Golly LogGolly LogLife and times of two dog-obsessed sisters who own a small-dog boutique Articles
In Another Reality
2007-05-04 18:47:00 When Ceilidh came home almost six years (!) ago, she seemed like a normal, tiny Boston Terrier puppy. She was calm, playful and adorable. Of course she's still adorable, but hardly ever calm and she's always playing. Like any Boston puppy, her ears were floppy. We expected that they would stand up in time, like our other Bostons' ears had done. We kept waiting and expecting, never thinking about the possibility that they would never stand up! We accepted the reality that Ceilidh's markings weren't show- ring perfect, her nose is a little too long and her tail is funny-looking. But Ceilidh having floppy ears all her life never even occurred to us! We finally came to the realization that her ears would never stand up when Ceilidh was about a year old, and now we think her ears are cute. Occasionally now, when she's running into a stiff wind or at other strange times one or the other of her ears will stand up momentarily and we think, "Wow, Ceilidh would be gorgeous if her ears s... More About: Reality , Ality
I have an idea...(be afraid, be very afraid)
2007-05-02 18:12:00 I don't know where everybody was last night, but only Janie and I (and our dogs Reggie and Roc) showed up for Open class last night. So we took down all the ring gates and used the whole place to work! It was terrific, especially since our teacher this session is Susan who is a fantastic, meticulous, fun coach.We did some straight-line heeling, since we had room to move. And I was astonished that Janie and I work at practically the same pace. When you consider that Reggie is a Saluki and Roc is a Brussels Griffon - you'll understand why I was amazed. But it got my devious little brain working - if Janie and I both heel at similar paces - how much fun would it be to put together an NSDTC Obedience Team? Team Obedience, Susan tells us, includes the Novice exercises with the addition of a Drop on Recall. Our dogs can do that! Now we just need a couple more people for the team. And that's the tall and short of it! More About: Idea , Raid
Well-deserved success!
2007-04-30 21:38:00 We are just thrilled for our friend and classmate Janie and her Saluki, Reggie! This weekend they got two qualifying scores toward Reggie's CDX!!Janie and I have been in class together forever - the trials and tribulations of competing in Obedience with non-traditional obedience dogs is a bond we've forged over the years. To put it simply - we've felt each other's pain.But now - Janie and Reggie are two-thirds of the way there! I'm going to miss them in class (they'll be moving up to Utility) but I'm really looking forward to the treats Janie's going to bring to class. It's a North Shore Dog Training Club tradition - you get a title, you bring goodies to share!Congratulations, Janie and Reggie! (Sorry the picture isn't better - it was taken at our club picnic a couple years ago. Both are much, much prettier in person!) More About: Success , Well , Serve
A spot of wild in the city
2007-04-28 16:28:00 It's probably not unusual for many people to see Downy Woodpeckers around. It is very, very unusual for me to see any - especially right outside our shop. This little guy (girl?) was pecking away at a tree right on a busy intersection at 9 a.m. today. I was actually taking out some trash when I saw it, so I ran back in to get the camera. It didn't seem bothered at all when I walked up to it - but flew away after I managed just a couple of pictures. The oddest thing - aside from the proximity to the street - is that this tree is tiny - only about six feet tall. So I had the woodpecker at eye level for a while. What a beautiful bird! I love the little red crest on its head. And while I'm no birdwatcher - a quick search of Google images let me identify my little friend. What a neat start to my day! More About: Spot , Wild , City , In the City
Ceilidh's on a Self-Imposed Diet
2007-04-27 21:08:00 Hope noted in her last entry that the Griffs are overweight. Well, when we took Ceilidh (Boston Terrier) and Dax (French Bulldog) in for their annual heartworm check, the vet said that Ceilidh is three-tenths of a pound more than at her last check-up. (Dax was perfect!) Since then Ceilidh has decided not to eat about a third of her meals. I guess she thinks she needs to lose those ounces as quickly as possible! We've tried to tell the silly girl that she doesn't need to worry about it - when it gets nicer outside Ceilidh will certainly run that weight off! But she doesn't seem to believe us. She ate her breakfast today, though. I guess she figures that all the running around at Agility class last night worked off some calories! More About: Diet , Pose
Winter weight
