3DOGCACHE

Two Dogs?

2008-11-06T22:27:00.009-05:00

It's been almost four months since Ellie died. I still can't go to the cemetery without missing her, or a dog park for that matter. I was walking to my gym today and walked past a park I spent many hours in throwing a ball to Ellie; Maggie and Andy chasing after her but having no interest in the ball.

This past weekend, I took the Maggot and AndDog to visit friends of mine who are trying to decide what type of dog to adopt. He wants a miniature dachshund and she wants a boxer. Hmm...needless to say, they don't have a dog yet. They wanted to go to the dog park to play with Maggie and Andy. At first the park was empty, but when other owners and dogs started showing up, Maggie had to be restrained since it was a small fenced in area. Andy, on the other hand, only wanted to sit and get petted by the other owners. Brian and Keri had brought a ball to play with the dogs. I tried to inform them that the dog who would really appreicate a ball was no longer here. And while Andy wanted nothing to do with the ball, Maggie half-heartily would run after it until something better came up to occupy her. Hence, I ended up retrieving all the thrown balls. Pangs ran through me as I thought of my ElBell and how she could focus on a ball for hours, chase a ball for hours, flip for a ball for hours, and then hold that same ball in her mouth falling asleep. I still miss her.

But that said, Maggie and Andy have created a peaceful existence together. One that was not possible with Ellie.

Hmm, maybe Malie and Sasha will choose to take a chocolate lab to the white house...

2dogs or 3dogs?...that is the question

2008-08-14T11:23:00.009-05:00

It has been a month since my beloved chocolate lab Ellie had to be put to sleep. It still aches when I think of her. Or when I take my other two to play and neither of them want anything to do with a chuckit or a ball or a stick. It's just sniff and walk with 2dogs.

So the question has come up whether or not I should get another dog. Specifically, another Chocolate lab. There is the camp that think 2dogs is quite sufficient, especially considering the beast. This is probably the majority of my friends, family and co-workers. There are, however, a fleeting few who believe another chocolate lab is in my near future.

Yes there is the expense; and yes, there are logistics; and yes, of course, there is the beast. But there is also something missing in my household. It is hard to explain. Andy and Ellie were companions. Maggie and Ellie were playmates. Ellie and I were playmates...well, insofar as I held and threw the ball. Ellie was the glue between us all. Maggie, Andy and I are lost without her. Andy doesn't have anyone to snuggle with at night. Maggie tries to play with Andy, but Andy doesn't go for her four times my weight plus a mouth that can engulf me rough housing. Teeth get bared, separation following closely afterwards.

Every one's response is "isn't two dogs enough?" Personally, it has nothing to do with enough. If I was worried that all my money was going to the dogs, or that the logistics for having three dogs was too much, or that it was just one more pain in the ass to be responsible for...well then, I probably wouldn't have one dog, let alone three dogs.

So my answer. Definitely 3dogs. Am I going to run out tomorrow and get another dog. No. But I predict within six months there will be another little chocolate lab pup bouncing around the house, bringing us back to our original 3dogcache.

Eleanor Roosevelt Curry

2008-07-17T09:08:00.018-05:00

Eleanor Roosevelt Curry

"Ellie Bellie"
9 December 2003 - 17 July 2008

Remembering Ellie

5:30am body slams and kisses

wake up, I'm hungry
hanging on to Andy's ears
Where's breakfast?
I'm hungry
Where's the ball?
I'm still hungry

Cecelia and Mark always have treats when they say hello
Dewey Beach

Trying to Drown Mommy...save me, save me

The Wells'

Heavy fast tail wagging

wet kisses

jumping high

Congressional Cemetery
serenading the firetruck sirens with my off key howls

riding waves

Amhearst, NH
chuck it, finding balls & fitting as many as I can in my mouth

Cocoa, Lydia and Olivia

settle, good girl, settle
wanna flip, wanna flip, wanna flip
are we there yet?
wanna run, wanna run, wanna run
shaking off mama's kisses
throw the ball already, wanna run, wanna flip

Deer Isle, Maine

The Papsters
Maggie, yikes

Teaching Cocoa hot dogs and dog doors go together

Banco, Va

CAL!

Always something good to eat at The Smart

16th Street with Maude & Tucker

hmm, they can fight --- I'll just go over here and eat what they are fighting over
sleeping tight next to mama's curved back, gotta get closer
one leap onto the kitchen counter to get that cat food

Climbing Old Rag

a fourth dog?

Melissa & Booker

Ellie COME, good girl

the synthetic nipple

who's that white fuzzy puppy?

Kuma

Who's that yappy girl dog named after my boy cat?

Madison

Hopewell, Virginia

Cashiers at Pet Smart...always a cookie in hand

Making Myrtle run after me down the sidewalk with nothing on except an m&m in hand...hehehehe

Yeah, I'm a food whore

I can find anything that smells like it might be edible

I'm still hungry
more food please

She loved her mama
Her mama loved her

I miss you Ellie Bellie

Spoiled Dog...

2008-06-26T10:02:00.008-05:00

Sleeping peacefully

Excuse me, that flash doesn't bode well with my shut eyes

Ugh, go away...this is soooo irritating

What's a big dog s'pose to do?

Dog Ugly?

2007-11-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

A fellow dog blogger, who will remain anonymous, has declaired my 3dogs as ugly. "Ugly" a direct quote from his mouth to my ears. Now I ask you, does a REAL dog lover ever think any dog is ugly? He came about his dog late in life, well okay, in his mid-fourties. But up until then, I don't think he had any great love for four legged creatures...though to be fair, that is my thought, not his. And I wonder, how you can look at a dog, I mean really look at a dog, in their eyes, see and feel their unconditional love and think they are ugly? Of course, we always love and adore what is closest to us. And I can honestly say that this anonymous blogger loves and adores his dog. But does that warrant the comment that mine are ugly?

Fourteen paw reunion

2007-11-16T06:23:00.000-05:00

After three weeks of separation, we're all home again. 3dogs were treated to a big walk in the cemetery and bones all around. Hmm, no pun intended. Madison wasn't too happy to be pushed from his lofty solo bed position my first night home. But three dogs quickly assumed the position and fell fast asleep. Must be nice to be off that hard cement "hotel" floor with bright lights and homesick puppies.

And the two extra paws --- those would be mine.

Paying It Forward...

2007-11-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

3dogs have been living it up at the PetSmart hotel while I've been travelling around China. My intent was to participate in NoBloPoMo and blog my experiences (sans 3dogs) tromping around the mainland. Unfortunately, the mainland had other ideas. China is still a communist country and noblopomo, as well as blogger, were off limits. I could access google.cn, but that did not serve my quest to blog. I also had planned to do a bit of geocaching to drop off a panda bear TB* looking to visit China. Unfortunately, that site was blocked too, so I was unable to get any waypoints. Hmm, panda still sits in my luggage.

So my fellow dog blogger, Nat, aka Pappy's fella, recently began a new blog regarding art, or in this case: Nat Dickinson Doing Art. I love Nat's work (more recently he's been doing a portfolio on his dog's body parts), but I most enjoy his work detailing his beloved Deer Isle in Maine. We share a fondness for Maine. His art blog post for today talks about an emerging artist blogging about paying it forward. It being art. I was one of the first three to respond to Nat's Pay It Forward blog to receive one of his paintings. I in turn promise to pay it forward to the first three responders to this blog who also in turn promise to pay it forward, and in essence, creating a blogger's art exchange. I plan to post my recent photos from China on flickr within the next month. And the PIF respondent may chose a photo of their liking and I will frame it and send it on. Please forward a mailing address to 3dogcache@gmail.com.

______________________

* A Travel Bug is a trackable item that moves from place to place, picking up stories along the way. Here you can add your own story, or live vicariously through each bug's adventures.

Development DoggieSpace?

2007-09-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

A while back ago a few former colleagues here at the Bank left to begin their own non-profit, the Development Marketspace, now known as GlobalGiving. I'm not sure for the name change, except that a developing country is now referred to by its emerging market. In my childhood they were known as 3rd world. Or perhaps the name was too close to Development Marketplace, a grassroots seed funding initiative Dennis and Mari started here in the Bank almost ten years ago. Personally I think one of the better initiatives of the Bank. But enough of tooting the horn of Dennis and Mari.

But that led me to wondering if there were any organizations for helping developing countries with their animal welfare systems. I googled International Dog Aid and Rescue. The ones that caught my eye were IFAW, dog aid international, IAKA and International Dog Rescue. And yes, they are all set up to take your donations online to help those less fortunate Canis lupus familiaris around the globe. I guess there are Development DoggieSpaces so to speak.

Calvin

2007-09-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

Calvin is a German Shepherd mix breed belonging to my neighbors. I have known Cal since he came to live with "the parents" when he was about a year old. Their son, then a student at Syracuse University, acquired him as a pup. One can only assume the life he led in a house filled with young "enthusiastic" college boys. "Hmm, let's get a dog." "yeah dude, what a great idea...he can be the house dog." If memory serves me, his litter mate got hit by a car and died as the two of them went flying across a street. Anyway, to the dismay of most of the neighbors, Cal came to be a permanent resident on our Capitol Hill street.

