Keeping Our Cool

It was very hot here last week, and we made sure we kept cool.  We've been taking shorter walks in the mornings, and I'm not going out for a  second walk in the evening.  Chloe is such a stickler for routine, she puts up a real stink if Aunt Pat tells her it's too hot. So, Aunt Pat's been leashing her up and taking Chloe around the front yard.   It cooled off a bit last Friday, but it was pouring.  Aunt Pat didn't want to take us out in the pouring rain.  She'd heard a little thunder, and well, we all know that you don't want to go outside in a thunderstorm, especially if there's metal involved...like the parts on Chloe's and my collars and leashes.  I don't want to be a four legged lightening rod!  Chloe didn't care.  You can see the look she gave Aunt Pat.  She had just put Chloe's harness on and it started to pour!  The shower passed quickly so we finally went for a short walk.   

Chloe's willing to go for a walk in the rain, but she doesn't want to get wet while we're in the backyard. Weird.  I'm not fond of either option.  I know, I'm a water dog, but that doesn't mean I have to like getting wet all willy-nilly.  I don't mind the water treadmill, and I love the whirlpool, but those are controlled circumstances where there are treats involved! Plus, the water is nice and warm...and they tell me what a good girl I am, and how wonderful I am when they dry me off.  What's not to like!

  However, getting spritzed by the hose outside, or being out in a cold or warm rain isn't my cup of tea. Aunt Pat watered the garden frequently last week and in the process, waved the hose around so she could water all the plants evenly.  Sometimes, we were in the line of fire...Aunt Pat said it was an accident and apologized, but  I'm not sure.  I know she watched us very closely to see how much we were panting.  She may have thought Chloe and I might be getting too hot and took it upon herself to cool us down.  I've heard the expression, what goes around, comes around, and Aunt Pat got soaked herself when she dropped the hose.  It landed on the nozzle handle, so Aunt Pat got spritzed a couple of times herself!    

Happy Fourth of July!!

We'd like to wish everyone a very happy Fourth of July.  Our founding fathers (and mothers, and their dogs) founded this country on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We feel these principles apply not only to humans, but also to animals...and reptiles.  Sometimes animals, like bears, get into trouble and have to be moved elsewhere for everybody's safety.  Aunt Pat started a program like that here.  Only, the wildlife aren't the problem.  Chloe is.

You remember the May 30th post, when Chloe met her first frog and it didn't turn out so well for the frog?  After a few days of sniffing and not finding, Chloe let it rest.  Well, Chloe found another frog hiding in the bottom of the generator, and started playing with it.  The frog really didn't like it, and neither did the humans.  They're afraid the hot exhaust my hurt Chloe if the generator kicks on while she's sniffing around it.  They've been telling her "no" and shooing her away from it. 

Chloe's gotten the message, and is staying away from the generator...for the most part.  Now, she's shifted her attention to the garden.  The other day, Aunt Pat noticed that Chloe was sniffing around the lettuce and digging furiously under one of the peony plants.  Once she saw Chloe swatting something with her paw, Aunt Pat knew that there was something under there.  You guessed it, it was another frog!  It clearly didn't want to play. 

So, Aunt Pat got an empty berry basket from the garage, and, after a couple of attempts, caught the frog.  She wasn't too sure the frog was alive.  But, once she got it into the garage, it hopped out of the basket and into one of Daddy's sneakers!  I heard Aunt Pat let out a little yelp.  She recovered quickly and picked up

the sneaker, frog and all! Then, she took it to the front yard and let the frog out into the bushes by the front porch.  Chloe wasn't happy.  She sniffed around the garden, but soon realized her friend wasn't there.  Until last night, when she found another frog underneath a different peony.  She kept digging and did NOT want to go inside, even though there were fireworks going off in the neighborhood.  Chloe isn't normally a fan of loud noises, and neither am I.  Today Chloe's been sniffing and pawing through the strawberry plants, but hasn't found the new frog again.  Daddy tried to find it to move it, but he couldn't.  I think it got smart and hopped into the neighbor's yard.    But, Aunt Pat isn't so sure.  We'll keep watching...and the humans will keep relocating whatever frogs may need it.

Feeling So Much Better

just in time for the hot weather.  It's supposed to get really hot and muggy this weekend, so we're very happy that Daddy dropped us off at the Groomer yesterday!  You can see, Chloe really needed a haircut.  Here's her "after" photo.  Gotta love the red, white and blue bows in her hair.  So patriotic for the upcoming holiday.  Chloe was so excited to get there, she slipped out of the harness Daddy just bought her and ran right to the door. She really gave Daddy a fright!  Now, she'll have to get a new harness, since she slipped out of it when our Groomer was getting her ready to go home!

This is my before photo.  You can't really see much of a difference, but I can feel it. Daddy had to stop back for a moment and the Groomer told him that I was shedding more in the tub.  I'll let Aunt Pat brush me, but only for a little while.  There's still a lot of hair left to get off, but that's why I like to roll around in the grass!

This is my "after" photo.  Note the snazzy bandanna with red and white stripes dotted with blue stars.

After we got home, and had our usual post-Groomer long drink of water, we went outside.  I didn't even feel like rolling around like I usually do.

Oh The Humidity!