2007-04-25 21:11:00 Our dogs are fat. I got the official word yesterday, when I took Golly and Roc in for their annual shots. Golly's managed to gain half a pound in just four months. Which for me, would be no great feat. But for a 12-pound dog, it's too much. Roc's not in much better shape, he gained a few ounces, too.I blame winter. When it's sub-zero out (with the wind chill), who wants to go trotting around in the great outdoors? Not me. And not my dogs. They're not stupid. Cuddling in the nice, warm house is a wonderful winter pastime. Just not very good for your figure.So, the spring/summer/fall regime will start - more moving accompanied by less eating. We've been put under orders by our vet, the wonderful Dr. Janice. Who, as we were leaving her office, asked me if Golly and Roc could have a cookie. Hard to resist, aren't they? More About: Weight , Winter , Eight , Weigh
Mistaken identity
2007-04-23 19:43:00 We thought that Ceilidh (Kay-lee) might be under the mistaken impression that she's a Brussels Griffon, since she was raised with two of them. This weekend we got some proof. Fran and I were outside doing some sprucing up when a very nice woman walked by with her Boston Terrier. We immediately went into "awwww, isn't he cute" mode and she came up to talk to us. I went to get Ceilidh to introduce her to this handsome, young Boston boy. She growled at him. And kept growling. Ceilidh went back in the house.The interesting thing we've noted is that Brussels Griffons always seem to know other Griffs and accept them. Roc and Golly are fairly uninterested in new dogs - except for Griffs. I guess there's a reason Ceilidh's confused - we can't seem to pick a breed and stick to it! More About: Identity , Mista
Dog Treat Tasting
2007-04-20 19:59:00 We got in some new treats here at Golly Gear. They're the teeniest little nuggets - some are crunchy, some are soft - called Best Buddy Bits. And they come in many intriguing flavors - Cheese, Chicken, Carob, Peanut Butter, Maple Bacon. So, I had to try some. I have to admit to a long-standing compulsion to try my dog's treats. Actually, it has been confined, for the most part, to the treats I've made myself. (The recipe for Golly's favorite treats in the universe, Carob Treat s, are posted on the site, with pictures of Hope making them.) They really are good, and small enough that I didn't feel guilty about snagging a few. Just a few, or Golly would give me the evil eye! We all know that chocolate is poisonous to dogs, but carob is a good substitute for the flavor. Anyway, the Peanut Butter Best Buddy Bits are really, really good! I mean, really excellent! They're sweet and peanutty, and nice and crunchy. I'm thinking about opening a bag and snacking....
Onward and upward
2007-04-18 18:55:00 Roc and I are so happy! We got our Scent Articles for Utility obedience yesterday! I ordered them last month while we were at the Kentuckiana Cluster dog shows - despite the fact that we didn't qualify at all in Open.I figured that Roc could be getting a bit bored in training - he loves training and doing the work. So far, he just won't do it in public! So, it's time to add a little spice to our routine and add the Utility exercises to our training regime.I picked up some kids' gardening gloves at Target a few weeks ago - they're bright yellow, so they won't do for competition, but they're fine to train with. And for only $1 per pair, I can let him (and Dax) play tug with them and learn that the "Directed Retrieve" is a fun game! I know there are people who say you should never let your dog play with the gloves and articles, but for me, obedience is my hobby, and hobbies are supposed to be fun.Anyway, last night I couldn't wait to try out the Scent Articles. I know enough to... More About: Ward
The most wonderful time of the year
2007-04-17 22:29:00 It's spring. And much as I'd love to rhapsodize about all the things I love at this time of year - one is most important. The Cubs. Baseball is back and it's too early in the season to start saying "there's always next year." I was in the store the other day and there was a display of Old Style Beer in Cubs "collectible" bottles. Talk about adding insult to injury. Even if I liked beer, which I don't, I wouldn't take Old Style home. The only place Old Style tastes good is at Wrigley Field. More About: Time , Wonderful , Year
A Rare Thursday at Home
2007-04-13 22:11:00 It's not often that we have a quiet Thursday at home, but we had a week off between Agility Class sessions. As our loyal readers know, Ceilidh loves Agility class, it's a great energy release for her, and it helps her to focus. More than anything else, though, Ceilidh loves her schedule. If things don't happen in the order that they usually do, she's lost and bewildered until we give her some structure. She knows that after dinner she gets to play with her beloved Latex Soccer Ball. She knows that Wednesday morning she gets a medicated bath. And she knows that Thursday evening is Agility class. (I don't know how she tells the days of the week, but she seems to!) Usually on Thursdays we eat dinner earlier than normal because we have to fight traffic on the way to Agility. But last night we didn't! And Ceilidh didn't like it! But once we started playing with her Latex Soccer Ball, Ceilidh knew that all was right with her world. More About: Home , Rare
Wonderful news!
