18.9 pounds! Yikes!

Yes, I have been told many times that I am on the plump side, but to actually be told by the vet that I am almost 2 pounds over what I thought I am is a real shocker. Apparently these fat cells have always been in my body, but during this past winter, I have managed to fill these cells with excess energy (ie food) that I did not use up. My owners better take me for lot so walks this summer.

cute buddies

This mastiff puppy and the lion cub are best pals. Aren't they cute?

leaky backyard

There has been a leak in the backyard for months. My owners have spent countless weekends digging, doing detective work by shutting off different sections of the irrigation systems without any success. Of course I have been helping by messing up the piles of dirt that my owners dug up. So they finally gave up and hired a leak detection company. In less than 2 hours, the guy using a super duper listening device, was able to hear the sound of water flowing and pinpoint the area. It was pretty amazing. I think that machine could hear things better than dogs, and I have pretty good hearing. He also thought I am a pretty cute dog. Of course that goes without saying.

thieving black crows

My owners put up a huge netting around our blueberry plants and raspberry plants to protect them from birds. This morning, there were these black crows sitting on the fence, looking down and eyeing our blueberries. They were just there, all lined up, looking. They look like they are trying to steal the berries. I need to start keep an eye on them and bark at them randomly to scare them away. After all, I am a mighty bird hunter!

Hooting owl

This morning at 5 o'clock, there was an owl somewhere in our backyard started hooting. It went "hoo-hoo, (3 second pause) hoo-hoo-hooo (5 second pause), hoo-hoo, (3 second pause) hoo-hoo-hooo (5 second pause)...." It went on and on, kept me and my owners up. So I had to nap all day to catch up my beauty sleep.

Sprinkler water tastes better

Today my owners were working in the backyard since it is Memorial Day and the weather is so nice. They were working on the irrigation system, and the sprinkler kept coming on, so I decided to try to bite the water streaming out of the sprinkler. Why drink the reverse osmosis super filtered water in my bowl when I can drink water straight out of the sprinkler mixed with dirt and grass.

One well-trained dog

This police dog was so well trained that he could carry this cat to safty without hurting the cat. Although I do not think this cat looks too happy.

Thumbelina

This is Thumbelina, the world's smallest horse.
I thought Raven's owner would enjoy this picture. Thumbelina is 17 inches tall and 60 pounds. I am a little smaller and a lot lighter at 18 pounds. I think I would have love to play with Thumbelina. She looks awlful cute.

Trapped!

My owner was picking these big red cherries in the back yard, and I decided to go and help out by making sure that I licked every cherry that they dropped on the ground so that I can spread my dog germs around. But I got caught in the netting which they had put on the tree to protect against birds. For whole THREE seconds, I was yelping so loud that I think the entire neighborhood could hear me. Good thing I was such a great drama queen. My owners immediately untangled me from the netting. Whew!

Smart dog

These scientist conducted an experiment on this dog and realized that the dog knew how to identify pictures using touch screen computer (actually the dog licked the screen where the correct picture was). I need to teach this dog to use his paws to type on the key board.

Pant! Pant!

Sure is hot today. 99 degree. Too hot to go out sun bathing.

Our pool is now 80 degree (went up 8 degrees today), so maybe we will go swimming soon.

poisonous foods for dogs and cats

I found out that some common foods around the house are actually bad for dogs and cats. Yikes! So all you dogs and cats out there, tell your owners to be careful with foods lying around.

Avocados contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue is very toxic to dogs, cats and most animals. No California rolls for me!

Alcoholic beverages can be deadly on animals and may cause vomiting and damage the liver and brain.

Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anything from vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts, pets start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. Any kinds of nuts are bad, but especially these two.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill dogs and cats if eaten in large quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous.

Candy or anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.

Caffeine in coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.

This one is odd: Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.

Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties.

It's raining cherries

People always say "it is raining dogs and cats out there". Well, for me, it is raining cherries out there. Our cherry tree in the back yard starts dropping these big red juicy cherries. I notice the plums and the white peaches are coming in but are very tiny, and the yellow peaches should not be too far behind. Yum. I remember when I posted about blueberries and strawberries. Well, a few red strawberries have appeared, but the blueberries are still these tiny, white spheres.

squirrel invasion

Two squirrels decided to make a nest on top of our window sill near our gutter. Every morning they made noises, causing me to bark frantically because after all, I am a hunter. My owners blocked off the area, and relocated the nest so it is now on a tree, but they kept coming back. For the past several days, my owners have been spraying water to get rid of them. However, they did not seem to realize the nest was moved yet, and still hanging around the window area. So I have to use my eagle eyes at all time to look out of the window and bark, whine, and yalp at them randomly.

No surfing at the speed of light. Sniff!

Today AT&T guy came and tried to install fiber network access for our Internet and TV.

But the box for our neighborhood was too far from our house. So no surfing at the speed of light. Boohoo. I guess we have to stay with cable modem. Sigh!

call me Dudley

I was told today I resemble Dudley from Harry Potter who was described by JK Rowling as the size of a baby killer whale. I now also sport a double chin. Yikes!
I think I need to go on a diet. Hmmm.

chicken can run without a head?

My owners said that they are running around like a chicken without a head because they have book report, state report, chess tournament, 2nd degree black belt test, author's expo, confirmation ceremony at church, and another science competition all by end of this month.
I don't understand, are they saying that they are going to continue to neglect me because they now have this chicken with no head that runs around? Huh?

puppy neglect!!

Over a week of neglect because my owners have been "too busy" with too many tests in schools, science project at the Tech Museum science fair, Math Festival at Google, and the STAR test. A week of not walking me, not playing with me, and worst of all, not letting me get on the computer because they were....too busy. I object! I say it is "puppy neglect"! Animal cruelty! Doggie injustice! I am supposed to be the center of the universe here. Poor me! Poor, poor me!