I think the dog days of summer are here a bit early.  We've had a few days of hot and muggy weather, and the humans aren't the only ones having bad hair days.  Chloe's gotten extra curly hair.  Her coat is naturally curly to begin with, but it's gotten a lot curlier with the extra moisture in the air.  I'm shedding a little, and I have a little more wave near my legs and on my tummy.  Aunt Pat's been brushing us, but you can't tell she's even touched us.  We're staying hydrated, and keeping out of the hottest part of the day.  Laying in front of the duct work helps keep Chloe cool.  We both also like to lay on the cool kitchen floor.  Good thing we're going to the Groomer tomorrow!  It'll be nice to have a bath and to get refreshed before it gets muggy again.
We've been spending less time outside, and we've missed a couple of evening walks because of the heat.  Some of the walks we've been on have been a lot shorter as well.  Daddy and Aunt Pat are very concerned about us overheating.  Chloe's not been very happy about it, since she loves to be outside, and she adores our walks.  She's been a bit whinier, so Aunt Pat has been spending more time with her. 

I try to make the most of our time outside.  It's nice to stop and smell the roses, or in this case, the day lilies.    

 

Summer Time...

...and speaking of time, Chloe has a keen sense of what time.  We all love routine,  but Chloe is a stickler to ours, especially when it comes to our walks.  Once we have our breakfast, we'll go outside for potties, and then we'll go upstairs and nap while Aunt Pat has her breakfast.  Then, I'll go in the bathroom to make sure Aunt Pat is safe in the shower.  We all know that the most accidents occur in the home, and the bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house.

Chloe gets very excited when she hears the shower, because she knows our walk is next on our agenda.  She'll either wait by the stairs, or she'll come in the bathroom with me.  But, she doesn't always sit quietly and wait for Aunt Pat to finish her shower like I do.  Chloe can be downright rude!  She'll often lick the water from the tracks of the shower doors to help Aunt Pat clean up.  Plus, she'll even lick the water from Aunt Pat's leg to get her to dry off faster!  Aunt Pat shoos Chloe away, and Chloe will go sulk in the hallway for a few minutes until she hears Aunt Pat turn off the light and the bath fan.  Nobody likes to be rushed, but, Chloe's actions do make Aunt Pat get dressed and clean the shower more quickly.  She's a smart little dog.   

We Miss Our Humans...

when they go out.  Chloe and I know they'll come back, but that doesn't mean we don't miss them.  Chloe and I have our usual routine.  I usually go to the door when someone leaves and give them my "What? You're leaving without me?" look.  It's my last hope that I can convince someone to take me with them.  I love car rides.  But, since that doesn't work much, I usually take my position on the love seat in the living room.  I can look out the window and be comfortable at the same time.  The bolster pillows make a lovely headrest. 

Chloe will sit on the table and keep watch.  Our little home security system takes her job very seriously.  She will bark an alert whenever anything or anyone comes near.  It doesn't matter that the potential intruder may be a chipmunk eating a seed from one of the maple tree spinners while sitting on the porch.  However, if all is quiet, or if the humans are gone a while, Chloe can get bored...or maybe a little nervous.  Either way, she can get into trouble.  Daddy has to make sure the garbage can in his bedroom is out of reach, and that the door to the bedroom Aunt Pat uses as a computer room is closed.  Aunt Pat has come home to find partially eaten envelopes, printer cartridge boxes, baseball cards, old facial tissues, all partially chewed or ripped, in the living room.

Once we see the humans pull into the driveway, I'll head to the kitchen door and wait.  When the humans come in, I have to sniff them, and whatever bags they're carrying.  Okay, so I'm nosy.  But, if there's something yummy in one of the bags that may be too heavy for them to carry, I want to be there to eat it, err, help carry it inside.  I have to be careful to stand far away enough from the door so I don't get hit when it opens.  Chloe will come in and say hello, but she'll sometimes wait a few minutes so she can stand up on her hind legs and see what the humans have brought home.  

We Have Dreams Too!

I'm not talking about dreams of making it big in show business, or running for President someday like humans do...although having Daddy or Aunt Pat drop a bag of Charlee Bears on the floor so they spill out in front of me would be something to strive for.  I'm talking about the dreams we have when we sleep.  Like all dogs, Chloe and I take naps throughout the day.  Just like humans dream when they sleep, we do too. Aunt Pat and Daddy can tell by some of the things we do when we sleep.  My mouth will twitch, and I'll make smacking noises with my mouth like I'm eating something.  Most of the time I'll have dreams where I'm chasing something or running for some good noms, and the humans can actually see me run in my sleep!

Chloe talks in her sleep.  She'll bark or yip quietly which surprised Aunt Pat the first time she heard it.  Lately, she's been wagging her tail more than she used to. I wonder if she's dreaming that she's talking to the animals that we've been seeing.  A lot of squirrels and chipmunks live in the yard next door, and Chloe runs to the fence to say hello on a regular basis.  We also saw a rabbit this morning on our walk, and of course, we continue to see baby birds taking their first flights and resting in the grass.  They don't always like to talk back, because Chloe can be rather...enthusiastic with her greetings.  I think she scares them.  If you look at the expression on her face when she's sleeping, I can see why.  She almost looks like a zombie dog from a horror movie!