And Calvin lived up to the hype of German Shepherds. He couldn't be trusted around other dogs or people for fear of a bite. His barks and growls were not for show, but a warning of what could follow. As he got older, his territory became more sacred and thus his guard instincts stronger. One could not walk into their house without being accosted by a barking growling dog.

But that does not mean he did not have a sweet side. I myself never had a problem with Cal. Nor did my numerous dogs over the years. Even my cats got along with Cal. The trick was to socialize him outside of his house and without the P's anywhere near. He got along with Tisha, Teddy, Scout, Andy, Ellie, Pig, Madison, Stevie and Jack. And when the P's bought a house in the country, his list of friends and doggie companions doubled.

He did have his moments though. Many times Cal would come over and stay at my house while the P's were out of town, or it was the maid's "day." Because I didn't have a problem with Cal and no one in my house had a problem with Cal, well we went on as usual. That caused more than a few problems. Mainly my fault. My neighbor Billy tried to hit Cal upside the head with a two by six when I accidentally left him out in the front yard unattended. My mother, in the middle stages of Alzheimer's, came out to garden. And while Cal had left her alone while she was in the yard, the second she was outside the yard pulling weeds through the fence...well he growled and guarded and would not let her back in the yard. Billy went wild. My mother was fine, she just wanted to come back in the yard and finish gardening. Billy, on the other hand, was a shaken mess and demanded the dog be put down right then and there. Fear does terrible things to people.

Then there was the time when I was walking Cal and I mistakenly thought the man with the boxer pup said the two of them were friends. I let Cal off his leash and in one svelte swoop he was on top of that poor dog. I did what you should never do and stuck my hands and feet in the middle of the fight to drag Cal off him. I still have the scar from that mishap.

But I chalk most of these encounters of aggression as being my fault. I didn't see him as a threat so I didn't take the necessary precautions that the "P's" did. The Maggot has changed all that. I'm always aware there is a chance that she may do that head twist and spew, so I always keep a close eye on her. It doesn't diminish my love for her, or the extra effort needed to walk her and take her to a dog park.

A fellow blogger recently asked me "if it should be that hard to have a dog?" I wondered if we had been talking about children, or relationships with others if that question would arise. We love whom we love and we put effort into the relationships we value including our not so perfect pets.

I walked Calvin last night. He is thirteen years old. His bark is no longer ferocious and his gait is weak and wobbly. His hips are not strong enough to hold him through his bowel and bladder releases, so he has what I call the travelling pee and poop. Remembering how hard it was to euthanize my 16 year old terrier mutt a couple years back, I recently asked one of the P's if she had anxiety about Cal's age and deterioration. In her typical pragmatic fashion, which I love and admire, she commented that it was what it was and when his pain began overshadowing his quality of life, well then it would become a different situation.

Maggie Moo

2007-08-01T22:41:00.001-05:00

I've been spending a lot of alone time with the Maggot and she is not the wildebeest I thought her to be. As a matter of fact, she learns and trains quite quickly and is very manageable both on a leash and when left free in the house. Ahh, but there is one catch. Ellie and Andy can be no where near or it quickly dissolves into the three of them determining their pecking order and totally ignoring me and my commands. What I've also noticed, is that if I spend time alone with Ellie, she too listens quite well. Perhaps I need to take the advice I give my clients: bonding with your dog means taking the time to totally focus your attention on him/her so they learn to focus on you.

"Marly and Me"

2007-07-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Marly and Me by John Grogan and loved it. I told one of my dog blogging friends who also happens to be a colleague that I was reading it and he commented that it was not a good read, he got bored and Grogan didn't know how to write. Of course, he said all this before I finished the book. Despite my colleague's thumbs down review, I finished it up and loved it. I then realized that my cynical colleague writes about his dog in the same way that Grogan does...with warmth and humor.

3dog's Time Capsule

2007-07-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Pappy's fella to list five items that 3dog's would want in their time capsule. It took a bit of time to decide whether it would be five items alone, or 15 items --- five for each dog. I know Ellie would only want one item included --- a tennis ball. And the AndDog, he would comply by only asking that a human be included so every dog in the future would know the importance of sitting on a lap and snuggling. I explained that we could not actually put in a human being, but a picture of him snuggling with me would do. But Maggie, my materialistic girl, well she would have a list as long as I would keep writing. Mine, mine, mine --- all mine is her motto. But after a lot of consideration, the five items we would place in the time capsule would be:

1. Tennis balls
2. A picture of AndDog snuggling with me
3. Liver Kong goo: yes, they will do anything I want as long as I stick that synthetic nipple in their mouth and let them suck on that oh so tasty goo
4. Frozen marrow bones: The Maggot can focus on that thing until the cows come home. Actually, so can Ellie and Andy Sort of like sitting a toddler in front of the tube...very important for them and me.
5. Freedom. Not sure how this would be included in the time capsule, but the one thing 3dog's totally enjoy is running and sniffing without a handler on the other end. Mountains, lakes, cemeteries...it is pure heaven.

--"You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.""Prospects for Freedom in 1965," speech, Jan. 7 1965, New York City (published in Malcolm X Speaks, ch. 12, 1965).

Amherst

2007-06-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

3dogs and I are spending our nation's birthday in the quaint little town of Amherst, New Hampshire. We drove up last night, spending a couple hours catching a bit of shuteye in a rest station somewhere in Connecticut. It was a bit cramped, but we somehow managed to all sleep. The lean green kiwi machine is actually quite conducive to snoozing.

My friend and her daughter have been living up here for the past six years. Cocoa is their chocolate lab whom at 1 1/2 years is much calmer than the El Bell. I've been a regular to New Hampshire and Maine for the last 16 years. My desire is to live where my parent's retired...Bridgton, Maine, another quaint New England town. Hmm, is there anything else but quaint New England towns? But Bridgton, unlike Amherst, offers me quick access to the mountains that I love to hike and ski, the shore where I love to walk aimlessly with 3dogs. And being that the town is nestle between lakes, there is no growing metropolis nearby. In the six year years that I've been coming to Amherst the twelve plus miles to get here from Nashua has filled up with Home Depot, Loews, Pet Smart, multiple grocery stores, and of course, the New England favorite, Duncan Donuts.

Now I've been promised that the Amherst 4th of parade will have a few of our next presidential candidates walking the route. Apparently in 2002, they had Kerry, Edwards, and a few other heavy hitters from that "other" side of the political arena. I'm hoping to shake a few big name hands, but apparently one never knows until the last moment who will be participating.

4dogcache?

2007-06-05T16:33:00.000-05:00

Meet Booker. The latest to join the crew on 8th Street. He is an inquisitive 11 month old min pin. And though he is very cute, smart and lovable...luckily, he is not mine. 3dogs keep me busy enough without adding a fourth to their mix. Not that it would be impossible, but difficult. But Booker has actually melted into the pot quite well. His bouncing off walls and anything between makes him the perfect tennis ball-esque plaything for Ellie. Maggie too enjoys romping with him now and again.

But it is Andy who has taken Booker's arrival with a hint of disconcerting ire. Being that he was a single dog for an entire two weeks gives him top dog entitlement. He tolerated Ellie's arrival and her constantly hanging onto his neck. Eventually they became soul mates. Maggie wasn't so easy to accept. When she was a puppy he maintained his status, but as she grew in size it took more than a few scrapes to settle top dog position. The Maggot winning out. And now, god forbid, another dog to contend with; and a dog that never stops moving. It's only been a month, but Andy still growls and pounces on Booker as if he is an annoying little insect.

I'm not use to small dogs. I have always had dalmatians, labs or mutts all weighing in over 50 lbs. Mags is the largest dog I have raised, and at 16 months she's still packing weight onto her solid 90 lb frame. So Booker, who at the most probably tops out at 9 or 10 pounds, is quite the novelty for me.

Please let me in...

2007-06-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

Poor Maggie Moo. She sat so still and was so quiet with this "poor poor me" pathetic look, but still she was unable to enjoy my nephew's fifth birthday party. And when by mere accident my Aunt (she's a vet and just wanted to say hi to the Maggot) let her in, my step-mother (read anti anything with fur or four legs) gritted her teeth as we all tried to coral Mags back to her spot outside BEHIND the door.

Kiki

2007-06-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

3dogs stayed in DC this past week while I headed down to Hilton Head for a week of sun, fun and geocaching. I met this bird Kiki while brunching at The Salty Dog on Sea Pines Plantation. She kept staring at my camera so I snapped this shot of her just before she tried to attack my camera. Ack. Her screeching made me jump.

And I'm not really a fan of the Head since I was there last in 1992 when development and commercialism were multiplying faster than indigenous folks could be displaced. But when a friend of mine invited me to accompany her while she attended a medical conference in Palmetto Dunes. Well hey, why not go. A bit too above my taste, and 3dogs were definitely not welcomed. But because we did a lot of geocaching in parks and out of the way spots, we did see a lot of the island and beyond that most visitors probably do not get a chance to visit. That was nice. As was our day in Savannah following "the caches" all over town.

