Always There to Help

Don't you just love how dogs seem to be just in the wrong place at the wrong time?  Under foot while you are trying to cook, nudging your arm while you are trying to type (that's a true story), or in the case of earlier today, sticking their cute noses in the shopping list.

Coco does this kinda stuff all the time.  Don't eve get me started on Pookums. If dogs are bad about invading our personal space, cats are simply going straight to hell for it.  

Is It Monday Already?

This is how Coco feels about Mondays:

Mommy agrees.

Wordless Wednesday: Coco Sees Dead People

Wordless Wednesday: Party Favors

Apparently Coco wasn't a fan.

5 Fun Things to Do with Your Dog on Spring Break

Since I am lucky enough to get the week off, (yay Spring Break!) I've been think a lot about how Coco and I can spend this time together.

Coco understands that Spring Break means relaxing.

So I have put together a little list of things to do with your dog over Spring Break.

1.  Take a hike. 

Usually the weather during the break is nice enough to go for a little hike.  Of course you'll want to make the distance appropriate for both you and your pooch.  

2.  Learn a new trick.

Coco can usually learn something new in a day or two, provided we have the right kind of treat.  This week I think we are going to work on cleaning up her toys.  We started this a few months ago, but it was harder than we thought, which is good.  I like to challenge her and stimulate her brain.  

3.  Go for a run.

We run pretty regularly with Coco, but Spring Break is the perfect time to explore new areas and running trails.  Coco really enjoys running with us, so she loves this suggestion--I checked.  

4.  Play an indoor game.

If the weather is less than ideal, there are still plenty of games you can play with your pup. Try some of these:

Rainy Day Games

5.  Do what your dog loves.

Whenever I have time off, I do what Coco loves: play fetch.  We get a ball and a stick and we play fetch.  Then we take a break and I make her sit and stay and sit down and we play fetch some more.  There is nothing like doing something that your dog loves!

Coco Ruins First Day of Spring Break for Mommy

Ok, well maybe ruin is a little strong, but certainly she started it off on the wrong foot.  This morning I woke up to a tennis ball (one of Coco's most favorite play things) lodged under the small of my back.  So not only was I completely wide awake at 3 am, but I hadn't gotten a very restful night's sleep.

One of the best parts of working in academia is getting holidays off, like Spring Break.  I guess I can suck it up and make the best of my remaining time, a whole 9 days!  I suppose I can forgive her.  I mean look at that face, how can I stay mad at her for long?

Happy Friday!

Anyone need a kiss?

What To Do On A Saturday Morning?

I love Saturday mornings.  Daddy is golfing.  Coco and Mommy are well rested, and we have the whole day ahead of us.  Sometimes we go for a run.  Sometimes we lounge around.  Sometimes when the weather is nice we hang out on the deck out back:

And we chew sticks,

while we get distracted by squirrels.

but we go back to chewing sticks, while we keep an eye on those squirrels.

Oh! how we love chewing sticks on sunny Saturday mornings.

Then we come back in and wait for a snack.

There is nothing like a relaxing, sunny Saturday morning! We hope you've enjoyed yours!

Injured Paw

My poor Coco has an injured paw pad.  This past weekend she played too hard at grandma and grandpa's and peeled her pad a little.  This isn't the first time this has happened.  In fact, it happens quite often; really anytime she plays hard, like when we go to the dog park.  Once it even happened when she chased a cat across the street.

This time it really put her out of commission for a day or so.  She was limping along, acting pretty pathetic. My poor little Coco Pie, too rough for her own good.

Luckily, her Mommy had some doggy triple antibiotic to help it heal.  And she is on her way to perfect paw!

Wordless Wednesday: Skeptical Coco

Dogs with Celebrity Names?

Recently I came across an article on the New York Times webpage about rescue groups naming up-for-adoption dogs after celebrities in hopes of creating bonds for potential owners-- who wouldn't want a cute pittie named Janeane Garofalo?

While the trend is popular among small agencies, I think this could work on a wider scale. Since our society is overcome by celebrity obsession, why not try to mirror that enthusiasm for adoptable dogs?  Who could leave George Clooney at a shelter?  

In support of this encouraging trend, I'm going to give Coco a celebrity name. When we adopted Coco, her name was Scarlet (I think because she had a gash on her face), so Scarlett Johansson seems like a good possibility.  But I have a hard time thinking of Coco as a vixen.  

After much deliberation, I have decide that Coco's celebrity name will be Lucille Ball.  This feels right.

Wordless Wednesday

"That treat is.so.close."

Picture by Rochford Photography

Home Alone!

So what does Coco Louise do when left to roam the entire house while her parents are at work? This:

I came home to find trace evidence of a morning spent finding the treats she gets when she brushes her teeth, then scheming to get the bag open,and an afternoon relaxing in her new bed, noshing on her Airy Bites.

Daddy, since he was the one who left the bedroom door open for her this morning, tried to hide the destruction, but didn't do a good job. Usually, she spends her days confined to the living room and kitchen.  I can just imagine her delight when she realized that he left to door open upstairs.  Must have felt like she entered the garden of Eden.

