It's met Woody day!

Today, 2 years ago, is the day we MET Woody (as opposed to GOT Woody day which happens in a few days).

This morning I went for a walk and when I came back Andrew said "thank God you're home...this dog hasn't stopped yelping at the door since you left". Yep, co-dependent and proud -- both of us. :)

I love my dog. That's it.

Happy Halloween!

Today is Halloween...Woody has a costume but he refused to walk in it this morning. He has bat wings...bat beagle. He wore them before but, apparently, he was embarrassed by them this morning. He had an interesting walk today. He decided this morning was the morning to chase every squirrel he saw (he's usually hit or miss on squirrels -- mainly miss) and there was a guy playing in the park with his dog and Woody was very interested in the exchange. It was odd. He is terrified of most dogs and he doesn't like to play but he saw this guy playing with his dog and he just stopped and watched. They he howled at them. Then he wanted to walk home. When we were out later in the day he was interested in some of the dogs outside -- maybe he's learning to get over his fear of dogs. I dunno. It's just so hard to tell since when they're face-to-face he is hit or miss on how he reacts. Andrew took video of him (posted) of how he acts when I buzz the door and come home. Unfortunately Andrew didn't realize you can't rotate a flip video -- so this video is sideways. Nothing I can do about it -- but it's enjoyable and it's how I get greeted every day. Not a bad gig for me. :)

This dog loves to eat rebate forms

Today Woody ate his second set of rebate forms. The first forms he ate were the rebate forms for our new cell phones...we had to go back to T-Mobile and ask them to print new ones because "our dog at the first set"...they were like "really"? Yep, really...REALLY...

Today I came home and he had pulled the forms for our tax credit for our new windows off the table and he ate 3/4 of the form.

I don't know what he's trying to tell me...he eats bills, checks, money, rebate forms...he's his own financial institution. Such a goof!

October

Wow, I can't believe it's October. At the beginning of next month Woody will have been with us for two years. It feels like a lifetime -- in a good way. :) He's still eating paper -- now he prefers our building's bills and check register -- and he still has a taste for cat poop -- but we're doing our best to deter him in that area.

Woody and Max are buds now. They hang out in the hall together and when Woody runs -- Max doesn't flinch. He just hangs out and enjoys the show. Maxie is good -- at 17 years old he seems to be doing alright. He waps at Woody every now and again when he's hanging out on the sofa with me and Woody gets too close -- but it's a friendly wap.

Woody's tummy is somewhat under control. He's on pepcid and pepto and tylen powder. It acts up every now and again but we manage to get it under control. I think we're in maintenance mode. I hope we are!

We've also discovered that I can't leave through the front door without him. He's fine when I leave through the back door. I think he knows that as my "exit" door. When I go out the front door, which I think he believes is his "exit" door he will sit at the door, sometimes for hours, waiting for me. Andrew says he cries, whines and will, occasionally, throw himself at the door. Poor little guy. So I do my best not to exit out the front door. I don't want to stress him out.

The good news is that my foot is healed enough that I can walk him again. Weekends are my days to walk him. And he knows it. We go to the park. I can't walk him in any direction except towards the park on Saturdays and Sundays. It's pretty funny to watch us if I try to veer him in another direction. He plants his feet and won't budge until I give up and we go to the park.

We also bought him a halloween costume -- bat wings. And he loves them. Which is hilarious because he hates wearing anything -- but the bat wings must be coooool. :)

I hope to post more...things have calmed down a bit...no more PT, work is somewhat under control -- for now -- and I do want to make sure I document our time spent with Woody. I read beagles average life is 12 years. Woody will be 11 years old this year. He seems, most times, spry as a puppy but the 12 years is in the back of my mind and I can't imagine our lives without him now.

It has been a long time

It's been a long time since I posted anything about my furry friend. He's good. He's sitting here on the sofa with me. Currently he is without food -- his tummy is bothering him. We can't get this sorted out. Just when we think he's better -- his doggie butt blows up -- and this past incarnation has been inside the house. Luckily I told Andrew to put out the piddle pads and they've served us well as poop pads.