Tradition

2007-04-04T10:03:00.000-05:00

Hot dogs, beer and America's favorite pastime. It has become tradition. My sister Beth, Ally and myself sit in the sun for three hours and watch the Nationals play on Opening Day. This past Monday was a bust for the Nats. But the beer was cold and the sun was warm so we were happy.

And speaking of beer, someone at RFK made the executive decision to stop selling beer in bottles. Now Beth and Ally love bottled beer, especially the lite kind. I, on the hand, prefer draft and something a little heavier --- Guinness, Harp, or an IPA will do. And lucky for me, the vendors at RFK have met my needs. When we arrived at the game on Monday I volunteered to get the first round. Remember, hot dogs, baseball AND BEER. So off I went in pursuit of the perfect draft and a couple of those lite bottles. I immediately found an IPA and began to quench my thirst. But those bottles, well they were no where to be found. Finally I asked a vendor where I could buy some bottled beer. He curtly responded --- no where. He was too busy pouring beer to be bothered with a petty question. I mean, beer is beer right? I don't think so.

Well after a long search I came up empty. So I hit the stands to see if there was a beer man selling bottles. Nope, only cans. When I questioned why he said they got sick of cleaning up bottles. So, is it easier to clean up plastic cups? And what about bottled water which is still sold? What, people who drink water won't trash the bottle in the stands? But in the end, to Beth and Ally's delight, there was one place that sold bottles.

I must admit though, it was a bittersweet experience. This will be the last opening day we spend in RFK. I won't be able to walk the ten blocks to the stadium. Or when I'm being excessively lazy --- drive and park because I have one sweet Zone 6 sticker on my windshield. I'm not even sure what Zone the new stadium is in, but I do know it will be a subway ride away. And they certainly are wasting no time putting that baby up. When I drive down the southeast southwest freeway I can see the upper deck reaching into the sky. Fans will certainly have a birds eye view of our Nation's Capitol. Ahh, change is hard.

Ahh, the sweet smell of Spring

2007-03-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

Well, that daily blog idea didn't really happen this past month. Hmm, 3dogs aren't too happy with me either. Sporadic jaunts to the cemetery don't add up. And the puny walks they do get give them very little marking and sniffing time in the outside world. None of us are very happy. But it is Spring and the air is warm; flowers poking up and blooms on the trees. Achoo. Yes, we are all sneezing.

But on to more important things. I have located a long lost relative of the Papsters. Tater, I know --- the name is a bit beyond my taste too, came into PetSmart the other day looking for a trainer. That would be me. His "pet parents" as the Smart likes to address pet owners, had just adopted him and had heard that I would be able to help them and him. I immediately fell in love with him. He reminded me of my favorite puppy dog, Teddy. Teddy was my sweet boy, mixed terrier, that I found back in 1988 on South Carolina Avenue and 12th here on Capitol Hill. He was the best boy and lived to the ripe old age of 16. Tater had obviously had some training and promptly sat on command. It was as though Teddy had been reincarnated.

But as I continued to play with the Tator, I realized he was more like a Pappy dog than a Teddy dog. Pappy tends to have all these jerky little movements and doesn't like to be held for too long, lest a ball might need to be sniffed out. Teddy was a lover, and would just snuggle up for hugs and kisses.

I dubbed Tator " The White Pappy," signed him up for class and off he went to become leader of the dog park.

Andy...

2007-03-09T10:06:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine just had a birthday party for her dog. Decorations, presents, a cake and even games and favors. Some people have way too much time on their hands. But having attended this party, I decided that I need to create a birthday for the Anddog. Maggie was born January 26, 2006, Ellie was born December 9, 2003, but Andy, well he was adopted. No one had a clue to when he was born. They guessed his age at the shelter, but my vet said they always predict younger so people think they are getting a puppy. I got him in August, 2003 and he could have been anywhere from six months to a year. So, I need to pick a day from August 2002 through January 2003. Any ideas?

Hot Yoga

2007-03-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

I've been trying out this new exercise...hot yoga. Actually, I think the real name is Bikram Yoga. Anyway, the idea is to do twenty-six poses and two breathing exercises twice each in a room that is heated 105 degrees and humid. Ninety minutes in all. The first day, I tried to leave after an hour and they wouldn't let me leave. Yikes. Messing up the room's karma. The second day, two people felt sick and had to sit in the bathroom on the cold floor. But the third day, well I just felt fine. Though I am not at all able to actually complete or hold any of the poses, it is really cool to watch those who can. I go to a studio in Dupont Circle, but I think they are becoming very popular and popping up everywhere.

I was thinking as I was watching Ellie do her flipping twist all catch if that is a kind of Yoga for her. She certainly does sweat. And today, after romping in the cemetery, the Maggot plopped into a pose on the ground. She'd probably like hot yoga since she from South Africa --- all that heat and humidity. She absolutely hates the cold weather.

Why do they do THAT?

2007-03-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder what goes on in those little heads when I'm not around to entertain 3dogs. And in the case of Maggie...her big head. Since the Maggot's first birthday this past January, she has had more freedom. She is house trained and doesn't seem to want to gobble up everything in her sight. So if I'm taking a shower or making dinner, doing laundry...whatever, I let her and the brown one hang upstairs for twenty minutes or so. Ellie just plays with her toys or romps noisily with Mags. But this morning, I went to take a shower, and when I returned there were half chewed razor blades all over floor. RAZOR BLADES! No blood, no cuts that I could see. Just three chewed triple blade razor cartridges, the soap surrounding having been gobbled up. As I was leaving for work, I noticed a dog had regurgitated in the corner of the bedroom ---- bubbly soap. UGH. What was she thinking?

We're dreaming...

2007-03-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

of everything green and colorful. And with daylight savings time (DST) coming this weekend, well we can only keep dreaming. So when I stepped out this morning with 3dogs I thought of the warm balmy long first day of DST. That first Sunday after the night of "springing forward" still amazes me to this day, when 5:30 - 6:00pm comes around and the sun is not setting. 7:00pm and I'm still seeing daylight. The next day, I leave work to a sky filled with light.

But this morning when I was dreaming of that balmy day, I was hit with an unwelcome blast of cold air against my cheeks. And tomorrow it is suppose to snow. How are we to enjoy this springing forward, if there is no spring to go forwards towards? It just isn't natural. Maybe I should move to Arizona where some intelligent law person decided that foolin' with time was just plain bad.

Monster dog?

2007-03-05T18:10:00.000-05:00

When I look at Maggie I only see sweetness, cuteness and a bundle of love. I seem to be in the minority. The last couple weeks I have had complete strangers come up to me while I am walking the dogs, and keeping their distance ask me what kind of dog she is usually adding that she is very scary looking. I respond that she is a boerboel, also known as a south african mastiff. And then immediately show them how docile she really is, having her demonstrate "the hug." This convinces them that she really is very sweet and it must be okay to pet her. She then tries to give them a hug. See, all sugar and spice and everything nice.

Well, maybe. She has had a few adverse reactions to some select people --- read very BIG BIG MEN. And of course, those kitties in the cages at the SMART can be very intimidating.

Global Warming...

2007-03-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

or is this happening just to make me crazy. The weather yesterday was balmy sunny and close to sixty degrees. 3dogs and I had a wonderful walk on the mall (no, not shopping mall but rather the National Mall, the land area between the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial), and even had a bit of a dip in the pool in front of the Capitol. But today. Brrrrr, it is only in the low 30's and there is a fierce wind to make it feel like your face is turning to ice. Maggie's lost her head over the whole change...

Anatomically correct snow people?

2007-03-03T10:16:00.000-05:00

Snow Ball

2007-03-02T09:43:00.000-05:00

After the snow the other day, I decided to let the dogs play in one of the squares on Capitol Hill. It was late and I figured they'd just sniff and wander over the snow trodden ground. But "the nose" immediately sniffed out a tennis ball and dropped it at my feet. I didn't want to pick it up and risk freezing my bare hands so I kicked it like a soccer ball. Oddly enough, it went flying; the snow acting like a tee.

Ellie and Maggie followed in hot pursuit, Ellie sniffing like crazy trying to locate the ball in the snow, and Maggie doing some type of snow slide behind her. Eventually a snow covered ball would be dropped at my feet to begin the process all over again. It was quite engaging for all of us. All of us except Andy, who sniffed and wandered in peace.

March Madness...

2007-03-01T17:05:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit behind on the 3dog's blog but I've decided to meet a challenge of a blog a day for the month of March. Not an official blog month...just a personal goal.

And we had a surprise snow storm the other day leaving us with six inches of snowball making snow. The next day it warmed up and many of the creations from the day before melted into some interesting formations. One reminded me of my favorite comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin would build all these horrid snow scenes with snowmen. Ah, fond memories. I do miss that strip.

Beware of Owner...