Luckily for us (mostly Daddy) all she ate was a bag of treats!

Lucky Dog

When Coco turned 1, her grandma and grandpa bought her a nice big bed.  In the years since then that nice big bed has turned into a nice big stinky heap of stink.  So for her 4th birthday, which isn't until March but frankly I couldn't stand the smell of that thing for one single day longer, I bought her a brand new (fresh) bed.

She loved her old bed, which went to Madam Star, and I was a little afraid of hurting her feelings when we took it out of the house.  She didn't even seem to mind, and thankfully has taken to the new bed brilliantly.

Any tips on keeping the new bed smelling decent, aside from washing the cover, which I did to the old stinky one, too.

Coco's Super Bowl Sunday

Coco loves Super Bowl Sunday.  For the same reasons we do: the excitement, the competition, the commercials, but mostly the food. The chips, the nachos, the lil smokies in bbq sauce, the hot wings, cheese and crackers in the shape of footballs, potato skins, sliders, and pizza bites.  Isn't it great being a dog?

P.S. We don't really let Coco eat hot wings because of the bones. That would just be irresponsible of us ;)

Snow in North Florida?

That's what we were expecting, anyway, well a "Winter Storm" to be exact.  All the schools are closed today which means Coco gets Mommy and Daddy all to herself.

Around 12:30 this afternoon it started to sleet.  Coco was very concerned and wanted to go out and see what all the fuss was about (being a Florida girl myself, so did I).

We haven't gotten our snow yet, but the day is young!  Who knows how Coco would react to real live snow...and of course Mommy will have the video camera ready.  

It Is Cold in Florida!

Believe it or not, it is cold in Tallahassee.  Well, cold for Florida.  It was 20 degrees this morning and supposed to be in the teens tonight.  We are cold.  Cold, cold, cold.

Coco, however, is loving the weather, not because of the cold, but because we have a fire in the fireplace most nights.  Coco is a sucker for a good fire.

I don't know what she'd do with her evenings without the fire.  She's a smart girl.

Coco's Hour of Fun, Courtesy ToyShoppe

We had a moment of weakness.  We know better.  We did it anyway; we bought Coco a toy we thought was "tough" at PetSmart.  Given her history, I almost ALWAYS buy toys I have researched and have faith in.  We love West Paw toys because I know she's not going to chew through them in a matter of hours.

We stopped at PetSmart to get some fragrance spray and we thought, "She's older now.  She's not as destructive.  This toy looks pretty strong."  Bill even predicted, "It'll take her at least 2 weeks to destroy this one!"

We were wrong. He was wrong.  It was completely destroyed in less than an hour.  

It didn't stay a chance.  We were so foolish to think it might.  

Luckily she doesn't like to eat the pieces of toys she's conquered.  Just kills and spits to the side to go in for more.  I don't worry much about her ingesting this awful stuff.  And of course I was watching her the entire time.  She'd never be left alone with a toy like this.  

The carpet in the aftermath. Notice the fuzz and red strings. 

But boy did she love this little wiener dog!  She had a blast tearing it apart (killing all 5 squeakers-a selling point for Bill).  It was almost worth the $6 to see her enjoy it so much.  Almost.  

Friday Night with Family

Last night Bill's daughters and son-in-law came over for a visit.  The best part for Coco was that they brought their dog with them.  Remember Scout?  This was our first time actually meeting Scout and after seeing how well she and Coco got along, I'm sure it won't be the last.

Scout and her humans (and Coco photo bombing) 

After our recent trouble with unfamiliar dogs, I was a little concerned about how the two would react towards each other.  However, they were quick buddies pretty much from the start.

These two were so cute running around the house chasing each other.  Coco rarely finds a dog who will play with her until she's wore out. Scout certainly managed! I just can't get over how adorable they are.

Waiting for a treat.

I guess whether you are a human or a dog, it is good to spend time with family!

A New Stranger Danger

For the last year or so Coco has been in the bad habit of lunging and barking at strange dogs and their humans.  I'm sure this is a sign that she is afraid (she can be somewhat timid and submissive), but it sure does give people a bad impression of her.

Around people and dogs she knows, she is the sweetest thing on the planet.  She'll turn over and let the dog next door sniff her privacy till the cows come home, but let her see a dog she isn't antiquated with and she turns into Cujo.  She's never actually hurt another dog (and I don't think that is her intent).  She seems to be saying "I'm gonna bark this loud so you stay over there." And it works. Because I won't let her anywhere near those dogs.

I hear that this kind of stranger danger isn't uncommon, and my vet has given me a few techniques to help.  But I will admit, I haven't been the most consistent with her training.  It is becoming obvious that it is needed.  She is getting a neighborhood reputation for being mean.  That breaks my heart.  This dog? Mean?

Does anyone else have this problem? Please tell me I'm not alone.  What have you done to overcome stranger danger?