Yoga Ball

Yello, s'me Daisy, what's with this whole "yoga" ball thing? honestly they call it a yoga ball and it looks like a plain old tennis ball to me, and I want at it.  Their pack mates is the problem, I can't have it.   No, No, No, No is all I get when I show honest to goodness interest in it.  Do they not realize what a waste of a decent ball the whole "Yoga" ball thing is.  Take tonight, he comes home from a ride, smelling good enough to lick I might add and gets out the "Yoga" ball.  Humph just saying "Not Impressed".

I let them know I was not impressed with the whole ball deprivation and No, No, No thing by staking my claim on the sofa - Oh Yeah.

Candy Autobiography (Chapter 2)

When I woke up, I felt so much better and everything around me was strange but in a good way, I got up  stretched and had a look around the room.  It was much, much bigger than the cages I had been in for so long.  I went through an opening into a narrow space and then I saw it, it was so scary, it went down forever and ever.  I flattened myself to the floor and looked over the edge, it was so strange.  Then Matthew came out and just walk right into the space like it was the most normal thing to do in the world.  He called to me and I thought "Really, you have got to be kidding", I then thought "I can do this" but I could not move, I was so scared.  Matthew came back and after a long time I was encouraged, one paw at a time into the space he called "stairs" and after what felt like forever we reached the bottom "Phew", then "can you believe it" he turned right around and went back up.  It still gives me shivers today, it was like, like looking up at a monster, I could feel all the air press down on me and I thought "I can't do this".  To this day I don't know what must have happened to me to create the unreasoning fear I had back then but my new pack took time with me to show me that my fears were all in my mind and slowly one paw at a time, and one day after another, helped me conquer the "Stairs".  Now of course I don't walk up and down, I CHARGE up and down and the demons of my puppyhood have long been banished.  Thanks Dad!

 

 

Overcoming fears and sickness was a large part of coming home in the early days.  Whatever the people in the bright room did to me, I was sick for a long time.  We visited another white coat person and I learnt that white coat people were not all bad although I still don't like having my temperature taken, the indignity of it "Humph".   It took time but everything cleared up and I am now a healthy happy hound and if I say so myself the unofficial leader of the pack, Matthew think's he is and, OK I let him think it, but from time to time I have to remind him.

Cat Pack Mates

It was not long after getting home that the whole cat experience made sense.  I walked into a room and came face to face with not one but two "Cats".  Now I remembered the that these cats where not friendly and here there was two of them with "no cage".  What was I to do,  if I say so myself I have always been a reasonable dog and prepared to let bygones be bygones so I walked over and did what any reasonable K9 would do and said "Hi".  Well I have to say the response was not what I expected.  The white one, oh, I didn't mention that one was White and the other Ginger or Orange depending upon your country of origin.  Look at me getting all cultural.  Anyway back to the story.  I expected a "Hi" or "Hello" hell I would have settled for a "Hey" but "Oh No" not from cats all I got was "Hiss, Hiss, Hiss" and lots of bad attitude like I was some kind of enemy No 1 to cats, go figure.  OK now I know that they might have had good reason to treat me that way, as boy do I like to chase cats, it's just wired into me, but back then I didn’t know that and all I saw was unreasonably bad behavior.   

So I did the next thing any self-respecting and reasonable pooch does in a situation when faced with unreasonable cats, I  ignored them and went about my own business.  This seemed to be an amicable arrangement between us all and overtime we all slowly became friends and I came to think of them as my pack mates kind of "Cat Pack Mates" and we became as close as family can become.

I even learnt that they had put effort into understanding dog before I joined the pack, it's kinda funny to thinking of them getting all dog knowledgeable.   They have both passed to the dream space now and don't spend all their time with us anymore but it nice to see them when they stop by to check in on the pack, funny that Matthew and Sarah can't see them as they are always right under there feet, just like cats.

 

 

Candy Autobiography (Chapter 1)

I am the sensible and reserved one in the family and far less needy than Daisy.  That is unless there is a cat or oh oh a chipmonk then I find it hard to control myself, but I digress, oh that’s a big word I asked Matthew to teach me my letters so I could tell you my story.