2007-04-12 21:44:00 We've been on tenterhooks around here for the last week and a half. Our friend Betsy discovered some dark, scaly patches on her dog MacDuff, who is exactly (to the day!) as old as Golly and who has been Golly's "boyfriend" since the day we brought her home. Last Thursday MacDuff had surgery to remove the suspicious areas and then we waited. Having been there and done that many times over the years, we could only sympathize with Betsy. The waiting is the most difficult part. Today Betsy phoned with the results - benign! We are doing the dance of joy around here. Not quite as vigorously as Betsy, but we are delighted. This is MacDuff on the day we won his fourth Master Agility Champion title. Golly and MacDuff MacDuff and Golly More About: News , Wonderful
Musical beds
2007-04-09 19:41:00 Friday was a mega-laundry day for me - about 8 loads of wash - all dog stuff. Every so often I get a notion into my head that all the dog beds need to be washed. And the throws that we use on our furniture, and the towels we use for the dogs' "ablutions" every week. So the heap in the laundry room gets pretty huge.Part of that is taking off the covers of the dogs beds. That's when you get to see how smushed the actual pillow part is. Clever, clever me - I bought myself some new pillows over the weekend and decided that my old ones would be perfect fillers for a couple of the dog beds that were looking a bit sad. And smushed.Each dog has her (or his) favorite bed. And now I've totally messed up the pecking order. Roc used to be the only one who liked the one with the attached cover. But now it's all poofy, and Ceilidh likes it. And Ceilidh does not tolerate anyone sleeping near her.So Roc moved over to the bed next to that one, which just happens to be Golly's favorite. So the P... More About: Musical , Al B , Beds
Famous People Watching
2007-04-06 21:10:00 Don't you love it when you see a picture of a celebrity with their dog, and it's the same breed as your dog? I do. And I can't figure out why it gives me a kick. The other day Hope pointed out a picture of Famke Janssen and her Boston Terrier, Licorice walking around L.A. with her (human) boyfriend on the Celebrity Dog Watch er web site. I think my Ceilidh and Licorice would get along famously! A couple of years ago I saw a picture of Kevin Sorbo ("Hercules" on TV) and his Brussels Griffon. His was a red, rough, but still! Or when someone else names their dog the same name as yours. My Agility instructor's Airedale Terrier's name is Kaleigh, pronounced the same as my Boston's Ceilidh (Kay-lee!). That Gaelic - tough language. And I just found out that CSI's Eric Szmanda's Golden Retriever is Dax - Golden Retriever, French Bulldog - same name! More About: People , Famous , Watching , People watching
Back to school
2007-04-04 23:46:00 Last night was Roc's and my first at obedience training for a while - since I found out Roc has no cartilage in his right shoulder and left hip. And shouldn't wear a collar cause he has a funky vertebrae in his neck. He's not allowed to jump for another month - but he had an absolute blast! And so did I. Maybe I was getting so anxious to compete, or so tense about not qualifying, that I forgot to have some fun. And that is what obedience is all about - having fun with your dog.I've ordered his articles for Utility work - everybody tells me that it's fun to train. I'm looking forward to it. Roc and I have been in Open for so long that he's probably a bit tired of it. And it'll be good to shake up our routine. More About: School , Back , Back to School
Small dog meetup
2007-04-02 22:06:00 Yesterday we (GollyGear) were invited to set up a booth at a Small Dog Meetup on the north side of Chicago. Fran (above) and I had a blast - we got to meet so many wonderful little dogs (and their people)! And it seems that everybody loves shopping - many of the dogs loved hanging out with us. Of course, they could love us because we brought treats. Dogs are terrific examples of the philosophy of enlightened self-interest. There was only one, tiny little dust-up - when one of the little ladies objected to some brute sniffing her without permission. They both got over it in no time. Overall - I'd have to say a good time was had by all! More About: Mall
Big City Adventure - 3
2007-03-31 16:17:00 Getting back to dogs - which is what we usually talk about around here - I was standing on the platform, waiting for the Red Line train to go home, listening to the street (platform?) performer belting out gospel for spare change, when I noticed the large Kong toy on the tracks. I have absolutely no idea how it got there. I'm hoping that there aren't dogs missing toys living in the subterranean tunnels. And that however it got there, its canine owner didn't go off the platform after it. More About: Venture , Adventure , City , Vent , Advent
Big City Adventure - 2 (The Bean)
2007-03-31 16:11:00 I hadn't seen "Cloud Gate" the sculpture installed as the centerpiece of Milennium Park. It's more familiarly known as "the bean" in the city - for obvious reasons. I think it's marvelous and fascinating - mostly for people's reactions to it. That's me, taking my own picture reflected in the Bean . It's a whole different perspective on our skyline when you see it reflected this way. More About: Venture , Adventure , City , Vent
Big City Adventure - 1
