One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and ended up on Ocean Beach

I have been a good boy and am happy to report that I have been deconed. Also, Ma decided that since I am so very handsome, I won't have to wear that goofy Santa hat over my eyes anymore. Well, we'll see. She lies about stuff like that.

Poor Roy - the things we do for vanity. At least Ma doesn't tape my ears.

Ma thinks Roy resembles this - the Petronas Towers.

 Pa took me to OB today and we ran into the usual suspects and a black mix breed dog. The weather was brisk but clear.

Quito or Tikka? Which is it? Ma can't tell the difference since she has a very bad nose. We need smell-a-photo for us doggies.

Why are these little ones so fast?

I know - I look a bit crazed in this photo.

I still don't bank well - my legs are too long.

I gave the ladies a little lovin'.

 

You know I'm a ladies' man.

Then a crazy man came and threatened my Pa after claiming I belonged to him. He tried to whip Pa with kelp! I thought he was kidding and wanted to play, but then he acted crazed and scared me and the girls. So, Pa lured him away from us. Soon the Park Rangers arrived, surrounded him and took him down. I guess we weren't the only ones he harassed.

Arrested

Now I understand the meaning of this.

Well, that was my exciting morning. Don't eat too much leftover turkey and pie or tubby will be your name! Be safe, have fun and til my next misadventure, buh bye!

A Holiday Pawem

Twas the night before Thanksgiving, and all was not quiet,
Ma’s in the kitchen creating a riot.
Walnuts are grinding, the turkey’s a-brine,
Cranberries boiling, to the fridge goes the wine.

I whined and I paced not going to sleep,
While visions of  drumsticks in my noggin did leap.
But Ma in her sternest voice that I dread,
“Punkin, good boy, now bedtime,” she said!

When out on the street arose such a smell,
A family of skunks come to wish us all well.
To the window I went to give them a bark,
Alarming the coyotes that lurk in the dark.

The relentless roar of 38 Geary,
Calls 46^th Avenue, uncommonly cheery.
With a grizzled old driver, an ex-con no doubt,
For bums and drunks a home, just about.

The gibbous moon in the night sky did glow,
Cast a silver sheen on the ocean below.
Barges and tankers heading to Bay,
Await pilot escort at break of day.

Then, off in the distance a flash did I see,
Santa it was, I noted with glee.
Guided by Rudolf he’s off to the Pole,
To make toys and treats, no lumps of coal.

All four-legged comrades be on alert,
The bad dog list you want to avert.
The good dog list is sure to reward,
With Kongs and balls and bones to hoard.

So, attack not the elf in the crimson suit,

He’ll arrive with a sack and a holler and hoot.

But those cookies laid out for jolly St. Nick?

He wouldn’t mind a nibble and lick.

Have a yappy, safe and furry holiday season.

With love from, 

MAXimus (a very good dog)

Coning and other thinly disguised torture tactics

I have been a very good dog, or so I thought. I also thought (note the past tense) my Ma and Pa were the very best in the world and that I was the luckiest dog. Huh!! Until yesterday, that is, when they had the audacity to CONE me. Can you believe they sell these things in stores? Shouldn't they be illegal? Where is the humane society? Somebody HELP!!!

If this were put on a child, can you imagine the uproar? Speaking of which, Ma and I rescued a runaway baby buggy this morning. No baby in buggy, thank goodness. 

It's called the Comfy Cone Pet E-Collar. Comfy? Ha! I'd like to see my Ma sleep with this thing on her head. In any case, they're cheaper on-line than at those big box stores, so, all of you two-leggers, get one for your med kit. Or better yet, have Roy order you one - he's got a pet supply store on California St ~20th Ave. in SF, Cal's Pet Supply, and will beat the big box stores for price. When you injure your leg, make sure you put one on your head - and I mean YOUR head - not on us doggies...hrrruumph! And, that other contraption that looks like a lifesaver, the ProCollar Inflatable Protective Collar, doesn't work at all so don't waste your money. But, wait a minute. They may be comfy around YOUR neck if you travel a lot and need to sleep on planes and trains.

While we're dishing up the dirt on products, Ma thought this tag was a good idea. She saw it on a blog somewhere. It doesn't use a ring so it's quiet, which means we can sneak up on our prey unnoticed and lick them:
Boomerang collar tags
And, seeing how we are approaching the end of the year, how about a nice desk calendar with photos of us handsome 4-leggeds - but not just any 4Ls - Airedales, of course!
Southwest Airedale Terrier Rescue 2011 Calendar
Also, please don't forget about my half Airedale buddy, Caesar. He needs a Forever Home and now has an ad on eBay:
Forever Home needed
You remember he was on my blog:
Help - new home needed!
Ma and Pa found a reasonably priced ($28/35#) high quality kibble at CostCo and, I admit, it's pretty good:
Nature's Domain
But of course, I also get the raw additives which I love the best.

So, til my next misadventure, ta ta, be good, be safe and don't leave the turkey unattended. You know my brethren are counter surfers, unlike me.

Quite a nice November

I have been a good boy but I've been a bit gimpy recently causing much concern for my poor Ma who keeps getting up in the middle of the night to check up on me. No lick, no lick, she says half asleep - most of the time I'm also asleep, too. It's really nothing - I just scraped up the inside of my hind leg thigh on a concrete block I was trying to leap onto. Then, the sticky tape that Ma used for dressing irritated  my leg causing some raw spots. 

