A trio of bulldogs

Wilma was joined at the dog park today by two bigger bullies, Biggie and Abby, or Biggie and Abbie, or Biggy and Abbie, or Biggy and Abbey, or whatever. Biggie is about 60 pounds at 9 months of age, and I didn't ask how old Abbie is. Anyway, three bullies at once are great! Now all we need is Hamlet and Jack the Mack to make it a quintet!
Wilma, by the way, played with a submissive boxer named Bailey. Bailey was on her back, being playfully mauled by Wilma, when Bailey catapulted Wilma into the air. She had a bit of a time getting back on her feet, but it was very humorous.

PVMA dog wash set for April 24

When: Sunday April 25th from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center

Michigan State University

D202 Veterinary Medical Center

East Lansing, MI 48824

Why: To help raise funds for Pre-Veterinary Medical Association activities and veterinary-related opportunities
If you have never been to a dog wash before, go to our website, www.msu.edu/~pvma, and check out the page with answers to common dog wash questions.

On a personal note: I can vouch for these washes. The dogs have fun (except for my Digby, who resists these kinds of things), the owners get out and the PVMA benefits. What's not to like?

My latest tribute to Tugboat

This is a link to the memorial column on my boy:

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100402/INGHAM01/4040465/1215/INGHAM

New bulldog at park!

We met Wilma the female 4-month-old bulldog at the park today. Her brindle is darker than usual, but she still had the piglet walk. Now if we can get her, Jack the Mack and Hamlet together, we will have a bulldog herd! And Tugboat in spirit, of course.

New breed at park

A few days ago a female Dog de Bordeaux made it to the park. It's the "Hooch" kind of dog. Her name was Ruby, and didn't slobber as much as Hooch slobbered. Anyway, it's another kind of "smooshface" to add to Northern Tail's growing list of such canines.

The rainy season begins

I go to the dog park in the snow. I go to the dog park in the sun. I go to the dog park in the clouds. I tend not to go when it rains. It's not that I really mind getting wet, although I do, it's just that it's so very muddy.

The Great Unveiling

This is the portrait of Tugboat by Anne White Jones of Crown Point, Ind. When I receive it in the mail, I will have it framed and hang it in a place of honor in my living room. More immortalization for my Tugboat!

New bulldog!

There was another bulldog at the park this past weekend: Jack the Mack! He is a young bulldog with a lot of energy and a smaller head than Tugboat. It's good to see another squishface around!

Tugboat to be immortalized in art

I've commissioned an artist/friend from Crown Point, Ind., Anne White Jones, to make a portrait of my Tugboat. Can't wait to get it, and, of course, I'll take a photo of it and post it here!

Happy New Year

...belatedly. Tugboat's spirit still reigns throughout my kingdom, although I have Digby, SusieQ and foster Zoey to keep me company in a tangible -- and loving-- way.

A short hiatus

Because of the weather and me being out of town for the holidays (and the dogs in a kennel or a babysitter's home), we haven't been out at the dog park much. SusieQ's little paws don't seem to take well to ice and snow, so I might not bring her along every time. If I do, I might have to hold her for a good deal of the time.
Good thing she weighs only about 16 pounds, at last weigh-in.

video link

This is great and a viewing I highly recommend.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-orangutan-and-the-hound/1234581161

Temperatures going south

Update on previous post: It's about a month later and a lot colder. Here in mid-Michigan we've had a fairly warm fall, but winter is coming. However, as long as I play "A Charlie Brown Christmas on CD" I think I'll get through it.
Another thing: It gets dark so soon, and unless I take off from work early, which I can't always do, sunny weekdays at the dog park might be history for a few months. A full moon, a snow blanket and a full-stratus sky help in lightening things up. The dogs don't seem to mind, though. SusieQ can follow a bouncing tennis ball fairly well in the darkness.

A good day at the dog park

I know, when is any day NOT a good day at the dog park. However, it was a Sunday, the weather was warm and sunny and lots of dogs were out. I hated to leave. Who knows when we will have such good weather again? However, if we all bundle up, we can have fun in the snow and stop off at Tim Horton's for hot chocolate and a shared peanut butter cookie on the way home.
Two Boston terriers were here today, and I got to rub Hamlet's forehead! All in all, not a bad day.
It's nice to have a positive outlook on things for once!