2007-01-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Maggie quietly turned one year on January 26th. Yes, I must admit, there could have been fanfare, a party, gifts and the whole shebang...but being such a frigid week I just couldn't muster up the energy last week. I didn't totally forget the Maggot's birthday. She did get a few knuckle bones to chomp on and I promised her as soon as it is above freezing (it's 20 degrees with a wind chill of 5 right now) I would take her to her favorite place to romp, the beach.

As I write, Maggie is knotted in a ball pushed up against my left side and Ellie is knotted on my right side. Dog3 is knotted in a ball on the couch downstairs. Our walking schedule has come to a halt since a bit of an incident the other night. 3dogs and I were walking back from the dog park. Everyone was pretty subdued since we had just spent a good hour playing...Maggie rough housing with the big dogs, Ellie focused on her ball, and Andy just trying to find a pair of warm hands to cuddle with. As we were about to cross 8th Street at East Capitol Maggie decided to stop and smell something --- right in front of me. Of course, I was lost in thought and didn't catch sight of this sudden road block sending me flying, literally, right off the curb onto all fours. I attribute the extra hard pavement and frigid cold (NOT my aging bones) to the pain that spiked through my body as I went splat. Luckily, I wasn't crossing against traffic. On impact, I dropped Ellie and Andy's leashes and they continued on their way, while the Maggot was the only one who turned around to see if her Mommy was going to live (ahh, lest a bit of melodrama).

I stood up, brushed off the pain and ego lost, caught up with 2dogs, and continued on my way home. I am hopeful that I did not re-tear my ACL and according to my doc, I did not. Just a bruised shin, maybe a small tear in my quadricep and an order to restrict my activities --- read no walking --- for 48 hours. So, that pretty much does it for 3dogs walking activities. Though I might be able to get them to the cemetery and let them walk.

But then there is that cold thing happening out there. Hmm, the blankets are pulling me under.

Leslie Lynch King, Jr

2007-01-25T16:53:00.000-05:00

The other day, during the snow storm, 3dogs and I passed the Supreme Court and I snapped this pic of the flag flying half-mast in memory of President Gerald R. Ford, our 38th President. He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr, but his parents divorced when he was very young and his mother remarried Gerald R. Ford, Sr., hence, the name he is best known by. Since his death, I've been reading a lot about his life and especially his years in the White House (or my favorite WhiteHouse) after Tricky Dicky (a pet name used by many a democrat back in those days --- or at least the only two democrats I hung around, my parents) was kicked out. Okay, I know he left on his own volition, but only because he KNEW he'd be screwed. Anyway, it seems that Leslie was an okay kind of dude...though at the time everyone was distraught over his pardon of the Dickman.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

2007-01-22T13:38:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the first snow of the season albeit only a two inch spread if that much. But 3dogs and I took a wonderful late evening walk and snapped some pics to send to Texas. He's sweating it out on the other side of the world.

TAXI ANYONE?

CAPITOL WHITEOUT
(Notice the funky fence and missing trees:-(( )

SUBWAY HEAT meets SNOWY 3DOGS

We have such pretty paw prints in the snow

Say goodbye to christmas trees...

2007-01-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

What is it about almost dead and dead Christmas trees thrown out on the sidewalk waiting to be mulched up by the city that has 3dogs lifting legs and squatting to relieve themselves all over them?

Maggie and Bella

2007-01-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

We met a new friend the other day while traipsing through Roosevelt Island...Bella. She was down on the beach fetching big sticks from the Potomac river. Maggie and Bella fell into this routine that reminded me of the controversial children's book I remember my mother reading to me as a small child "Little Black Sambo."

So the following sequence repeated itself numerous times:

THE FETCH

THE STARE

THE APPROACH

THE ATTACK

THE TAKE OFF

THE BLUR

THE BREAK

THE REFUEL

THE GANG BANG

Martin Luther King

2007-01-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

This past Monday was a federal holiday here in the US to celebrate the birthday of a great man. A man who had a dream. A Nobel Peace Prize recipient who was shot down in the prime of his life all in the name of freedom.

And free they ran on this unseasonably warm day here in DC. 3dogs that is...all over Roosevelt Island.

We saw and heard planes roar overhead getting ready to land at Reagan National Airport. Ellie, Andy and the Maggot ran and played on the boardwalk weaving through the marsh. We noticed that in the winter, not only can you hear all of the urban noise, but you can see it since the brush is virtually gone. In the summer when we usually romp on the island, the urban sites are shielded from our view by the thick brush and leafy trees. One feels as if they are hidden beneath a canopy of raw nature, despite the occasional honk or backfire from a passing car. We passed the love tree professing eternal love 4EVER.

We got yelled out by one jogger for enjoying our freedom. And yes, she was correct...the sign did show a dog on a leash. But it was so nice out, and not too many people, and, well...we didn't shout any obscenities or yell that muttles like to be free too. We could sense the deep seeded fear she had of 3dogs wagging tails. So we made a sharp left and headed into the trees, averting any trouble.

Later we hooked up with Bella on the Potomac where Andy found a pair of loving hands, Maggie found mud, and Ellie chased after sticks I threw into the frigid water.

AHH, a good end to the day....

Hairy Coffee

2007-01-08T11:01:00.000-05:00

Once again, i've been tagged. This time by Pappy's fella and the Papster to write five new year resolutions. And yes, it does give me sort of a hairy coffee kind of feeling. I don't mind being tagged in that it allows me to focus on a topic. But the repulsion comes in my dislike of tagging others.

So, for 2007 I would like to:

1. Make sure that 3dogs get at least one good romp in a dog park daily. Sometimes their days consists of a few lame walks consisting of no real running and playing time. They do get exercise, but they're tethered to the end of a leash prohibiting uninhibited play. (wonder how many *hibit* words I could string together in one sentence?)

2. More geocaching.

3. Finding a way to help the Eldog put on some weight. While she was at her ahh Spa, she dropped another three pounds and is looking like something that should be in a closet. It's scary she looks so thin. So I am committed to finding some type of food that will pack some weight on her before I go the steroid route.

4. Leash walking to be a "happy" event for all involved. Maggie has been walking on a leash since day one so she is the calmest and happiest. Anddog will listen to whatever command I so happen to give him. And at a mere 25lbs, his pulling at worst is a small pinch to my muscles. But it is the anorexic ElBell (see number 3) that has torn both my deltoids and continues to make our walks a painful and miserable jaunt. And though I'm quite adept at teaching others how to walk their dogs, I never put Ellie on a leash until Maggie came to the household. Bad mistake. I now teach everyone that they must pair their dog's play in the dog parks with time on a leash if they ever want their muttles to be happy when tethered. For me, this means finding the time to take Ellie out on her own. Of course, that will make 2dogs very unhappy.

And number five. Hmm. World Peace amongst doggles and youmans (as Buster likes to spell) and everyone and thing in between.

So now, the repulsion part of the hairy coffee. I tag Buster, Ferndoggle, Tin Tin, Finnegan, Macgoogle, Fee and Opy. All you need to do is list five new year resolutions and then tag your buddies --- how many or few, you decide (I prefer a bit of variation in games). Enjoy.

Happy New Year

2007-01-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

3dogs have been ahh relaxing in ahh a spa, yeah a spa, for the last week and a half while the person at the other end of their food bowl has been visiting New England. Unfortunately, while they didn't get any dog park time, I didn't get any ski time. Too warm. Though seven geocaches were sought after and found with Lbellhouse and kid --- no 3dogs though. Yet they would have enjoyed romping in the wilds of Maine and New Hampshire.

Here we are saying goodbye to Maine and the P's, with LBell and kid (I'm behind the camera). Notice the lack of snow on the ground. Big bummer.

It's almost Christmas....

2006-12-20T12:11:00.000-05:00

five days until Christmas; it's Hanukkah; and 6 days until Kwanzaa.

I've been walking dog1, dog2, and dog3 in the evenings and checking out the holiday light decorations on Capitol Hill. It's interesting how many ways one can find to decorate.

There are the minimalists who will throw one strand of lights over a fence or a tree and leave it at that.

The electric freaks who don't leave one inch uncovered, a zillion colors, blinkers at different rates and usually a lit up santa or reindeer.

Those who take the time to decorate every branch of a tree. I like these best because I finally realized why we our taught to draw Christmas trees as little hanging triangles off an upright stick.

Common is the strings of pine wrapped around iron fences and wreaths adorning the doors with big red bows and a couple of lights intertwined.

There is a house on Constitution that reminds me of the animated MasterCard house commercial.

But my favorite house this year is located on 9th street. A bush outside is done in small red lights. The house and front porch are lined in small white lights. And through the front door window, you can see a Christmas tree lit up with small blue lights, a two directional staircase decorated with strands of pine and small white lights. The colors, though as I write this realize they are of the patriotic nature, are pure delight.

Happy Hanukkah....belated and only SEVEN

2006-12-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

days until Christmas; it's Hanukkah; and 8 days until Kwanzaa.

So, we've been a bit busy with that thing called life. So busy, we forgot to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah.