Detente

Well, it's been a month since my surgery. You'd think with all this time on my hands I'd be writing more -- not so much. Not much to say when you sit all day with your foot in the air. Woody has been fantastic -- sits with me every day. There's a gentle detente between Woody and Max -- Woody will sleep on one side and Max will sleep on my chest. Max so desperately wants to head butt Woody -- just like he used to do to Kafka but Woody would never tolerate it. Maxie is desperate to be Woody's BFF -- he just refuses to acknowledge him.

Emma met Woody. She said she'd get a dog if she could find one like Woody -- so that's my objective -- find her a Woody-beagle dog.

RIP Georgia

Hi there. Gene and Lisa had to put Georgia to sleep yesterday. What a sweetie. She recently underwent chemom for stomach cancer. She was doing better but took a the worse. Gene, Lisa and her sister, Nibbles, gave Georgia a great life. She was a sweet pup who never turned down a treat or a belly rub. Who loved to run and play in the park.

We're going to miss you sweetie. We love you.

Adventures in Bartlett

How did I manage to go a month without posting? Yikes.

Woody stayed with Andy and Michele while we were in Mexico. He had some mixed results. He did fairly well -- he LOVED Michele. The kids were too much for him. Mitch and Luke are a little crazy -- they're boys -- and Woody just isn't used to all the noise or action (lots of dancing and jumping). He barked at them a couple of times and snapped at Luke. I feel terrible about the snapping. Michele assured me it wasn't bad and he made no contact with Luke -- just a warning to stay away. She said he waa welcome back.

Since he's been home all he has done is sleep. He was exhausted.

Hilary is going to watch Woody while I have surgery. He has offered to stay at our place -- I think we might take him up on it.

I'm just glad we're all home.

In the morning...

February Blues

Now that January is almost over -- was it the longest January on record or what? Felt like it had 6 weeks in it instead of the standard four. February is upon us and I'm full of nerves -- for both me and Woody. I'm nervous about Woody staying with Andy and Michele for 6 days. Poor Woody. Poor Andy and Michele. He's low key but he's a handful. And he pees. In the house. Not much but enough to make him an unwelcome house guest. Well, he does here about 1x per month. He never has at my mom and dad's house but at Cory and Lou's? Well, that's another story. I'm worried he'll get sick when we're gone. What if his stomach stuff kicks up while we're away? He's been off his medication for a month now and he seems fine. I just worry. And we'll miss him. And he'll miss us. Then there's Maxie...poor Maxie. His thyroid will be a hot mess when we come back if people can't give him his medication. And he'll be really lonely. He hasn't been left alone for this period of time ever -- Kafka was always with him before. He's going to be so sad.

See where I'm going with this? I am going to feel so guilty.

Then it's time for my surgery. They'll both have to be taken care of, again. Then I'll come home and I'll smell different, won't be able to walk and will be in so much pain. And Woody will get underfoot. And I'm afraid I'm going to fall. This is the stuff that keeps me up at night and up early in the morning. If I fall during the first 4-5 weeks and land on my foot -- my foot is toast. That makes me sick to my stomach every time I think about it. It's going to be hard on all of us. I just hope we all survive the next few months. It's going to be a long haul.

Chewie

Okay, I don't normally put other dogs on my blog but this little guy, from the Daily Puppy, is just too cute not to post. His name is Chewbacca and he's a poodle mix. What a face!

It's a BEAGLE!

Woody's DNA test came back -- he's all Beagle! He's a level 1 Beagle -- whatever that means.

Cuddle Pup

I had the worst night's sleep last night but the most comforting sleep this morning. I woke up at 3:00 am. First of all I was in a panic that I was late for work but then, when I realized it was Sunday morning, I started to notice my foot hurt -- a lot. Then I started to worry about my foot. I see Dr. Pacaccio tomorrow but I'm afraid he's going to tell me it's getting worse and I can't wait until Feb. 24th, which means no trip to Mexico for us. So I'm in the middle of my panic, shopping for Donna's baby shower gift and Woody comes over to me on the sofa. I lift him up, put him beside me and we went back to sleep until 9:00 am. He is such a cuddle pup. I can pick him up, curl him up in my arms and he just stays right there with me -- like he knows I need comforting. I love that about him. Andrew woke up and was going to take him out but he saw us and didn't dare disturb us -- smart move!

