporters. However, I’d like to share five things that Hercules has taught me about becoming a better person, colleague, boss and perhaps even journalist.

1) It’s not always about you. Raising children can wear you out, but having a dog is humbling work, too. You need to feed, walk, entertain, groom, train and, yes, especially love a dog if he or she is truly a part of your family. You might think you’re a big shot, but – seriously – who rules and who drools when it’s you that’s carrying the bag of dog droppings while walking down a busy street?

2) Praise matters. I believe we’re somehow hard-wired to enjoy hearing our name linked to a compliment – though it may not show as much in humans, since we don’t have a tail that wags. (Actually, Hercules is a Welsh corgi, a breed that has its tail docked while still young. But when praised, he can still get a pretty good shake going in the trunk vicinity.) Lay some praise on a co-worker or news source, and mean it.

3) Believe in people. My dog does, greeting me at the door after work every single evening with the unstoppable conviction that nap time is over and the fun will now begin. Even though I don’t always deliver. That’s true faith in another, which among humans – especially hardened, skeptical journalists – is often in short supply.

4) Get out there and play. Sometimes just getting outside and going for a walk is enough to forget about the heavy burdens we sometimes shoulder at work. Scientific studies back me up on this. And there’s nothing like dog ownership to provide the daily motivation to take that stroll.

5) Life’s too short. Enjoy your family, friends and colleagues … today, tomorrow and every single day. I’ve come to learn this lesson recently, and the hard way. Hercules died yesterday, after going through a quick but fatal slide caused by liver and kidney disease. He was an important part of our family, and the best friend I’ve ever had. May God bless his soul.

Until next time … thirty-dash.

Herc was a special little guy with lots of spirit. He's going to be missed. We hope he's playing in the rainbow bridge meadow with Floppy, Tosca's kitty, Tasha and all the other pets we've temporarily said goodbye to.

Wuf Ya!

Back Under the Knife...

So, dawgs...

I think some of you know that I went in to see Dr. Kate last week to fix the tooth that I broke the top off of... again. It was the lower right canine tooth. I had a root canal on that one I think with Dr. Visser in Arizona before I moved to Minnesota. Or maybe he did the upper right canine tooth. I don't remember exactly.

Anypaws, it was the lower right one that had a root canal a long while ago and then last week I broke off the restorative sealant off the top of the tooth. So Dr. Kate sedated me and tried to fix it even if it was only going to be temporary until next time I had to get the anesthesia.

Well. Dogmom says I must have decided I wanted some more surgeries. Cuz I broke off the restorative again over the weekend and had to go back to Pet Crossing yesterday. I had lots of stuff done and could feel that Dogmom was anxious about it. She kept saying "Awe, Gomer!" and "Geesh." and "Now what?" while I was sleeping.

I had to have two more big teeth pulled that were broken. Dr. Kate was able to fix the canine tooth so it didn't have to come out. (Dogmom says to tell you it's the nubby little one closest to my tongue in the top picture below.) And, Dr. Kate lanced my eyelid where the wasps or spiders bit me a couple of weeks ago and got out bunches of gunk and probably a stinger or two.

Dogmom says I don't look nearly as georgeous as Gemi when I wake up from anesthesia...


She says I look more like a drunken sailor that lost the bar fight. Not sure what that means, but it kinda made her laugh. Today... I'm hiding in the corner with my swollen cheek and eye...


Trying to avoid the dreaded ice hand that wants to hold my head.


Wuf Ya!

Friday, August 01, 2008

It's Opie's Adoption Anniversary!

Hi Dawgs!

We're at Dog Pad today so that dogmom can clean up the messy mess that I made on the carpet after my twoofer surgery on Tuesday. (I chipped off the top of my lower right canine that had the root canal a while ago.) No worries... Dr. Kate fixed it up nice while I was sedated, though dogmom said that it was a temporary fix and might have to be finished next time I go under... whatever that means.

Anypaws... today's post isn't supposed to be about me. It's suppose to be about Opie.

He's too busy to post since he's in time-out at Dog Pad for getting grumpy with Bear. So maybe he'll do his official adoption anniversary post when we get home tonight.

Oh yeah... other news. Dogmom got a full-time job! We might let her post one day and tell you about. But for now, we gotta go make Tory Chuck-It! some more balls!

Wuf Ya!