It's Black Dog Friday

Black Friday at my house is usually synonymous with "Extreme Introvert Day." I don't particularly enjoy the public, and I most definitely do not enjoy crowds. And, since my boss saw fit to not bestow Christmas bonuses upon us quite yet, it was also not a day of much online shopping. Boo. 

So, what's a girl to do? Well, it was sunny today so I decided to try for a few photos of the creeps. Even though it was sunny, it was cold as balls...so the photo session was quite brief. I should also add that Corvus was extra cranky and thus, uncooperative. 

Yeah, about this dog. He's kind of a douche.

The barking starts in 3....2....

....1

And that's how photographing this asshole went today.

Ditto was a little bit more cooperative, but not much. She was in bouncy land. Too many squirrels out and about foraging for acorns and pecans and such to really hold her attention for long. I have come to the very depressing realization that on a dog scale of 1-10 for interesting, I fall somewhere between a 0 and a 10 depending on what is in my hands or in my pockets. If I have no treats, I am a goose egg. If I have treats and there are no external distractions (strangers, squirrels, aliens, unicorns, etc), I am the single most interesting creature on the planet. If there are external distractions, it's a toss up.

Despite the squirrels, Ditto is pretty photogenic so in spite of my shitty understanding of camera settings, I think I got a couple decent ones. Definitely not the best, but hey, I said she was in bouncy land, damn it.

I kind of like this one.

All in all, it was a pretty crappy day, LOL. I did get a bit of Christmas decorating done, and I did get some much needed cuddle time with the dogs, even if they were high on crack for a large portion of the day. I hope to exercise the demons out of them tomorrow, and if the squirrels clear out, try for better photos. 

And a shout out to the Other Half, he got an amazing squirrel shot of one of the little Furry Distractions.

Oh look at me, I have a better camera and photograph things when they're still. Show off.

For now, I think I'm going to head off to watch Elf with the little spawns of Satan. Happy Black Dog Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Americans. I have many things to be thankful for this year - health, happiness, family, love and the two most amazing dogs in the world...and a couple of pretty awesome kitties too. 

To my critters - I thank you furry little creeps for keeping my head above water on the days that I feel like life has conspired against me, for reminding me that there is ALWAYS a reason to get up in the morning, and for loving me no matter how grumpy or unlovable I may be at times. For all the laughter you've given me, for all the unfailing loyalty you've shown me, for the times you've kept me from danger (Corvus, that means you, buddy!), I love you all to the moon and back.

Now, if only they could read. Ha! I'm pretty sure they understand that I love them though, especially when I tell them with (small amounts of white meat) turkey.

*Disclaimer and friendly reminder - many Thanksgiving foods can be dangerous for dogs. Please remember that cooked bones are UNSAFE, and that too much turkey (especially skin and dark meat) can cause pancreatitis. Avoid chocolates, raisins, grapes, onions, nuts, heavily seasoned foods, and fatty foods. For a full list of common Thanksgiving foods that can be hazardous, be sure to check Google.

My Bully Mart Collar Is Here!

So, the Maddox Lux 1.5" collar I won in a Bully Mart auction last month arrived today. I LOVE the color of the leather - Canyon Tan. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it's quickly growing on me.

My first impression of the collar is that while the craftsmanship is wonderful, the leather feels "different". Even though it's a double layer collar, it feels lightweight and somehow, just not as sturdy as what I'm used to with Ella's Lead's leather. Call me spoiled, but there is a noticeable difference in the quality of the leather. I don't know how to describe it really, other than it just feels different.

The other thing that is a minor aggravation is that the Celtic knot conchos are just a miniscule bit larger than the top strip of leather so there is a tiny bit of overhang. Probably not noticeable to the average person, but I have some issues with OCD, and this is one of those things that will drive me crazy if I don't stop looking at it.

The hardware on the collar is impressive - it feels nice and sturdy, and my initial feelings are that it will hold up to the banging and battering that Corvus will put it through.