But we've been Christmas tagged by Pappy's fella, so Ellie decided to take the plunge and give her favorite three things she wants from Santa, and what she wants none of in her stocking:

1. A life long supply of smelly new lime green tennis balls
2. more tennis balls
3. a smaller sister

and she would like NOTHING better than to have NOTHING to do with

1. having her medicine forced down her throat every morning
2. having her medicine forced down her throat every evening
3. her monstrous sister

we're suppose to tag five more...but at the moment we're not sure we have five people to tag....we're gonna think about this one

sixteen..

2006-12-09T17:49:00.000-05:00

days until Christmas; 6 days until Hanukkah; and 17 days until Kwanzaa.

And it's Ellie's birthday, and she'll cry if she wants to, cry if she wants to...

but she really has nothing to cry about, she is only three years. We spent the entire day together, along with dog1 and dog3. She had a long run in the cemetery followed by a scrumptious meal of kibbles topped off with a pork chop. Next she opened her gifts where she immediately sat on her new bed and destroyed the baa baa noise in her squeaky sheepy, though left it looking like new prompting me to consider exchanging it for a new one. A nap, another meal, another stroll and it's been a fine bday for all of us.

seventeen...

2006-12-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

days until Christmas; 7 days until Hanukkah; and 18 days until Kwanzaa.

And I've been tagged by Disgrunted Owl. The idea is to post 6 weird things about yourself and then tag 6 more people by leaving a "You've been tagged" comment at their blog. You post your six weirdest things about yourself, and then you leave the names of the six people you tag at the bottom of that post. I think it is six people. Could be less, could be more.

Now this is my second tag, Sveedish tagged me earlier, but time has been short and I didn't get to the first tag (oops).

Six weird things about My Self:

I like the smell of a sweaty dirty dog.
After my 16 year old terrier died, I kept his smelly blanket and collar in my car where every once in a while I would get a whiff of his scent and remember him fondly (see #1)
I eat my bowl of cereal in the morning with orange juice instead of milk. One morning I went to reach for the milk and found an empty container. I was starving as I am every morning, and decided that a little oj over my shredded wheat would liven it up. I actually liked it and continued to use the oj.
Unlike Sveedish (see her #2), I just choose two socks in the morning from a drawer filled with unmatched socks. If they match, it's a good day. If they don't...well, it is still a good day. Socks are of my least concern.
I love fish...I mean like fish in fish tanks. I have four tanks, but no fish. Yeah, that is WEIRD. Problem is my fish like to eat each other. I mean I've tried a variety of fish. African Cichlids, South AFrican Cichlids, goldfish, mollys, angel fish, cat fish to keep the tank clean, even a fricken 35 dollar fish to keep away the algae...you name it, I've probably tried a tank of it. My first tank was filled with a couple mollys and angel fish. The fish started disappearing and I couldn't figure out where they were going. Where was that black hole? Finally I saw a carcass (that 35 dollar thingy) on the bottom of the tank being nibbled at by the other fish. I know dogs, but obviously fish are not by forte.
My dog can open bottles. Okay, so this isn't really about me...but it is really amazing and kind of weird that the Maggot can unscrew a bottle top. I came home to find olive oil all over my wood floors and the bottle gone. It took me two weeks to find the open bottle under the couch along with the top. At first I though she had swallowed the bottle (she's big, but I couldn't image she was that big), but when she didn't have any symptoms of eating glass and/or a bottle I let it go. At the pet hotel the other evening, she was being watched by one of the guys in the kitchen and when I came to pick her up they were like "your dog is soooo smart." I'm thinking, the Maggot...smart? Their evidence was in the food containers. No matter where the food was being stored or what type of container, she could open it. Hmm, I wonder if Dave still has his spot "stupid dog tricks?" Or was that over on NBC.

So I'm tagging:

Pappy, Tin Tin, Buster, Dory and Liza...

twenty-three...

2006-12-02T14:21:00.000-05:00

days until Christmas; 13 days until Hanukkah; and 24 days until Kwanzaa.

We took Andy's pal, Auntie Jo, to the airport this morning. We will all be sorry to see her go. But Andy, I think, will miss her the most. While Ellie and Maggie still can't have the run of the house when I'm not there, Andy can roam as he pleases. This creates a separation between the big dogs and the AndDog. Sometimes I worry that he gets lonely being by himself all day long. While Ellie and Maggie can snuggle (though Maggie hasn't proven to be a snuggler with another dog) they can at least stand on the edge of the bed together and bark at anything that might be of interest.

As it gets colder, Madison will sometimes stay inside during the day. I am reassured that Andy then has company and even a snuggling companion. But my real concern is directed towards the bond that Andy and Ellie have had since Ellie was a five week old puppy. It has been disrupted since the Maggot arrived. It is frustrated, or perhaps a little sad, to see that the ease with which Andy and Ellie bonded together has not been reenacted with Maggie. Maggie is a force to be reckoned with, and though she loves to play with her brother and sister --- sleeping close to them is not an option. My hope is that Ellie will soon be able to roam free in the house without destroying anything of value, allowing Andy and her to spend their days together.

Ahh, the holiday season...

2006-12-01T13:03:00.000-05:00

is upon us.

24 days until Christmas; 14 days until Hanukkah; and 25 days until Kwanzaa

Being that I have a lot of friends with dogs, and that I train at PetSmart, and that I get this nifty little 30% off (associate deal) --- well all my buddies with dogs get big old dog gifts. I like to think of it as dogmas, dognukkah and dogzaa. Though I'm sure Hallmark will come up with a dog holiday for marketing purpose alone (that is, if there isn't one already).

Now I'm not a big shopper. Okay, I hate to shop unless we're talking tools (read table saws, power tools, gadgets...you know, cool stuff) or electronics (cameras, computers, gadgets...you know, cool stuff). Other than that, I'd rather be doing almost anything else. So of course, I delay that whole Christmas thingy until the good stuff is either gone or only size 0 or 26 exist. Not a good thing.

But with dogs, well I just relish shopping for 3dogs, with 3dogs or for 3dogs' buddies. I look at all the stuffed animals, the different bones, the smart toys, the ropes, the holiday leashes, and anything else that might entertain them and entertain me. And the best thing i like about giving something to a dog is that most likely whatever you get, they will like...or at least sniff. People wear their emotions on their sleeves --- ahh, another one of those. One Christmas I gave each person a gift certificate to be donated to their favorite charity. Man, that went over like a white mini poodle in mud. The fake smiles came out, the thank yous thrown my way. But I could tell their disappointment. They really wanted "something" for themselves.

I was watching Oprah this past Monday. Now I don't usually watch Oprah since I'm at work when she broadcasts (and I haven't seen the need to buy a TiVo yet). Apparently, every Christmas season she has a Favorite show where she gives everybody in the audience one of each of her favorite things. I've never seen the show. But Monday was a follow up to her Favorites show. This year instead of giving everyone "stuff," she gave each person a $1000 Bank of America debit card and a Sony cam (have to get in those NAME plugs). The game rules were that each person had to spend that $1000 on somebody else. Her audience didn't disappoint her. They had one week. Two woman in the South turned $2000.00 into $200,000 for Sister's House (a place for battered woman and children). One woman turned $1000 into $74,000 for a local family whose father was dying of a brain tumor (yes, I was weeping big time over this). And the stories continued.

And I wondered, what would it be like if everybody thought about someone else, or another family, or a dog shelter, or PLUG IN YOUR OWN whom were really in need. And as a family, gave their Christmas to a truly needy soul.

30 days and 30 nights...

2006-11-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

the post a blog every day in November (NoBloPoMo) will end at midnight tonight. I of course, in fashionable 3dog manner, started late, missed a few days (a funeral, my own deathbed, and a few other life problems getting in the way of my daily blogging). But otherwise, I was quite pleased that I actually completed 28 posts in 30 days.

The highlights of NoBloPoMo were:

Number 10: reading Pappys-blog.blogspot.com every morning ( I counted on Pf's 6:00AM posts)

Number 9: getting to meet other dogs and their bloggers on blogspot.com

Number 8: paying more attention to my 3dogs and their behavior

Number 7: more pictures of 3dogs then taken over the years they have been with me

Number 6: "Christmas comes early" a Pappy's Production

Number 5: forcing me to sit down everyday and think about my day, my dogs, and my life (this was sometimes hard and not exactly what I would want to do, but in retrospect...a really good thing)

Number 4: "Gladiator of the Park" a Pappy's Production

Number 3: Gertie's Cam with no Gertie

Number 2: Tin Tin's Chow for now

and the NUMBER ONE highlight of NoBloPoMo:

November 30th

Ellie fashion...

2006-11-29T13:32:00.000-05:00

Ellie has been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). She is now on a hypo-allergenic diet and anti-inflammatory medication to help her digest her food properly. But because she hasn't been digesting her food probably or absorbing nutrients she has become very thin. I noticed that she was beginning to body shiver during the night. I'd be awaken by her digging and scratching at the bed covers trying to make her way under the blankets. After seeing Pappy in his trekkie fuscia coat (though PF maintains it is red), I got the idea that Ellie could probably benefit from a bit of warm clothing. Voila, her new snazzy hand knit Peruvian sweater. Okay, so it's not as bright as the Papsters, but it certainly does bring out that nice deep chocolate coat of hers.