In any case, our beach was the site of thousands and thousands of  beached moon jellyfish last weekend. They're about a foot across. Here are two accounts:

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-11-15/bay-area/24832441_1_jellyfish-stings-jellies-leatherback-sea-turtles

http://oceanbeachbulletin.com/2010/11/13/massive-amounts-of-jellyfish-on-ocean-beach/

We missed the onslaught but a few of them were still around a couple of days later.

We missed the jellyfish because Ma and Pa went to the ski expo over the weekend. They concluded it was lame and I have to agree. They first said it was OK for me to come into the site, then, somebody chased us down and escorted us out after we'd paid (OK - so I didn't have to pay.) So, Ma and I had to circle around to the side and hang out on the pier behind the expo. And, that was AFTER I waited in the car for what seemed like an eternity. 

We were at the SF Ski and Snowboard Expo last weekend at Ft Mason. We won't be going next year. 

The ski reps were equally lame or lazy. Most of them didn't bring their full line of skis so Ma was very disappointed. She wants a new pair of wide skis. Bottom line - they don't take skiing very seriously around here. 

And, the weather has been gorgeous. Ma and Pa took a ride on their two wheelers to Golden Gate Park. Why they won't take me is beyond me. 

Our neighborhood transforms into a beach community when the sun shines. Never mind that it's November! 

Lucca's Ma looking radiant. I keep waiting for that hat to blow away so that I can "rescue" it. You know me, I'm quite the hat rescuer.

We found a lovely toy. 

Lucca and I playing that stalking game.

We ran into Cynthia, Quito and Tikka. Tikka is HUGE!!

We have a new ritual at the parking lot. It prolongs our playtime.

I even got to go to Crissy Field one afternoon. 

 So, I've been good except for the owie on my hind leg which is on the mend. We're getting a good dose of rain this weekend so I think my walks will be short and on a leash. Oh well. I'm still a lucky dog. All of you out there have a fabulous holiday week coming up. Be safe and have fun. Matta ne - til my next misadventure.  

Help!...new home needed

I have been a very good boy and I need your help. My half Airedale friend, Caesar, is in need of a new home. He is about my age, 1.5 yrs, about my weight ~65-70 lbs, and about my size, although slightly shorter and smaller all around. He is half black lab but has hair like me which is in need of grooming and he has a full length undocked tail which will come in handy for clearing off the coffee table! He is great with children, having two human siblings, great with other dogs, doesn't chase cats and won't eat your chickens. He is smart like me but hasn't received much training. 

Caesar is a good dog and good-looking, too. He does know the command sit. He wants to learn but his owner doesn't have time for training or caring for him and his Golden brother, MoJo - this is why he is looking for a new home.

Caesar lives with a Golden, one or two cats, a human little brother and sister, about 6 and 7 yrs old, and a bunch of chickens. That's where we get our fresh eggs and that's why we know him. MoJo is the alpha so Caesar is not very dominant, not the least bit aggressive and is not even a very good guard dog because he's so friendly. By the way, Mojo will be looking for a home as well. 

Caesar is intact so will need surgery. He is a good dog but will require training. 

Ma is mortified that we can't take him. She is worried that him and I will play rough and tear up the house and knock down Pops, Ma's 91 yr old papa. She's also worried that he'll teach me really bad habits, like counter surfing or garbage raiding, bad things I don't do. On the other hand, since Caesar lives outdoors, it's not clear he does any of these things either. But, it's also not clear that Caesar is housetrained.

Caesar is not for everyone. He is a big bouncy dog with a lot of energy. He needs a lot of training, possibly by professionals. He will require regular grooming. But, he is very good-natured, has not been mistreated - just brought up kind of wild, and has lived an outdoor life. Him and I play well together. His owner feels she has not given him the best home or enough attention or training and is overwhelmed. If not by some twist of fate, this could have been me, looking for a home. So, please help me find a new Forever Home for Caesar.  

Caesar lives in Pescadero, CA, about an hour south of SF. If you think you would like to take Caesar into your home, please send an e-mail to my Ma:
lucy.ghoda@gmail.com

My new BIG friend

I have been a very good boy although I dug up the backyard again. You know I LOVE to dig and I'm good at it. I can make short work of our yard - if you can even call it that.

I'm not picky about where I dig.

I also met a very big girl -- I mean BIG!! Lucky, she is very friendly. 

Someone thought she was a Dalmation...huh??!!

We went to Ft Miley - I love the grass there.

It's nice and cool and smells good too.

The pine forest is also one of my favorite haunts.

If you thought I was tall - you haven't seen a GREAT Dane.

We missed the Giants ticker tape parade -- darn! I think I have the right coloring to be a Giants mascot.

Ma knows how to make us look good and she loves that Giants orange!

Til my next misadventure, yatahey or mata ne! No more ciao since it rhymes with meow.

Dogddha and other evidence of enlightenment

I have been a good boy but Ma was out of town for almost two weeks making it difficult for me to post on my blog. You know I'm very smart but my toes are not good for typing.

I met another one of my kind...she's 7 mos and growing! She may be related to Sadie, remember her?

There was a good-looking Dobie on the beach so we chased him.

She's not as big as she looks - she could use a trim!

Dogs own this place - as you can see, we are worshipped.

She's quite the Airedale, isnt' she?

After our romp, we went for some burgers...or the humies did. I just got cold water.

Ma is hoping one of these photos makes it into a calendar

So, I hope I didn't cause concern. I'm still up to my misadventures and I promise to blog more. 

Ciao! Wait a minute, that rhymes with meow...