courtnek

those pups are adorable....especially your black one. he has some character, that one....I be thinking he may need some professional discipline, he's already a troublemaker.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Paige is beautiful as well. She doesnt look to be anywhere near 11. Very little grey. Do Dobies grey in the muzzle when they get old? thanks very much for the pics. they were very cute. :D

GO BOONIE!! GO BOONIE!! GO BOONIE!! Laurel sends her loudest bay, Freebee her happy whine, PushyC@t his gracefull strut, and Ford, his endless energy, all to Bonnie to get better!! Please Boonie, help yourself to Ford's energy. He's wearing me out.... 8)

actually, I got around this. Laurel is a food hound, literally. she soon learned that she got to eat after going out twice a day. then she started wanting to go out and come back in in 10 seconds, staring at her bowl. I let her out, make her stay out for at least 5 minutes (unless like tonight when its -1 outside) and do not answer her demands to come in. Eventually she will sit down and wait. I will then open the door and call her. when she comes in I make her sit and give her a little milk bone (for small dogs). this way she is being rewarded for doing something good (coming when called and sitting) and she stopped doing the 10 second run since it wasnt working.

Free is a Lab mix and does everything soldier does. grumble/whine when she wants something, grumble/bark/woo woo when its time to eat, bark with a whiny tone when she wants out. Bark with a grumble when I'm petting Laurel, etc. she is very communicative, but not at all dominant towards me. When she pushes her limits one good loud CHILL OUT is all it takes.

prayers to DAL and Boonie....this seems to have been a hard Christmas season on a lot of people.... Peace be with Everyone...

I liked "watch out Casey's at Bat"....but I'm old.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Edgar, its VERY cold in Mutt's and my part of the world. The high yesterday was **9**....as in 9 degrees. Even if let in at night, without sufficient shelter that pup will freeze. And in these temps (and its colder where Mutts is than here, she's farther north) water will freeze inside of 10 minutes. Is this better than possibly being in a shelter, where food and water are plentiful, and its warm? I dont think so. And puppies get adopted, usually, faster than adults. This part of the world is not a good place to be an outside dog during the winter. Even with a doghouse, straw, completely shielded from the wind, and using the straw and her own body heat to keep warm (straw is an excellent insulator) her water will still freeze in ten minutes or less....do you still think this is better?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: knowing Laurel, she'd chew up the cardboard and I'd come home to duct tape stuck in her fur everywhere...... :lol: :lol: :lol:

HF YOU CRACK ME UP!! No, you're NOT supposed to moon them, but I bet it happens anyway.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: i learned long ago never to eat or drink reading her posts.... :lol: :lol:

no harm done. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: it is usually something families do for fun, but when the church choirs do it they announce it before hand, and look forward to whatever money they can raise that way. I'm sorry, I guess I didnt explain it well. They normally use the money for in-need families at Christmas, for clothes, food and presents for the kids. :D

oh DAL........ Christmas prayers, good wishes and hopes for you, Boonie, and Hubby, May he come home safe and sound......may Boonie be safe and sound as well. My heart goes out to you.

Ive seen it before too, but it always makes me smile.... thanks Kat. :D

what is in chocolate that causes the problem? the only twho things I can think of are cocoa, and caffiene....

they're not supposed to expect it, but sometimes people will tip them, especially if it was a really good with nice harmonies and such.Often Church choirs will do caroling at Christmas, and the money usually goes back to the Church. For a family and they're dog out caroling, I dont think anyone would expect to tip them, although when we did it as children they would sometimes give us cookies and hot chocolate, stuff like that. There is a zoo around here, Brookfield Zoo, where they have an annual Christmas Carol to the Animals celebration. People come out and sing to the animals. it's actually quite fun, but I dont think the animals know what to make of it.... :D

it down Cassie. You've already fallen once. Take a nice hot bath, sit in front of a fire and read a book or watch tv. You need some time for you, too..... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Look forward to seeing you when you come back. 8)

not to worry. I have a dishwaser, I just hadnt loaded it yet. and the mousetraps will go under a double folded sheet, so she cant get hurt, and only set when I'm here. I dont really want to hurt her, I was just very angry when I posted that.

breathe in....breathe out.... instead I am buying mousetraps tomorrow...she countersurfed and BROKE two of my best serving dishes after dinner. Stole them out of the sink.... grrrr...... :o :o :o :o

I keep going back to look at that picture..Cruiser is just, well, HUGE. Very beautiful, but I have NEVER seenone that big.....what is average for a Dobie? My son loves them, but even he says he has never seen one that big.... He is gorgeous. I'm glad he won. His stance is just perfect.... Now I know where Ilsa gets her good looks. Was the mom big too?

how is Peaches doing? Have things settled down some?

he is not getting better, weight wise, but he's not getting worse...he is eating tuna and broiled chicken, and has started to gum down his hard food. He still asks for it, every day. he still does not seem sick at all, and nothing shows up on his scans at the vet. He is just old.... Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and prayers. I dont know how long he will last, but he's hanging in there... When his time comes, I will be a basket case. I have had him for 17 years.....so bear with me...

DF, I CRACKED up with the snack bar comment...both the dogs AND the cats try to lick the dishes clean in the dishwasher before I start it. Silly Laurel got her collar caught on the rungs and ripped the bottom shelf of the dishwasher out trying to get loose.... fortunately those shelves are removable, I thought she was gonna kill herself trying to get loose, but she still licks....onlymore carefully now.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I AM sorry Tammy, this is a terrible thing, especially at this time of year. Try not to fight with hubby, I know sometimes its hard, but you need each other especially now. I too may lose one soon, so I understand your feeings. You did what you could. Your pup will wait for you at the Bridge.... :cry: :cry: :cry:

how much does Cruiser weigh? and how tall is he? I honestly think thats the biggest dobie I have ever seen, unless the pictures make him look bigger somehow.... :o :o

what is their opinion of ferals? Here, they have a feral policy, where HS will catch them, neuter them and then release them back to their area's. They understand they dont make good pets, but once sterilized they cant breed. There are also some places that have outfitted barns and sheds and such with straw, and water, and some food, although most of these cats hunt the small wildlife like gophers and field mice that are in abundance here. I would try to find out their feral policies. Other places arent as humane as here, and will catch and euthanize them. If thats the case I'd just say strays that you look out for, and leave ferals out of it.

me too DO!!! I'm only about 2 hours from Starved Rock, and a little less to Wheaton!!! My sons grandparents live 1/2 hour south of Starved Rock State Park. I coulda visited them too.