And we have a winner...

2006-11-26T20:52:00.000-05:00

barely. Those skins. Walking out of the stadium one would have thought the skin's win would have put them at 11 - zip instead of 4 - 7.

3dogs stayed home and guarded the house while I joined the p's and sis. Ellie and Andy snuggled on the couch, while Maggie went solo and monopolized the bed in what I call a Maggiecurl --- 85lbs tied in a knot. And unlike yesterday, nothing was destroyed.

Occupying Maggie

2006-11-25T08:42:00.000-05:00

Maggie is a big chewer and I'm always trying to figure out what will keep her entertained the longest. I weaned her on the BIG nylabones so she will chew on those, but the interest fades fast. Pig ears go down in a swallow, as do most rawhides. Even a long big pressed rawhide has a lasting power of only about 15 minutes. Not even long enough to run to the store and pick up a few groceries. Today I was going to Thyme Out with a friend to make meals. Quite interesting concept --- home meal assembly. Anway, I had to decide what to do with the Maggot. Usually she is in a crate, but I decided to try something new since I'd be gone for only a couple hours. After cautiously placing a couple baby gates,I contained her in the first floor hallway. 2dog and 3dog had the run of the upstairs, but then they just sleep. Obviously, Maggie hasn't quite mastered that concept. I threw her a marrow bone filled with peanut butter and a nylabone and figured she'd be good for a couple hours.

Nope. A box of dog cookies, a jar of dog cookies, two broken vases and two plastic water bottles busted open. Baby gates...what was I thinking. And to think I almost decided to swing by the Smart before I came home. It was minimal damage, and all I could do was let out a sigh and manage a weak "oh maggie."

Rain, mud and puddles...

2006-11-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

3dogs love to play in the cemetery after a good rain, and this morning was no different. After a hearty turkey breakfast we headed over to 18th & Potomac, SE. Ellie was immediately running through every mud puddle and water hole seeking out her ball. Maggie would follow in hot pursuit not realizing she was knee deep in water until it was too late. Only Andy stayed away from the mud and the water, occasionally drawing near to lap up a few sips of water.

Now it always interests me when dog owners scream and yell at their dogs to stay away from the water. Especially labs. Why get a Labrador if you don't want them to enjoy the water. Even if it is a bit muddy. And why take them to a place that has many water logged sink holes? So you can yell at them the entire time you are walking? Inevitably, while my dogs are pouncing around in water, laying in it, drinking it, rolling in it, other dog owners will look at me as if I am nuts. As if to say "how the hell can you let your dogs get so dirty and wet?" Some owners will even ask me why I let them play in it. And it amazes me. Key word dude: PLAY. Now dictionary.com's third definition for play is "exercise or activity for amusement or recreation." That is exactly what they are doing. We could learn a thing or two from our dogs. Water is fun. Mud is even more fun. And getting dirty just feels good. We would all be better off (and probably get along much better) if we played more, especially in mud puddles.

What we're thankful for...

2006-11-23T09:45:00.000-05:00

walks in the morning, breakfast, lincoln park,
cocoa bear in New Hampshire, kibbles, balls,
water to romp in, sleeping in the bed,
Kong Liver stuffing,
walking in the rain,
puddles at the cemetery,
Pappy,Dewey Beach, geocaching,
more kibbles, the lean green kiwi machine,
walks in the evening, dinner,
garfield park
did i mention food, congressional cemetery,
playing with my sister,
more food, yummy treats,
the Smart, Marian Park, naps,
pappy's blog, Madison,
sqeaky toys, romping with Pappy,
more balls, chewing my brother,
gnarly nylabones, McDonald's hamburgers,

Obsession

2006-11-22T22:55:00.000-05:00

Ellie, or Dog2 as PF likes to call her, has a serious obsession with balls. Looking back three years ago when I picked her up, I remember how the couple went on and on about how the sire was field certified. A beautiful muscular chocolate lab, the husband made the effort to show me how well he retrieved. It should have been my first clue to what one of his offsprings was capable of doing.

Her father would have been proud. Ellie's focus is so intense and directed towards "the ball" that every muscle in her body is tensed and ready to retrieve. She has a five foot vertical and to quote PF "...has this freaky trick where she launches herself five feet in the air, does a full body twist, and catches a tennis ball in her mouth."

Maggie and Maddie

2006-11-21T21:59:00.000-05:00

It's true, 3dogs live with a cat. Madison. A sweet little orange tabby. He sort of comes and goes as he pleases, and despite this picture, usually eats from a bowl.

Now all 3dogs, Andy-Ellie-Maggie, love cats. Andy has known a string of cats as has Ellie. And Maggie grew up knowing Madison, the two of them kissing and rubbing up against each other. And I wonder, is it because my cats are very friendly and not afraid of dogs, that any dog I bring into my house gets along with my cats? Even the ferocious German Shepherd mix, Cal, who lives down the street loves my cats. And that dog doesn't like anybody...dog or person.

Tonight we were all hanging out downstairs and Madison's food container was sitting on the kitchen bar. Now we all know that the Maggot is a food hound and will try to kill anything or anybody that gets in the way of her and her persuit to eating.

So there was Maddy up on the counter chowing down on kittie kibbles, and Maggie is sniffing around and I'm thinking "she's gonna jump up on the counter, startle Madison. He'll fly off knocking over the container, food will spew everywhere, and then Ellie, Maggie and Andy will have a free-for-all with cat food. A rumble." How surprised I was when I turned around and saw Maggie and Maddie rubbing heads. No problem here.

Anger Management...

2006-11-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

Well, it has finally happen. 3dogcache is suffering from a bit of an internal struggle, a civil war so to speak. The players include Maggie, the 9 1/2 month old Boerboel, weighing in at 83lbs. And the AndDog, a 5 year old border collie / rat terrier, weighing in at 25 lbs. The "land in question" includes the bed, the lean green kiwi machine (the car), and anything that might smell, taste or otherwise be seen as food. Ellie, a 55lb chocolate lab, and I (weight not to be disclosed) are passive bystanders. Hmm, well not exactly. While Ellie beelines away from the flying fur and gnashing teeth, I get sucked into the mix.

There have only been two such incidences, but the AndDog and I have ended up bruised and/or bloody. The first occurred a week ago over some uneaten dropped kibbles. We had come back from a long walk and were hanging in the bedroom. I had taken their collars and leashes off and everyone was drinking water in a civilized manner. Maggie started sniffing around the dresser and Andy came over to investigate when the war broke out. Ellie immediately backs into the corner to watch, probably hoping she can stake out some kibbles for herself while those two go at it. I, on the hand, can not grab hold of either Maggie or Andy since they are grappling on a slick wood floor and neither have a collar on (a mistake I will never make again --- see house rule #1). So I pounce on top of Maggie (yes, a full body slam). This temporarily prohibits her from gnawing on Andy. But it is Andy who is in full scrapper mode and continues to just go at it on Maggie's head. This, of course, irritates the heck out of Maggie who begins to struggle to get on her feet so she can rip his little neck. After about three rounds of body slam, flying squirrel, neck shreds, I finally get a grip on Andy and manage to get him out the bedroom door.

Breathless and a little bit shaken I tether Maggie to the bed and begin to investigate the damage. (Ellie is now in full blown scavenger mode eating up the last of the spilled breakfast kibbles). Maggie seems not to have any damage from what I can assess visually on the surface. I have a tooth gash above my left knee (see house rule #2). And Andy, well the AndDog has a gash in one of his right front foot pads and wet spots from where Mags has tried to swallow him. I clean and bandage us both and think about how I should proceed.

That evening, I kept Maggie in her crate while Andy maintained his bed sleeping ritual. Next morning, one would never have known a fight ensued. Andy was prancing around, tail wagging licking Maggie's face and Maggie was playing with him. Hmm, I thought to myself, perhaps this is a single incident never to happen again. Yeah, right.

One week later, I'm sick in bed. It's around 9:00pm. Everyone is sleeping on the bed --- Ellie in the right hand bottom, Mags in the middle and Andy on the right hand top. I'm there too, managing to stake out and claim as my own the left side of the bed. I'm watching tv and start to feel the beginnings of sleep. As I hunker down into the blankets, I mistakenly disturb the princess. As she is looking around, I can see in her eyes the onset of an attack --- as if to say "grrr, I don't want you there" --- okay, perhaps a side of anthropomorphism, but that is what I saw. Before I could leap, Andrew leaped head first on to her (okay, yes, she growled and went near him...but Mr. scrapper just doesn't get it...doesn't take the cues, he will fight till the end). I grabbed her by the collar and pulled her off the bed --- Andy still going at her. But this time I was able to lift his little body off of her and separate them within moments. But not until the damage had been done.

A puncture wound in his leg and and a few scrapes around the shoulder blade. After I finished my coughing fit, Mags got tethered. Andy got bandaged. And I. Well I downed another cup of TheraFlu.