 

 

 

I don't remember much about my first 6 months of life as they are now a dark and thankfully distant memory but I do remember the first time I saw my pack.  I was on death row, the stupid humans think we don’t know but we do, we know when no one wants us, when it is close to that time when a dog leaves the cage and never comes back.  I was scared sharing a cage and waiting and hoping that someone would come.  Looking back things were not good for me, I was scared and hated having that rope thing put around my neck when people came to see me.  I would lie down and they would push or drag me.

Things were different that day though, it was late in the afternoon or so we guessed as most of the lookers as we called them were leaving, when out of know where these two humans show up and look at me.   They put that rope around my neck and I hit the deck, I was so scared especially when the keeper started to pull me.  Don't get me wrong the keepers are ok but you see so many of them and you know they are not pack.  But that time Matthew stopped the keeper, took the rope and carried me to the other room.  He put me down and let me calm down a little, boy was my heart pounding, I can still feel the beating today.  After a minute he called me over and it was such a good feeling that I went straight to him, he made such as fuss of me then she called me and fussed me and everything seemed  right, I even wagged my tail some.

Then after some time and some talking noises, they asked the keeper if I was ok with cats.  What's a cat I thought and the keeper said she did not know.  She said she could take us to some cats and find out.  That sounded a bit funny to me but I was the happiest I had been in a long time so these cats could not be all bad.

We left the room and went into another room with lots and lots of smaller cages with animals in them, these must be cats I thought as I stared wide eyed around me.  Funny looking things I thought and then without thinking I thought I wonder if they like to be chased, it just came in all by itself.  I was on my rope but they took me close to a cage so I decided to check it  out, I went right up to the cage and stuck my nose in to say hi, bugger me if the next thing I know is I have claws sticking in my noise, I can tell you it was a surprise that smarted.  I quickly backed up and decided these cats where not too friendly and I wanted nothing to do with them.   Not sure why but everyone seem very impressed with my behavior and we all left.  I can tell you I was happy to be away from the cats.

I was taken back to my cage and everyone left me.  I was about half an hour when they came back again and said those wonderfully magic words, "you are coming home with us" and I thought, I've got a pack, oh I really have a pack.  Then they all left.  They did not come back the next morning and I started to fear the worse, then they came for me and took me to the room with bright lights and very white people, I thought this is it, it was a trick I leaving for the great pack in the sky.  They held me down and everything went dark.

I woke up in a strange cage, in pain feeling so, so sick.  I could not help myself and was sick right next to where I lay, I felt so bad I could not even move.  Then I heard a familiar voice's, it was them, was it, could it be, yes it was, I was sure it was, it was them, they had come back.  Soon I saw their faces and they seemed concerned, they said something and the white lady from the room with the bright lights came over to them as told them that it could be a complication from surgery and that they could leave me if they wanted.  I wanted to scream NOOO but I could not move, I felt so bad.  I then heard Matthew say "no" they would take me and take me to a vet if needed.  Well it then happened really fast, strong hands lifted me up and after what seemed ages we were in what I now know of as my house, there were strange smells but it all felt very comforting.  I was laid down on a oh so soft bed and I fell asleep and forgot about the pain - I was home, I had a pack, I was ALIVE.

 

 

Fun at Greenlake

Yello, this is me with my cool doggle shades on Saturday heading to Greenlake to watch some humans float around on boards on the lake.  I have to be honest that I am not in love with the doggle's and I found lots opportunities to knock them off which for some reason seem to stress my humans - go figure.  That aside the wind in my fur was fun.  Candy doesn't like messing up her fur do when we go open top so here she is hanging out up front.

We had a walk but then had to hang around for what seemed like ages as Matthew pointed a black thing at lots of strange people on floating boards.  They made lots of noise and Candy and I decided to make lots of noise too.  Our barking seemed to agitate Sarah (we learnt a new word "agitate" woot) but we wanted to get in on the fun and could not - bummer.  Then Matthew came over and sat me next to some of those floaty things and pointed his black thing at me.  I think he calls it a camera.