All in all, I like the collar. It was a fair price, and I would probably buy another collar from them through their online auctions, which is a great way to get their collars at a price much lower than what they charge on their website. I'd give this collar a 7 out of 10 stars. 

The Lunacy of Pit Bull Haters Pt. 2

 Honestly, I don't even know where to start with the collection of screen shots I've amassed over time, but I'll start with this quaint little group of psychos who enjoy nothing more than perusing Craigslist and flagging ads, while bantering amongst themselves about "Grippers" and "Mutants". 

Unfortunately, these dimly lit bulbs can't even seem to concern themselves with facts, they just want to FLAG ALL TEH DOGS and use any chance they can to congregate over a mutual hatred.  One of the most vocal hate-spewing mongrels on their page is a very misguided gal whom I won't even name because I don't want "it" showing up on my blog and targeting MY dog for harassment, like she's done to so many others. I'll just share her profile photo so you can get an idea of what a crusader for "the cause" she believes herself to be. You can probably connect the dots below.

Just gives you the warm and fuzzies, doesn't it?

On this page, every mutt is a pit bull, dontcha know?

Right, because if it's a completely different breed but still has four legs, fur and a tail, it's still obviously a pit bull. Duh.

Or, I don't know, the poor dog could just be missing and scared.

Game look? HAHAHAHA. Cropped ears is now the go-to identifier for gameness? I'm going to just go out on a limb and guess that these noodle brains have zero idea of what "game" even means.

Yes, Lesley The Resident Psycho, a pointer mix. See next photo.

This would be the "nervous gripper" that is posted above. Totes apbt, AMMIRIGHT?

Age of danger? LOL. God, where do these shit bags come up with this stuff? Is there a class?

I..just have no words.

Yeah, that's an ad for a rescue. Self-explanatory to anyone with a brain, but for these flatliners, it does not compute.

There is so much more I could post to go along with this, but it will be reserved for another day. I can only stomach so much hate and ignorance at one time, so with that said - have a wonderful day. I'm off to go check on The Creeps. Ditto is probably killing something as I write!!

Yep. Caught in the act. Killing the coldness with a nice warm blankie!

And the results are in..

We kid around a lot about what Corvus might be. Guessing his unknown heritage has become sort of a sporting event of sorts. Is he part this? Is he part that? WHO KNOWS? We just sort of assume he's some sort of mythical beast because, well, Jesus...he's NOT a normal dog. 

Over the years, these are some of the things we have assumed are in his pedigree. 

Staple Remover:

Toothless, from HTTYD:

John Black, from Days of Our Lives:

Predator, maybe, without the vitiligo and dreadlocks?

Perhaps, a cow?

  

But finally, after almost 8 years of mulling it over, we have come to the conclusion that we have determined, for sure, what makes Corvus the epic dog he is. In the words of Maury Povich, "Wild Boar,  you ARE the father!"

And from this day forward, I declare thee, "Boarvus". <3

Outtakes AKA Why Photographing The Dogs Requires Alcohol

To be fair, it's mainly Corvus that gives me the goofiest outtakes. Ditto is just typically intently focused on some sort of small animal somewhere far off in the netherworld, and has that glossed over "far away" stare going on. So I get a lot of the same photos of her. Much like this one:

OH HELLO OVER THERE, SQUIRREL! 

Corvus, though. Oh man, this dog...He makes for some of the best bloopers. Just don't expect anything serious, and you won't be disappointed. IF he gives you anything serious, it's going to be his "I'm serious, go fuck yourself" look.  

Exhibit A: "I don't have time for this shit, Human. I am channeling my inner wolf. Now piss off."

Exhibit B: The Tongue. ALWAYS with this tongue. There's a reason he is also referred to as "The Anteater."

  

Exhibit C: Yeah, I got nothing for this one. He's just a freak show. 