There hasn't been another civil uprising since then. I have contained the environment so that neither Andy nor Maggie have the opportunity to fight. Food and dishes are always put away immediately after eating --- Maggie eats alone. Sometimes Andy sleeps in the bed, other times Maggie does. In the car, Andy gets the front seat, while the Maggot gets tethered. This seems to have worked wonders, and is what I promote and teach "...dogs don't define behavior as good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable. It is up to the owner to create and environment that promotes acceptable behavior."

But I wonder, am I doing everything I can? I wrote down how I saw the situation:

Maggie is possessive of the bed, the car, and food.
Maggie will growl if Ellie or Andy gets in her way of these three things
If Ellie is the intruder, Maggie growls and draws near her and Ellie retreats. No fighting occurs.
If Andy is the intruder, Maggie growls and draws near him and Andy attacks. Major fighting occurs.

And then I asked my friends and fellow dog owners what they thought. Bad mistake. Most think Maggie should be reprimanded and punished. That poor little Andy is being abused. I reminded them that it is Andy who is likely to get in a fight at a dog park, usually with some monstrous beast. Whereas Maggie plays, like most puppies her age, with all types of dogs. Even at 80 some odd pounds, her playfulness and clumsiness reveal her youth.

I did a little research on dog aggression. Many sites maintain my philosophy of controlling the environment. But I need to do more. I know it's a mix of alpha(dominance) vs possessiveness vs food aggression vs fear. For now, I will continue to do as I am to maintain the peace.
=======================================
House rule #1: Every 4 legged mammal must at all times be seen with a collar around his/her neck.

House rule #2: Never try to dismantle two angry dogs with physical being --- high power water gun should be at the fingertips at all times.

Sad, sad news...

2006-11-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

I only new him a short time, actually only one visit...but an impressionable visit, but Crusher, the opening star of "Gladiators of the Park," died this past week. It was a, hmm, no pun intended...crusher. He will be missed.

Gertie's in the house...

2006-11-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

and I can't believe it. The bulk of Gertie could be seen today at 1:59pm on Gertie's Cam. Though a hand was maniputlating a mouse next to her bulk could also be seen. First sighting. Short lived though, she was gone by 2:03pm!

What do dogs REALLY DO?

2006-11-15T23:42:00.000-05:00

It has come to my attention that dog owners wonder what their dogs do all day while they 're at work. Pappy's fella recently posted a blog entry questioning same. Gerti's cam proved ineffective of showing what Gertrude does all day (obviously, NOT sleep on her bed). And last week, a woman at Wheaton Regional Park said she had an answering machine that she would call her dogs and talk at them. She was in the process of putting in a cam so she could see their reaction when she called.

Well, I'm here to tell you after three days of being home in bed...your dog SLEEPS! That's it. Nothing as intereting as hotwiring cars or becoming addicted to the afternoon soaps. Nope, not at all. SLEEP.

Let lying dogs lie

2006-11-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

And lie they will. It's amazing to me that here I lie on my death bed, sleeping the day away in a fog, wishing I could get out of this bed. But 3dogs, well they seem to love it. Or perhaps they just love having me home. But lie they do. And lie, and lie, and lie.

So, i ponder...is it lay or lie. I'm so confused.

Martin Luther King

2006-11-13T22:19:00.000-05:00

3dogs had a bad day today since I was sick and the day consisted of "Front Yard Constitution," Cnn, Sleep, Front Yard, Cnn, Sleep. Truth be told, CNN and Sleep both consisted of reclining bed activity. And now again, we are in the reclining position.

And ground was broken today on the mall for the new Martin Luther King Jr memorial, first memorial on the mall honoring an individual. And so I listened. To Oprah, Bill Clinton, Maya Angelo, MLK's children and many more including President Bush, who actually sounded sincere and intelligent. But you didn't hear me pair those two words with his being! It was wonderful. And I cried. I always cry when I hear Martin Luther King speak..."I have a dream."

But then I was one of the lucky ones. In the 60's during the riots, my parents believed that all men and women were created equal. A creed I was raised by. No matter your color, your religion nor your country, everyone was equal. My father opened our home to blacks and he devoted his life to helping those less fortunate...until Nixon came along and OEO ceased to exist.

But as I watched all these great people remembering a great man, it made me think of something my former therapist said to me. She was Jewish. Actually, now that I think about it, all of my therapist have been Jewish woman...except the one gay man who started out becoming a Priest. Uh, I've digressed.

Anyway, I was talking to this ex-therapist and she was talking about her sons. And I was trying to make a point about accepting peoole, and I gave an example about one of her sons bringing home a girl who was an Arab. "Not in the house" was her response.

It's foreign to me. Rejecting someone because of their economic status, their looks, their religion, their origin, or their color. There are so many reasons to reject people that have nothing to do with any of these things.

Uh, I feel sleep coming on. 3dogs are already in that position but then it has been their constant all day long.

The Smart...

2006-11-12T21:05:00.000-05:00

3dogs and I spent the day at PetSmart. Not a bad choice since the weather was cold and wet, an unpleasant change after an unseasonably warm week. I did my usual teaching gig, while Els, Mags and the AndDog hung out in the PetHotel barking and jumping like all the other dogs.

I teach every Sunday, and I make it a routine to say goodbye to all the PetHotel borders before I leave. It is so interesting to see how the dogs will react to me. Some dogs just sleep, eat and when they are allowed out to play, they enjoy that too. They're the lucky go happy dogs. When I come by to say hello, their tails wag furiously and they just want to be pet or to lick my hand. Contact.

Then there are the pups that shrink into a corner and shake. I try to coax them out for a pat or make friendly eye contact. But they usually let out a guttural growl indicating to leave them alone.

And then there are the barkers. The pups that just bark, and bark, and bark...let me out, let me out, let me out. Some will let me pet them and they'll calm down, while others just like to hear their own voices.

Now my pups will be staying at the Smart while I'm skiing this winter, and I hope some of my colleagues will take the time to give them a few extra pats and kisses. All three fall into the barker jumper group...let me out, pat me, let me out...I want to go home!!

3dogs do Wheaton

2006-11-11T22:24:00.000-05:00

Up early and out the door to drive half way around the beltway just to meet the stars of "Gladiators of the Park." Crusher, the first Gladiator on screen, was the first to greet us. Mags sniffed, and luckily, Crush didn't reenact his opening act. JoJo, Jack and all the other players were there too. But the star, the true Gladiator, the Papster himself, came running over to say hello to 3dogs and especially his pal Maggie. For the following hour the two of them rolled, stood,and mashed teeth, enjoying every moment of it. Ellie only wanted one thing. Yes, the ball. And AndDog, he just went from one person to the next sitting sweetly waiting for pats and kisses.

Unfortunately, our time ended abruptly when the Paps, defending his Gladiator title and status, had his side ripped open. No one is quite sure how, who or when, but dog park rules allow for such rough housing and the occasional accidental tooth snag. (Hmmm, something to ponder --- does the skin get in the way of tooth, or vice versa?) Pappy's fella promptly leashed up the Papster and took him to the vet where the poor paps had to be stitched up while knocked out.

At this writing, Pappy is at home with his fella and feeling well kind of out of sorts but on the mend, though his new fashion statement is nothing to write home about.

Pappy, get well soon.

We're Google-able!!

2006-11-10T10:12:00.000-05:00

It's official. 3dogcache now can be located just by a google search!

Ellie and her ball

2006-11-09T22:35:00.000-05:00

Ellie is my sweet little chocolate lab who thinks there is nothing better than a lime green fuzzy round ball. Here she is striking her "throw the ball, will ya throw the ball, throw the ball, will ya, will ya, will ya" stance. Every fiber in her body shivers with anticipation when she's waiting for "the throw." As soon as she sees my arm raise into position, vroom...off she goes. She's amazing.

When she was a pup, I'd just throw it sidearm as far as I could fling it. But she outgrew that very quickly, and I moved on to the "ChuckIt." This little device is a godsend. Not only does it enable one to throw the ball long and far, but it doesn't put too much strain on one's shoulder. Especially if that shoulder has thrown too many sidearm throws and performed an array of gymnastic moves over and over again.

Tomorrow: The flip

2006-11-08T23:38:00.000-05:00

Maggie sunbathing

Dog Blog of the Week...

2006-11-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

Well, Pappy has made the bigtime...so we'll give him his 15 minutes of fame.

It's so wet outside...

2006-11-07T22:15:00.000-05:00

and only one of the 3dogs likes to play in the rain especially if there is a ball involved. Now if it was a normal evening, sans the pouring rain, there would have been a boatload of pups to play with. But no such luck. Maggie and Andy stayed close to my sides trying to avoid the downpour, while Ellie did what comes naturally --- chase, retrieve, drop; chase, retrieve, drop; chase, retrieve drop...with the occasionally "down" in the mud puddles.