At last we went for another walk with the pack altogether again.  There were so many new smells, it was great.  We then went out on a big floating thing to watch some more people floating on boards and then I saw them, DUCKS, man I love ducks.  I watched them carefully and knew I had them but forgot I was on a lead.  I jumped and the next thing I know is that I am an upside down diver dog.  BTW dogs are not meant to dive, but I got my lead all caught up thankfully it only lasted a moment before I was rescued.  We then sat in the sun as I tell you I was cold.  Well it was an adventure for sure, I was beat when we got home.

Project Excitement

Wow it has been an exciting week for the pack, setting up a blog and sharing our stories.  We got so excited about our new blog name that we asked Matthew to buy us the domain.  We don't yet know what to do but whatever we do we want to our friends to be part of "Paws and Places" and we want to help our rescue pack members.

First step is to have Matthew work on a Logo that we think is Paws down the best for our new project.

Daisy: Park Today

Yello, I have to tell you all was not well with the pack yesterday, Matthew seemed to be hurt.  I did not get a cuddle in the morning and we only got out for a short walk. Candy and I were very worried.  But today things seemed better, I got my cuddle in the morning Ahhhh yeah. 

I can tell you it was nice and hot this morning and I was happy to skip the morning walk in favor of walk in the park - Awoooooh.

We love the park, lots of great news to catch up on and other stuff we don't even know what it is, but it sure smells interesting.

 

Candy is such a show off with her power walking.

 

What now, cut it out I'm trying to power walk like Candy so stop with the interruptions.

 

Check me out mountain dog or what!!

 

And there she goes with the log skills, and they call her the quite one - humpf

 

After the park a serious sleep was needed  and then I had to help out Matthew with his exercise.  Look, I could have got my legs up as well if I had one of those strappy thingy's.  I could have left him too it but he needs the motivation.

Later Pack friends and put your Paws down on new Places - Woof.

Lazy Puppy Day

Candy here, it has been a slow lazy day today and my ear seems to be a little better.  Oh did I mention I have had an ear ache for the last couple of weeks.  I got it whilst Daisy and I holidayed at the happy hound hotel.   My humans took me to the place where they check me over, fuss me and give me a cookie.  Only this time is was not so much fun I am rethinking what I think about that place.

I discussed today's post with Daisy but as you can see she was  otherwise occupied today.

Wazzzz upppp, sun shining, a comfy bed, what more does a pup need.  Lots of time to adventure yap later.  ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Hello fellow K9's and all you Humans out There

Hi my name is Candy, I am a Lab / Pointer mix I think, but like so many of us I don't remember my parents.  I was rescued from Tacoma where I was on death row as a six month old puppy having been shipped from one cage to another.  I was really shy and did not like all the humans that came to see me until I met Matthew and Sarah who became my new pack.  From that day on I have never looked back.  I am now 9 years old and the sensible one in the family.  My favorite thing in the world is to chase balls, tennis balls are best, but really any ball will do.  I like them so much I sometimes forget to rest and I go all wobbly.  Ok I'm sensible most of the time, give me a break we are just getting to know each other.  I am no longer shy and love meeting new dogs and humans, I especially like to jump on them and lick them and Matthew is always saying "keep off" and telling other humans that I can't stay in my skin, whatever that means.  I think he is seeing things because I am pretty sure I don't leave my skin.  Anyway here I am below on one of the packs many adventures. My pack sister and co-author will now introduce herself.

Yello, I'm Daisy, like my sister I am also a rescue and have been with the pack since I was six months old.  I am the baby of the pack at 6 and I think I am a Weimaraner / Pointer mix, but like Candy I don't know.  I am sometimes confused as they also call me Dizzy and when talking to other humans refer to me as "a bit of a Spaz".  I love to meet other dogs and Humans although I am much happier playing with my pack mates.  I love to cuddle and be close to my humans but I also have an independent streak that seems to confuse Sarah at times, I try to limit the independence as I know they need me close.  Balls are ok but they are really Candy's thing, now show me a Frisbee and you have my full attention. Oh and I love to feel the wind on my face, something Candy seems all prudy about, like it is going to mess up her hair do already.

We asked Matthew to set this blog up for us so that we could share our story as all too often humans just don't get the fact's right.