Exhibit D: Did I mention he had a tongue problem?

Every so often though, I luck up and capture a real gem. And this is one of those rare moments. I adore this photo. It captures so much of the joy he brings me in one timeless photo. This dog makes me laugh. He makes me drink, but he makes me laugh too, and I think that's a fair trade any day of the week!

Throwback Thursday

Short and sweet, because I've been sick and miserable and even though I've set out to post almost every day, exhaustion takes over and I end up asleep and wishing for death. Prime example, I started this post on Thursday (hence the "Throwback Thursday" title), but I'm just now finishing it on Saturday. 

I look back at puppy photos of The Creeps, and I can't believe how much time has passed. Corvus has been with us for 7.5 years, and Ditto has been with us for one year. Corvus will be celebrating his 8th birthday in May, and Ditto will be celebrating her 3rd in February. *Sob* Where does the time go?

He was a smug thing, even then.

This dog does NOTHING half-assed.

So, there's my contribution to the Throwback Thursday. The Creeps: Puppy Edition.  Hope you find them as adorable as I do. <3

One Dog Owner's Pet Peeves

I like to think I'm fairly easy to get along with. I try to let the little things slide, and I do what I can to just smile and say "Hmm" even if you're blatantly obnoxious. There are, however, a few things that really get my feathers ruffled, and I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone.

1) I am not walking my dogs to amuse YOU. I am walking them because it is necessary for their well being to get exercise and have one on one bonding time with me. When you see us walking by, please do not think us rude if we do not stop to socialize, or if I say "No" when you ask to pet Corvus.

2) No, you may not just rush up to my dogs and squeal and flail around like a stuck pig. Depending on which dog I am walking, that could get you hurt. ASK BEFORE YOU GET INTO OUR PERSONAL SPACE. It's just courteous to respect the space of others, and it's just common sense to not go barging up to a strange dog and act insane. Hint: A lot of dogs don't like that.

3) It's not necessary to offer your unsolicited input on my dogs and their appearance. I can assure you that Ditto's cropped ears are not just going to suddenly uncrop themselves just because you deem it "cruel" and I can promise you that Corvus is, in fact, at a perfect weight and is not starving.

4) If you don't like prong collars, don't use one. I use one from time to time because I have dogs that are very explosive when they decide to react to stimuli, and it's safer for both of us to walk with a prong than a collar that they don't respect. In a flat collar, Corvus can yank Jeff, at 6' 5" and 240 lbs off his feet if he decides to suddenly lunge. A prong is the one collar that Corvus responds to. I'm not going to make walks unsafe just because you get all "But they're so evil" when you see one.

5) DO NOT TOUCH MY DOGS WITHOUT PERMISSION. I cannot emphasize this enough. Corvus has an extremely EXTREMELY low tolerance for all things unfamiliar. I have worked very, very hard to get him to the point where he will tolerate a friendly, non-threatening stranger in his immediate area, but he does not tolerate a stranger reaching for him, or touching him. It's never okay to just reach out and touch a stranger's dog without asking permission first.

6) Don't stick your hands in my car. Seriously, just don't. Why would you even? Dogs don't typically like people invading their spaces.Are you trying to get bitten?

7) Don't try to feed my dogs stuff. They are both sensitive to certain things and while I know you're trying to be nice, it's actually harmful sometimes to feed people's dogs things they aren't used to eating.

8) Don't bark at my dogs. Seriously, it's not cute. You're adults, stop acting like a child before you get yourself hurt.