Urban owl

2006-11-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

I live across the street from an apartment building where an owl is perched outside a window on the fourth floor. When I first moved in I could spy the owl through my bedroom window as I would fall asleep or wake up. It always caught me off guard. Is it real I would wondered. No way, but for the first year I would still look up at the window every time I passed by just to assure myself a fake owl occupied that site.

Image my surprise as I was returning with 3dogs this evening when I spotted what looked to be an owl sitting atop a no parking sign. No way, I said to myself, an owl, across the street, glaring at me from street level. But as I stared I noticed the sway as the big bird teetored on the top of the sign. And then the head went to the side and I gasped. My first thought was it was going to attack me and the dogs. Not so absurd a thought when one realizes that as a small child, mockingbirds would try to pull hair out of my head. And still today, as I walk down the street with 3dogs I get attacked (actually 3dogs get attacked) by mother mockingbirds protecting their young.

But the owl just stared. So I took in all its beauty thinking no one is going to believe this one. Why didn't I have my camera. But I was only a block away, ironically just around the corner from the 4th floor owl. I dashed home, retrieve the camera only to return to an empty sign. But the rustling of leaves led me to spot the owl relocated in a tree. His (or hers I suppose) eyes were mesmorizing. And he just stared. I took a few pics, but only one did him any justice. As I walked back home I ran into a neighbor and she too wanted to see the owl. When we returned, the owl stared back at us for awhile and then seemed to want to come closer.

All of sudden, up went his wings and down he came to perch on another sign just 10 feet from were we stood. But again, the sign proved too difficult a surface to keep balance, and as we motioned for a passing woman to join us, up he went into a tree. But he got caught in the branches and only managed about a two foot upward swing. At first he hung upside down and we could see his spotted wings. He was a mere six feet from us, but being upside down appeared to be a difficult position to sustained, and eventually he righted himself up and peered at us over the leaves.

Standing in the street, now four of us just staring at this bird, a taxi driver honked and screamed at us to use the sidewalk. But we all stood still, looking upwards, revelling in awe at this late night urban site.

I am now a nanowrimo participant...

2006-11-06T20:07:00.000-05:00

So, I might have missed the deadline for the National Blog Posting Month, but I made it into the National Novel Writing Month. Hence,I am official part of the daily blogging.

Redskins vs Cowboys

2006-11-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

3dogcache were left home yesterday so I could experience the ritual of die hard skin fans during a home game. And it wasn't just any home game, but a game against our biggest rivals --- THE DALLAS COWBOYS. Now I live on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and FedEx Field is a mere five miles away. I was thinking we'd head out around noon for the 1:00pm kickoff and I'd be home walking dogcache by 5:00pm. I was wrong on all accounts. ETA was marked at 9:30am. 9:30AM! That's three and a half hours to do what? Tailgate! The barbecue grills went up, the smell of cooking meats waffing through the crowd, alcohol flowed, salads and a variety of chips galore, and of course, the porty potties in place. People had tables adorned with tableclothes and lit candles. It was like a makeshift commune, a big family getting ready to watch their kid play a game.

Now the crew for these Sunday "spa" retreats includes my sister and two of her former colleagues. Sis is an avid sports follower and can spat out stats and names before I can remember the other team we're playing. She also enjoys cooking and trying new recipes. She had planned a menu of garlic lime shrimp/scallop kabobs and jerk chicken kabobs to be cooked on the grill. Unfortunately, she forgot that "thingy" that screws the gas onto the grill. Hmmm, I said she was good with stats and names. Luckily, she also had yummy potato salad and my favorite, Jamaican beef patties. We all started sipping on mimosas and eating patties. But the mood had been soured, all that tasty prepared food going to waste.

It was my time to intervene. I might not know anything about football stats and names, but I could certainly buddy up with my new found family and either borrow the "thingy" or a grill. The guys next to us had taken up about three parking spaces and had set up their grill next to us. It was a similar Thermos "grill 2 Go" as ours, but their grill was push and go. So fricken cool. Step of a foot on a pedal and poof, up came the grill. So the dudes on the left of us agreed to let us use their grill after they finished. But they had ribs, steaks, chicken and a host of other things to grill. It was only 10:15am so we figured we were good, but as time continued I realized I better make another move. As I searched around, I spotted another griller with the same grill.

So off I took and to my delight, not only did they warmly and enthusiastically permit us to use their grill, but the dude wearing the apron and holding the grill tools actually grilled our food. I should have realized immediately they were fellow Capitol Hillers from right down the street.

Ahh, but there is a dark side to this tale. Sis was humiliated by Mr. Griller's bullhorn. "Hey ####, did we forget an important part of the grill?" boomed across the section of the parking lot we now called home. "Love that sushi" and a host of jestful remarks continued. But it was all in fun, for as soon as we and they tasted the jerk chicken and shrimp/scallop kabobs, well all was good.

Pit Bulls...

2006-11-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

Another lovely nighttime walk in the cemetery, but this time we were not alone. 3dogs had found something wonderful to munch on, and I, not having a flashlight, had no idea what it was but could smell the stinky remains. I clipped Maggie onto a leash since she refused to walk forwards away from her tasty treat, and onwards we went. As we were rounding a bend, we spied shadows of dogs and people wandering amongst the headstones. AndDog and Els went flying after the intruders into our nightly peaceful retreat. The owners seemed totally caught offguard and hovered for a moment, seemingly not knowing which direction to go. As I approached, I noticed they had three dogs, one of which was a beautiful specimen of a male pit bull on a heavy guarded leash. Now Ellie and Maggie never exhibit any aggression towards dogs. But the tiniest of the three, Mr. AndDog, is always looking for something to growl about, especially when the dog is bigger.

The one woman asked me which direction I was going and as I pointed she indicated she would go in the opposite direction. I asked her if her pit was friendly (remember this IS southeast DC where a man was just attacked down the block by two pits), and she was like "yeah man, I just try to be careful." Long story short, he was a big sweetie and everyone played nicely together.

We chatted about how fearful people are of pits and rightly so, since in this city many of them are used for fights. The rougher the pit, the more status the owner possesses. I take my dogs to the Animal Clinic of Anacostia and I can't count the number of times I've seen pits come in torn to pieces. Sad.

The mount...

2006-11-04T14:26:00.000-05:00

I was just reading about Pappy's fella's experience in the dog park this past week and PF's embarrassment of Pappy's Ugly Secret. As I commented to PF's post, mounting between dogs is usually an exercise in dominance rather than a sexual release. But what peaked my interest more was the reaction of the Golden's owner, shrieking that the behavior was unacceptable, and insinuating that Pappy was some kind of filthy monster. One word: ANTHROPOMORPHISM. Okay, and maybe an entire sentence --- as JAY-Z might say "... (her) whole perspective is whacked."

Pappy doesn't mean any harm, nor is he trying to embarrass anybody. His mind isn't in the gutter. He's just doing what comes naturally --- pack behavior. So PF, grab that squirt gun and associate a little uncomfortable-ness to the Papster every time he begins that mount.

The deadly bay leaf...

2006-11-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY AT NIGHT

The Mags, Els, Andrew and I jumped into the Lean Green Kiwi Machine (LGKW) and headed down to Congressional Cemetery for a jaunt. It was late, but with a full moon shining and the DC Jail flood lights reflecting off the tombstones, there was a small strip of this historic 32 acre plot to walk the monsters. Yes, that is right. I am walking my dogs at night in a cemetery. Now you might be wondering why I would go to a cemetery to walk my dogs. But this is not as uncommon in this city as you might think. Though I will admit, the young and upwardly mobile are not exactly out at this time throwing sticks and balls to their dogs...no indeed,they're too busy swilling drinks and dropping names at local hill establishments.

Anyway, after our walk I headed down to 8th street for a bit of Indian food. 3dogs chewed bones in the LGKM (it's fall folks, and the temps were in the low 40s so no one was overheating), while I went in to enjoy a bit of Saag Gosht, raita, naan and red wine now known for its effects on fat and longevity. So I'm savoring all these spices and flavors when all of sudden I'm spitting out half of a bay leaf. Now if memory serves me right, I was told that eating whole bay leaves could kill you. I can hear my mother's voice, "always remove them from sauces and stews." I'm not sure where this idea came from but I did not just make it up on the spur of the moment. Or in the case, on the spit of the moment. But I'm beginning to think that this is not true. I mean, why would we season our food for hours on end with something that might kill us?

another Saag Gosht recipe

I missed the deadline...

2006-11-02T17:46:00.000-05:00

to officially compete in the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), but I'm only a day late so I will continue onwards.

Now Maggie and Pappy began their blogs around the same time. But alas, Pappy's fella proved much more prolific in the writing department than I. Entertaining readers with endless tales of Pappy's joys and woes, and an array of Pappy movies now occupying space on You Tube. Sadly enough, Maggie's Moo last post was 13 June 2006 --- she was a mere four and a half months and weighing in at a light 40lbs.

Well times have changed, nine months and 80lbs later Maggie's Moo has been resurrected with a fresh new name reflecting the entire clan and their favorite pastime --- GEOCACHING.

Tomorrow's post: our adventures in the "live free or die" state.