2007-03-31 16:02:00 Yesterday I went into the Chicago Loop (45 minutes by "el") to find a rare item - a t-shirt for my sister with Chicago's Olympic logo. She's absolutely crazy about the Olympics and has been collecting Olympic t-shirts since..... forever. Knowing that Chicago may or may not get the 2016 Olympics (check out the city's bid at www.chicago2016.org), I knew that we had a limited window to get the shirts, available only at Macy's (used to be Marshall Field's) in the Loop. The US Olympic committee will decide between Chicago and Los Angeles by April 14. So I went there, did that, and had a wonderful time! More About: Venture , Adventure , City , Vent , Advent
A Hint of Things to Come
2007-03-27 16:47:00 The weather yesterday was incredible! The record-setting warmth was irresistible, so Golly and I went for a walk. We just wandered around the neighborhood, seeing how many crocuses are coming up, and how many houses are being renovated. The landscapers are starting to power up the mowers, and the kids are truly enjoying their spring break. We saw some new construction, and some holes in the ground, waiting for the contractors to start. It was a fun half-mile and Golly enjoyed every step! When we got home, though, Golly laid down on the nice cool floor. More About: Come , Things , Thing
Unlikely trio
2007-03-24 18:32:00 Janie, our friend who took care of Dax and Ceilidh while we were on the road sent us this very, very unexpected picture. Our girls have never lived with a cat, never met a cat, and love chasing all critters from our yard. We couldn't believe it - although Ceilidh does have a bit of a wild-eyed stare going on! More About: Like , Trio
Justified guilt
2007-03-24 18:24:00 As it turns out, Roc was reluctant to jump for good reason - his right shoulder, left hip and neck are showing the first signs of arthritic changes.But, his obedience career is not over! Yea! We've started him on glucosamine and he'll rest up for about six weeks, letting the inflammation heal and the glucosamine kick in. Then we'll be able to start jumping again. In the meantime, we can still work on all the things that don't require jumping and start working on the Utility exercises. I ordered scent articles for the dude while we were in Louisville (custom fit, no less) and had to put the order on hold 'til I got these results. I'm putting that order on the fast track now! More About: Just , Guilt , Justified
You Think You Know Guilt?
2007-03-23 19:02:00 Golly's a champion at guilt. The vet wanted to do a full blood work-up on her today, so we couldn't give the princess anything to eat after midnight last night (this morning). Now, that doesn't sound so awful - it is less than a day, and we would be sending along her breakfast so it's not even a few hours that Golly would be without food. No matter. This has disrupted her whole routine. We've cut her throat (figuratively speaking, of course). We are horrible people. Her siblings were eating breakfast, and then treats and Golly got nothing. Oh, that's not right adding insult to injury we gave Golly her blood pressure medicine. When Golly turns those big brown eyes on you, you want to give her anything she wants. It doesn't work trying to explain that it's for her own good - we just want her to be healthy. That doesn't matter. Golly has gone without food. As I was eating breakfast this morning - that's right, and not giving any to Golly - the little manipulator was lying on ... More About: Think , Know , Guilt
Let the guilt begin
2007-03-22 19:41:00 Where does the guilt begin?It turns out that Roc may be reluctant to jump, run, fetch, etc. in the obedience ring because he's either injured or has something wrong in his shoulders. Whenever we're asked about training or behavioral problems with a dog, the first piece of advice we give is to have the dog checked by a veterinarian to see if there's a physical cause for the issue. So, after struggling with Roc's worsening performance in obedience, I finally took my own advice.I suppose that late is better than never, but I felt sooooooooooo bad when Dr. Janice was checking him out today and he started trembling when she touched his shoulders. I try to avoid guilt whenever possible, but I think I deserve some of it today.Tomorrow I'll be taking him in for x-rays and we'll start figuring out what's going on with the little dude. I know that he loves training and working with me, so it's going to be a rude shock if his obedience career is over. I know there are only a couple of ... More About: Guilt , The G
Back from our Road Trip
2007-03-20 22:36:00 We're back from the Louisville Shows. And we had a great time. Which just goes to prove - quite decisively - that I'm a glutton for punishment. Roc NQd every time out. And I still had fun. I've decided that we are going to work through whatever his issues are - I'm also an eternal optimist! We're not going to give up as long as he enjoys training and works so beautifully - everywhere but in the ring. Anybody ever heard of a dog with stage fright?The best part of the weekend (aside from the fantastic ice cream at the Kentucky Expo Center) was seeing old friends and making new ones. And seeing over 100 Brussels Griffons in one place. It's the only place and time I can walk around with Roc and not hear "what a cute Pug" every other step!We spent a good chunk of time at the Agility venue - one of these days, maybe Dax and I will give competition a try (I told you I was an optimist). It's amazing to watch the teamwork between dog and handler, especially in the Excellent classes. A... More About: Back , Trip , Road Trip , Road
Just remember to breathe...
