You Can't Mess With The German Greyhound

Bunny here, finally getting a chance at the keyboard this week.

I can't lie, adjusting to life with a new sister is not the easiest thing to do.  Morgan is always licking my face, and sniffing me, and looking at my couch, and trying to steal Mom from me.  It's really frustrating, but I try to be patient.  Mom reminds me that I was her age when I came to live here and that certain hounds were patient with me when I was learning the ropes.  I have no idea what she's talking about or why Blueberry is making faces over there on her dog bed!

Still, Morgan's not all bad and I have to admit that she's growing on me.  Last weekend we went to our favorite dog park, and it was really busy.  Mom was a bit unsure about going in when we got there because she saw this large Rottweiler going in, but she figured Morgan really needed her exercise and Dad thought it would be okay.  Well, when we got in the gate, there was this little Pitbull mix who was playbowing at me and so at first I was distracted, because I really wanted to play with him.  The next thing I knew, this Rottweiler had jumped up sideways over Morgan's back and she backed up and got away from Dad.  After a few moments, they got things sorted out and that Rottweiler backed off. 

I thought she was pretty rude, but I'm not big enough to take on some Rottweiler, even if her name was Sugarbunch!   We girls walked around the dog park and did a poop patrol.  I looked at Blueberry and she didn't seem too concerned about anything besides finding some cool dirt to dig a hole in so she could lay down.  Morgan was walking around with me some, and then I had my idea. 

I gave Morgan "the look" and took off.  Of course Morgan followed along with me.  The little Pitbull mix tried to keep up with us but didn't have a chance.  That big Rottie tried to chase us, but she totally had to eat our dust!  The other dogs in the park all had a good laugh about it!

So, while Morgan might still bother me a little with the face licking, I'll just say that while it's okay for me to put Morgan in her place, other dogs better look out.  Morgan's place is right behind me, and nobody's messing with the hairy Greyhound on my watch!

Wordless Wednesday 7/21 -- Under The Crepe Myrtle

Biting The Bullet

I found it interesting last week to learn that Bullet sold at an auction for $35,000.  That would be the taxidermed famous German Shepherd of the late Roy Rogers.  I didn't watch the Roy Rogers show, but I grew up hearing about the amazing Trigger and Bullet from my dad, who was a fan of the show as a kid.  I wonder if Roy thought about what would happen with those two beloved pets' bodies so long after he'd passed away.

The story of the auction of Trigger and Bullet, along with many other pieces of memorabilia from the show made me think about a few things.  As a kid, when my pets or our livestock passed away, they were usually buried there on the farm.  My dad dug a hole and buried our pet, then later we'd visit the grave after it was filled in.  Only our horses weren't buried there, because that was a much bigger hole than my dad wanted to dig.  They were sent off to the foundary. 

As an adult, I've lost two beloved dogs.  It's never easy to lose a beloved pet, but it's been a much different process.  Both of them had to be put to sleep at the vet's office and then they were sent from there to the crematorium.  A few weeks later, we'd get a call to go and pick them up, which for me is almost as difficult as making that decision to let them go.  It's comforting to have them back at home, but it's also hard to see that the furry body that you've loved so deeply in life can be reduced to the contents of a small wooden box.  It's sobering and heartbreaking. 

When I read about Bullet being sold at auction, it made me wonder.   What if I'd had my beloved dogs taxidermed and kept them here with us?  What would happen to them after I pass away?  They have been priceless treasures to me, but would they ever be bid on at an auction like that?  I don't know, but it did make me think a bit.

A good friend recently lost her bull terrier to a heart attack at her house.  It was still cold out and they couldn't dig a hole to bury her.  Someone told her that a local funeral home also did pet cremations, so she decided she'd take the dog there.   I should mention that this dog's name was Gabrielle, since she was known as The Warrior Princess.  She was a tough little dog who did not like frou frou or frippery of any kind.  She also had a wicked sense of humor and was an extremely funny little dog. 

The call came for her to come and pick Gabby up from the funeral home, so she went on her lunch break to get her.  She walked in and it was funeral home quiet.  After looking around and calling out at the door with no answer, Kathy walked through the home, looking for someone.  Sure enough, the funeral director appeared out of nowhere on what seemed to be some kind of hovering platform to scare the beejeezus out of her.  After recovering her wits and assuring herself that she did not wet her pants, she told him that she was there to pick up her dog.  The man smiled kindly and lead her into a showroom where they had a variety of urns and boxes to choose from if she so desired.  She paid him for his services and then he handed her the dog's remains, in a fancy gift bag with fancy tissue paper sticking out the top and all artfully arranged with fancy ribbon. 