Little Pink Blanket

Nix

Stay...too pricey and I don't feel like I want to pay over $500 to people I don't trust with my dog (yes, I have issues...but that's not a surprise). So Michele graciously offered, or agreed, to watch him. We'll pay them -- but we're in a negotiating phase right now. I'm so happy. He'll do well over there. She's home all the time. The kids are around. Andy wants a dog fix.

I also bought a Furminator today. HOLY COW. I lost a dog with all the fur it took off. I'm going to LOVE this thing. It's awesome.

Woody ate a million air treats today. I love that he thinks they're real treats.

Stay

Stay, www.staydoghotel.com is the place I think we're going to keep Woody at while we're away in Mexico and, again, when I have surgery. I think we're going for the uber deluxe room -- 160 sq. ft. of pure doggie heaven -- or at least some space. It's more expensive but, since he's spent a majority of his life in a cage, I didn't want to put him in a smaller cage.

I'm going to give them a call today. I'll find out if it's suitable for out boy.

Zoikers...suite, walks, cuddletime and bath all add up to $473 for his stay...That's er, more than my plane ticket to Mexico.

Chunk-a-dunk

Woody is putting on his winter weight -- not okay. Since it's been so cold out he hasn't walked much. Plus, the whole "teaching him how to play" thing isn't going well. He just doesn't get it. Not his fault. I did find a way to keep him out of trouble while we're gone. I take a bag (which he does like to rifle through) and filled it with toys, paper, a torn up treat, etc. Then I zip it 90% and put it on the floor. We go away and when we come back the bag is open, paper is shredded and everything is out of the bag and on the floor. He seems to enjoy that.

We're looking for some place to board him for our Mexico trip. There is a place by O'Hare but a) they didn't call us back in 2 days and when we complained about it they did call us back and b) they never take the dogs outside. Ick. So we're going to find a place in the city -- NOT PetsHotel.

Charley Harper

Some art from Charley Harper that I love...

I bought Lisa the Bassett glicee for her birthday. I can't wait to give it to her. I might have to treat myself to the Beagle glicee. I love Harper's birds -- I didn't realize he did doggies too.

www.charleyharperartstudio.com -- check it out.

Doggie DNA Test

Just performed the Doggie Breed Identification Test on Woody. It's from biopet. It was a Christmas gift. Now we'll find out if he's a Beagle, a Bagle or anything else in-between.

It was simple. Two swabs, two cheeks, 20 seconds and it was done. He didn't care at all. Now I just need to wait 2 weeks.

www.biopetvetlab.com

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and all the best for 2010! Here are some of Woody's Christmas pictures.

My new year's resolution? To teach Woody how to play. I've been reading that laboratory beagles never learn to play. Is there anything sadder than that? A dog not knowing how to play? I've been working with him lately and he's showing some interest in toys -- so I have hope. I also am going to become one of THOSE people --with a ribbon on my car. I found a laboratory beagle rescue website and they're selling ribbons for cars that say "save the life of someone who has saved a life" or something like that. It provided more information about the labs that test on beagles and what they test on them -- food, medicine (cancer drugs, etc.) and that most beagles show no long-term health problems from the testing. Anyway, Woody is a humanitarian...or dogatarian I guess is more appropriate.

Woody's Christmas Treat

Okay, so I know this is a video of a dog chewing a treat -- like watching paint dry for some people. But I still love it. To give a little context -- Woody was chewing a treat from his own Doggie Pez dispenser. Rob gave it to him for Christmas. The treats were like Greenies -- so he had his work cut out for him. It took him about 30 minutes to eat the tiny treat. So consider yourself lucky I only posted 30 seconds and not the entire 30 minutes!