2007-03-13 18:03:00 Just remember to breathe - that's what the stewards said the very first time I entered an obedience ring. And it's advice I try to remember every trial. But I cannot even begin to describe how anxious I am today. Tomorrow morning we leave for Louisville, where Roc is entered in the Brussels Griffon National Specialty Obedience Trial. Now, if Roc were a Border Collie, Golden Retriever, even a Papillon, he would be one among many and the potential for humiliation would be mitigated by being "one of the crowd." However, he is a Brussels Griffon. There are six entered. Not six in his class, six in total. And with our current rate of success (0 for 10) I have to look at our entry fee as "supporting the club."Not that I don't have very high hopes! I do. Which is what's making me crazy. I wish I could just "let it go," "give it up," "que sera sera." I know, in my brain, that Roc knows all of the exercises and my nerves are not helping one little bit. I also know that I get to keep him,... More About: Just , Breath , Breathe , Brea
Ceilidh the Grump
2007-03-09 20:09:00 Yesterday evening was Agility class, as is normal for Thursday. Ceilidh loves Agility - she gets some undivided attention, she gets to play with her Latex Soccer Ball (which I bring to class to entertain us both while we wait for our turn), she gets a yummy Chicken Z-Filet (spread over the evening, as her special treat for class), and best of all, she gets to play Agility!When we get home Ceilidh usually tries to persuade us that she's not tired and she could play some more. We win that argument, though and Ceilidh finally concedes that she could use a nap. Last night she curled up in the Woofie Cushion in the family room and covered her with a throw. Golly didn't see Ceilidh and tried to climb into the bed. Ceilidh is not one for sharing, though, and growled at her big sister! Golly was quite startled to hear such vicousness from the bed and decided to try a different resting spot! More About: The G
If at first you don't succeed
2007-03-08 21:31:00 Roc and I have been training rather intensely. We're getting ready for the Brussels Griffon National Specialty in Louisville, Kentucky next week. So I've been going to every fun match I can find. Yesterday evening we went to a fun match at a training center owned by a top-notch Golden Retriever trainer we've known for many years. Frank is a tall, quiet-spoken man with a dry sense of humor who expects excellence from his dogs and his students. We've never taken classes from him, although I hope to in the future. Frank wanted to get the match started, so asked if anyone was ready to go in Open. I said we were, so Roc and I got in the ring to do our thing. After the first heeling exercise, Frank told me Roc was lagging a bit. I told Frank that if lagging was our worst problem, I'd be thrilled.Needless to say, our run-through deteriorated. Roc didn't Drop on the Recall, his jumps were terrible. Fortunately, he did a great job on his Long Sit and Long Down. I'd signed up for a sec... More About: First
Can I just go into the corner and scream?
More articles from this author:2007-03-06 20:52:00 I love Roc dearly. I just want that said before I continue. Because this week I also despise every bone in his tiny, little body.We've been training rather intensely for competition in Open Obedience. He has his Novice title, so I know he can, in fact, perform in public. In addition to class, we've been going to fun matches and other sites, wherever dogs are allowed, to practise.This last weekend we went to trials at the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds. So I drove, over this weekend, more than 320 miles (back and forth and back and forth), in below-freezing, sleeting, icky disgusting weather.Saturday, out of the clear blue sky, Roc sat instead of lying down for the "Down on Recall." He's never done that before in his life. Everything else - a bit sloppy, but definitely qualifying. Okay, I figure. He was a bit nervous. We'll do better on Sunday.Not even close. He got distracted in the first 20 seconds and I found myself heeling all by myself on the other side of the ring. And it was... More About: Corn , Just , Scream , Corner , Cream 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
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