9) While summer has passed us now, another pet peeve is still fresh in my mind. IT IS NOT OKAY to threaten to bust people's windows out, and even less okay to actually do it. You may look at my car and think "OMG HOW CRUEL" when you see my dog inside....but what you don't know is that my A/C is on, my dog has a cooling mat to lay on, and there is ice in a bowl on the floor. What you also don't know is that if my dogs are with me, I'm on a very short errand, and I will be back within 5-10 minutes. If you encounter a dog that you feel is legitimately in distress  (Hint: Dogs that aren't panting and are just chilling out in the car are not in distress. Well, until you get them all riled up by invading their space and forcing them to react to your closeness to their vehicle..), take down the license plate number and go into the building and have the owner of the car paged. If it is urgent (dog is unresponsive), call the police and ask their advice on how to handle the situation. Breaking a window should be a last result action in response to a dog that is dying.

10) I don't care if "Oh he's friendly, he just wants to say hi" is your go to phrase in regards to your dog running up to mine. DON'T DO IT. It's not cute, it's dangerous, and when my dogs react to this, it will be them that look bad even though it's you who have allowed your unruly dog to charge up to my leashed dogs. Some people own dogs that do not like other dogs. FACE THIS FACT, and keep your dogs under control.

11) "Oh but dogs love me!" - Don't say this to me, and more importantly, don't try to prove to me that even "mean" dogs love you. Corvus won't. Don't even try it. 

I think that's it for now. I know I sound like a grump, but this is really a collection of aggravations that have accumulated over the years. It's not that I expect everyone to be super dog savvy, but anything that puts my dogs in danger will get my hackles up in an instant. I try to take the time to educate people when they do something that irks me, but some times it's one of those "Head meet Wall" scenarios. 

Ah, such is life!

The Lunacy of Pit Bull Haters

This is the sound of crazy. Of lunacy. Of irrational hatred for a dog that someone doesn't even know. THIS is breed prejudice, and it lives across the street from me.

A little background on the clip, my neighbors, and me and my dogs:

Jeff was outside checking the mail when the neighbors called him over. (The woman in the audio shall be addressed as Madea, from here on out because I don't actually  know her real name, but she reminds me of Madea from the Tyler Perry movies.) Madea starts rambling about me, so Jeff pretended to have a phone call buzzing in and set his phone to record.

Things to clarify -

• Madea and her family are hermits. They do not socialize with anyone in the neighborhood, they stay in their house almost 24/7. Prior to this incident, we had zero interaction with them for at least 3 months, if not more.
• The family consists of Mama Madea and her two sons, both of whom are in their 40's. Her "baby" that she was concerned about working on the motor is a 300 lb adult man. 
• Most importantly - My dogs were on leashes, under full control. In my own yard. As they always are. They were both focused on me, as they were awaiting their treats that were in my pocket. How that means I was trying to intimidate someone is beyond me. Also,  My dogs have never, I repeat NEVER been in their yard. The same cannot be said about their dogs, who have on more than one occasion, been in my yard. 
• There is almost zero history with these people aside from an occasional nod if we happen to both be outside at the same time, which is practically never. Jeff has talked to them once or twice, in attempts to be a nice neighbor. 
• There is no history of my dogs being a problem for ANYONE.  They are contained properly, handled responsibly, and are not a menace or a disturbance for anyone. Ditto has never tried to bite anyone, so for this insane woman to declare "That bulldawwwg WILL bite" is just more lunacy.
• "Hannah", the dog she claims I killed, was my 8 year old great dane that had been euthanized seven months earlier due to cancer, among a myriad of other problems. Anyone who knows great danes knows that eight years old is sadly, a long life span for a giant breed dog. Especially for the problems Hannah contended with. We euthanized her when she could no longer stand or walk on her own.

So, yes, this is the voice of pit bull hatred and irrational behavior. She hates my dogs so much because of what reason exactly? One will never know. She's never met them, never seen them any closer than 50 yards away, and has never EVER had any reason to complain about them because they are responsibly kept. 

She's just, as others of her irrational bully breed hating kind, bat shit crazy.  I will be following up this blog post sometime soon with a collection of other pit bull hating lunacy. I just don't have the capacity to deal with any more at the moment. It's been one of those weeks. I'd rather go spend some time curled up on the couch with my beloved dogs.