Goodbye

This is the final post for this blog, set up to tell Spike and Bella's former mommies how they are doing. They're well-adjusted and happy. They've become part of the family, so it's time to focus on other things than this blog, as we enjoy our pets!

Special thanks to Terri and Nicolette. You gave us a great gift when you sent us an additional family member. What good doggies.

Barkers does it again!

Bella looks wonderful after the groomer at Barkers, Yvonne, a Hollywood pro, finishes with her! I have just gotten home when I get a call to come get Bella... and she looks amazing.

"My, her hair grows fast," said the groomer. "She has a nice thick coat, so we can cut in a tall topknot." Yvonne wants to know if I want Bella to grow out a show topknot, banded back from her face. Maybe. It would keep her hair out of her eyes. But... she already looks like a show dog and doesn't need more fancy do's.

Spike sniffs around Bella, who smells like shampoo and conditioner. There's no extra respect for the good-looking gal though... he horses around with her, tugs toys, and grows as she challenges him for a beef bone. Good doggies!

Fun in the sun

It's been great to get outside with the dogs in the morning. Spike's still ready for more fun - he probably needs a little boy to play with, someone who can love on him and do more interesting things during the day. When Bella curls up for hours, he gets up to explore every few minutes. Then he'll come back and sit beside me again, or sniff around and circle to lie down.

We were in the conservatory the other day, and I kept track: Bella slept for 2 solid hours. Meanwhile, Spike was up and walking every 5-10 minutes. If he's on my chair, he'll snooze for a half hour. Maybe. He's not necessarily always demanding attention, though he would follow me, and he did tap me a few times with his paw when I got engrossed in my textbooks. I pull down the treadmill and walk off his energy some afternoons because I don't like afternoon walks myself. He's fine with that. Just has terrier rhythm to his happy little body. FROM THIS... (though he is actually black, all clean and scrubby)...

TO THIS:

What a difference a haircut makes!

Bella's at 8 lbs, Spike's at 12, just about perfect for them. They eat well - raw chicken is their fav, crunch crunch on those bones! - but they're happy with dog food, too. Good doggies.

Big hit

The dogs were a big hit outside a little vegan cafe. Dog-lovers stopped to pet them, while W and I kept an eye on them through our window view. They kept their eyes on us, too.

Spike raised a ruckus when some homeless fellows wandered by, while Bella figured out how to hop up on a wicker chair with Spike on the other end of the coupler: she went straight up, not moving her collar from standing at chairside, just rotating her hips up and onto the seat. She's quite amazing.

Spike or Bella left a "present" for me under the piano again. Honestly, I'm at whit's end. Every once in a while one of them just poops in the house, regardless of my letting them out every 2-3 hours. They never mess in the crate, so I know they can hold it. Very irritated with the dogs... but it hasn't happened for a few months, so I guess they are very good doggies.

After breakfast, they played tug-of-war with a new Kong stuffed animal. Then they fetched separate stuffed toys - until I tossed Bella's under the piano... which is when she refused to fetch from that corner of the LR. And that's when I found Spike's ... or Bella's ...mess. Ugh.

They're both awfully cute. Bella is asleep in a corner and Spike is pestering me for attention. Good doggies.

Road trip

We had to pick up some goodies in Tacoma, which is an hour's drive away. The dogs perk up their ears at the double-beep of the remote unlock and run over to the vehicle. They hop into the car as soon as the back door opened.

Bella, our athlete, jumps easily into her perch. Spike, who's had a few misses and tangles with straps, waits anxiously to be lifted up into his seat.

Once we're underway, the dogs look out the windows and stay alert. But as you can see from the photos, if we park, they drift off to a comfy sleep, heads resting on the sides.

We found lambswool fleeces for each seat, originally designed for smallest crates. The corners of the fleeces have slits to let them fold up to fit. So Spike and Bella have luxury bedding! which may be why neither dog minds the trip and the ride. Plus they are social: they just like to be with their people.

I had never heard Spike bark before, but someone walked by and he set up a ruckus. Interesting what dogs know about people that we are oblivious to. Good doggies!

Riding in the car

We zipped down to Tacoma today, picking up a remote training collar. Craigslist has become my main supplier, and we have "stuff" in a box in the entry closet. It's nice to pull out this and that, not to have to rush to the grocer or the pet store. Anyhow, we took the dogs along. They were good, and they were cute.

I'll post Spike photos next time. They both got a wash and face shave yesterday. Smellin' good.

Bella's hair is getting long, but it keeps her warm. I'm not quite ready to put her back in a puppy clip. W took her for a walk in the parking lot after I let Spike out and back in. There they are, walking away: she bounced back so fast I couldn't snap a shot of her coming toward the car.

Dogs are a good thing

Well, it was another day when the dogs got me up and out the door early. I would have curled up with my books to study in bed rather than hitting the trail. I guess it's a good thing they're around!

They had a good day, Spike was restless enough to walk the treadmill for 20 minutes AFTER our morning walk. Breakfast was leftover rice and organic roast beef & gravy - they scarfed it down in 2 minutes, then wanted to get out of the crates and run around again. Good doggies!

Outside in the cold

At least it waited to pour buckets until we got back in the house.

The dogs and I, raincoats pulled over sweaters, took a 2 mile hike around the neighbourhood this morning. Damp coming in the front door, Spike did his scoot around the entry rug and Bella waited patiently while I dried her.

My brother, nephew, and niece, a high energy and noisy six-year-old, visited yesterday. Bella promptly headed for safety under the dining room table. Though he flinched at the hollering and shrieking, Spike braved it out, jumped onto the sofa beside her for petting, and followed the guests around the house.

The dogs had a few moments of play together, ignoring everyone else. What a great team!