Kathy told us that she just cracked up laughing.  She was laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face.  All she could think of was that Gabrielle, Warrior Princess, would never have been adorned with such frou frou in her life and that she surely must be laughing to herself at the Bridge at the thought of all that fanciness.  She left a note for her friend who comes to let the dogs out (and who was with Gabrielle when she passed away) and told her that Gabrielle was sitting in her favorite chair the next time the friend came over to take care of the dogs.  Sometimes in the midst of loss, we get a laugh when we need it the most.

All of this makes me curious.  What do all of you do with beloved pets when they pass away?  Has anybody ever taxidermed their own pet?  I've heard some rather funny stories over the years about things that different things that have happened with other people after pet loss that have made me laugh and wonder.  I know that it's a very painful time when you lose a pet, but also that it can be a time when you remember a lot of wonderful stories and moments from your life together.  I also think that most of our pets would want us to have those happy times pieced into our hearts after they've gone.  So, feel free to share any remembrances that you have.

Off To School

It seems that three of us here are off to school this week.  Today I go back to work after my five week break, and I go back hopeful that this will be a wonderful and exciting year.  The past two years have been very challenging for me, personally, but I am going back positive, excited about the new students who will be in my class and happy to see the seven who are returning students, as well.  There is a lot of turmoil in my school district right now, and I recently heard that our state just passed California as the worst off financially, so the future could very well be a roller coaster, but for now, I'm putting those worries in a box and going in ready to fall in love with a new class and see what fate has brought to us this year.

I'm not the only one returning to school this year, though!  Mr. Taleteller and Morgan have also started class together.  They are attending obedience class.  Saturday was the first day of school ever for Miss Morgan.  I have a feeling that she may turn out to be a star pupil, but she certainly will have to do her homework.  Already she has learned to sit and wait at the door for me to release her.  That took only a few attempts to learn.  Mr. Taleteller has been less successful in teaching her not to jump on him when he gets home from work, though.  Plus, she still has some leash manners to learn. 

I'm also hopeful that taking class together will help cement the bond that Mr. Taleteller really wants to have with Morgan.  She seems drawn to me, and I love her already, but I know that he really wants her to be his dog.  I think there's a chance that she may always be deeply attached to both of us, and that's fine with me.  I've resisted playing with obedience with her because I know how much he wants to do it.  She's such a quick study that she gets things really quickly.  She also has a serious case of the "disease to please" that the Greyhounds consider themselves immune to.  Certainly, the girls like having us be happy with them, but if we ask something of them that they don't want to do, pointy little noses go up in the air and those beautiful eyes look away.  Morgan will do anything to make you happy and she will work for praise, treats or toys.  Going to class will hopefully be an enriching experience for them both!

On this Monday morning, as I drag myself out of bed early, I'm happy to have a job and to be going back to it, but I think I'd rather be going to the other class!  Please be patient with us while we get used to the swing of a new school year and try to keep up visits to our friends' blogs.  We may be late, but we'll get there eventually!

Trying To Beat The Heat

Bunny here, taking a turn at the keyboard to tell you about my latest adventure.

It's been hot here this week.  When I say hot, that seems like a very small word for the oppressive air that beats down on us and steals our breath when we venture out to use the powder room.  The other morning when we woke up, they were already saying the heat index was in the triple digits!  Yikes!  That extreme heat means that it's not safe for us to be outside for long.  It also means that we are starting to get a case of cabin fever.

Mom and Dad have been going over to Aunt Julie's house and Grandpa's house all week to check on things because they're both gone.  That's right, I have to put up with Dad coming home smelling like Ruby and Nipper and Mom has been spending time with Dirty Harry, Aunt Julie's cat.  We've all been understanding since Aunt Julie is gone and I guess it would be wrong to let them starve.

Well, anyhow, Mom got an idea the other night since we were going to both houses.  Aunt Julie's house is just a mile from Grandpa's house.  Blueberry, Morgan and I all got into the van with them and I saw some unusual gear, including our long lines.  They took care of things at Aunt Julie's and then we went to Grandpa's.  They took us down to the creek and I got to try out my new PFD.  We all had fun dipping our toes in the water and it was definitely a refreshing way to get some exercise without getting too hot. 

I was impressed that even Morgan got in.  It seems that she might in water after all!  Now I just need to convince Mom to take me out to the lake!

We're participating in the Pet Blog Hop again this weekend!  I hope we find some new friends to follow.  Feel free to join in.  You just need to add your link in the McLinky tool, copy the code and paste it into your blog's html code and then check out some new blogs!  We're thrilled that Life With Dogs, Confessions of the Plume and Two Little Cavaliers host this event every Saturday!