Wordless Wednesday

HELP -- Opinions Needed

Mom is facing a big decision and like Marie; she hates making decisions -- from here we will let her tell the decision in question.

Patti here -- It has come the time to trade my car in for another. :(  I have been very content with my current car and wish I could procrastinate at least another year or two.  The circumstances for having to do it now are quit complicated, I will spell you the boring details of why.

I was hoping to get a little bit of help from all of you.

So, First of all, you need to know a little bit about my current car.  I have a wonderful husband that has turned out to be a hopeless romantic, on our 25th anniversary five years ago while in Las Vegas, he asked me if I wanted to go SHOPPING!  Well of course I said, "YES", for I am one of those 'SHOP TIL YOU DROP' girls. LOL

Off we went, he is driving, as we pasted one shopping mall after another heading completely in the opposite direction of the malls -- I'm asking, "Where are we going shopping?"  His answer, "You will see, just watch where the front of the car takes us!"  his way of being funny ha ha :).  The car finally turns into a car dealership, with me saying, "OMG", and my eyes are popping out of my head, "What are we doing here?"  His reply, "I am buying you a new car today, you get to pick the style but the color is going to be SILVER!"  Ok -- enough with the drama suspense, we did leave with a SILVER CLS 500 MERCEDES as my 25th anniversary gift.  I love it!

So, here is a list of things I need to consider:

• Gas Mileage is at the top of the list.
• Its got to be convenient to drive around for quick runs around town.
• Should be a little more dog friendly on my list, but not so much on his list.
• And, not to mention COST

Here is what we have narrowed the choices down to.  

• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid -- this one intrigue my interest with the hybrid for it is suppose to run on electric for the first 60 miles before running on the gas engine.  Something like the Prius, but it is a much bigger car that is expected to get around 38 mpg.  Which could really get more with me just running around town possibly on the electric engine only.

• VW CC TDI -- this one is another option for a sedan.  It runs on a deisel engine and expected to get 30 city/42 hwy mpg.

• VW Jetta Sportswagon -- this one has the same engine as the CC TDI and has the same expected gas mileage.  But, this one intrigue my interest for the possible 'DOG FRIENDLY' aspect. 

So, now this is where I would like some help and OPINIONS!  I have made a sedan work for a couple of years to be dog worthy -- you would be surprised what I can fit into the trunk of the car.  

The big question/decision -- SEDAN vs. SPORTWAGON or is there another way to go?

Help -- Patti

  

Manic Monday

All dressed up again and ready for our weekly visit to the Hospital...Kids are awaiting...Woof Woof

Water Logged PUPS!

This is what we turn into after a 'FUN' morning swim.

Wordless Wednesday

Manic Monday

Training Challenge -- Mother Nature vs. DAD's Nature

As you may recall, a few weeks ago I (Tytus) had a training session with Mother Nature.  I learned that thunder wasn't as bad as it sounds, mom taught me that if I stayed calm and close to her, the thunder wouldn't get me.

Well, now for the past few weeks I have been dealing with -- DAD's Nature. What is DAD's Nature, you ask?  It is FOOTBALL season, do I need to say more! :)  Just in case you all don't have a DAD that likes to watch football games on the TV -- my DAD not only watches, he at times will talk or even yell at the players/coaches like they can hear him or something, even CHEER by clapping or jumping out of his seat like he was at the stadium.

This is where my training challenge starts -- like MOTHER nature you don't have any idea when the THUNDER will pop, or do you know when DAD's nature is going to have a THUNDERS POP reaction to the football game.  I am usually resting/sleeping at his feet or at least in the room while he watches for I do love to be with DAD.  At first I thought his thunderous pop was caused by me; I would jump up move a few feet, lie down, glare with my ears twisted back (you all know the look), but mom assured me that it wasn't nothing I did.  She rubbed me and squeezed my paws the same way she did when mother natures thunder was popping, and showed that she had my back.  But, this time she also scowled DAD for making such a ruckus -- I now think this training challenge is for me and DAD...LOL :).

So, last night was the big test,  prime time football with DOLPHINS vs JETS; I should let you know that DAD's team is the DOLPHINS.  We started watching the game in the living room as usual, me resting at Dad's feet.  Mom reminding me that nothing dad does tonight is caused by me and she has my back.  She even REALLY set dad straight, by telling him he better be good.

By half time, DAD had a couple of small roars I handled them like a pro, just lifted my head and gave him that glare.  Boy does that glare work on dad...Woof.  Then we moved into the bedroom to finish watching it in bed.  I ended up right next to mom, the most comfortable place on earth.  Well that is all I remember, mom will tell the rest of the story:  Tytus ended up cuddling up to me and went fast to sleep, even through a couple of small thunderous roars from dad.  I would have to say both DAD and Tytus successfully passed the test this time, but we still have 13 or so weeks left.

If any of you are wondering, where is Brutus during all of this ruckus?  He is my strong solid sheltie sleeping though it all (only on occasion does he look up to see whats going on); gives DAD the look -- Would you please keep it down, are you SERIOUS?

Training Challenge -- Football Patients

Well, Mom is finally posting proof that we have been doing our challenges.

Last year at this time, Mom couldn't even think about taking us to a ball game.  We had no self control what so ever; the mixture of footballs and kids, running and throwing just took us over the edge.

So, mom decided to be brave and use this as one of our training challenges.

OK, this is how it went down.  Mom first told us to down, stay, leave it and watch all the commands she could think of.  She then placed a chair between the kids playing closest and us with a football at our feet, we think she did this to really make us think and keep thinking.  Well, it worked!  Woof, High Paws to Mom.

Brutus on look out, kids playing football game on one side and kids just running and playing on the other side.

I'm going to try something different, maybe if I close my eyes like I did in the park last week the kids will come see us, again.

Tytus still on, "Kid Watch Out"!  Being very patient.

And, It worked the kids came to see us!  Our REWARD for having self control...WOL!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Keeping our Fur-ends in our PRAYERS as they recovery from injuries/sicknesses -- SPEEDY RECOVERIES.  Also, for those that are traveling -- TRAVEL SAFE.

Wordless Wednesday

Testing Testing Take 2 4th attempt. OK got to WOL with us. BLOG texting is for quick entries. Last attemt must be pieced together from bottom to top.

an do this literally...WOL...we love your cross-your-paw trick.

Till next time...

mom's new tricks are going to help her keep our blog up to date. We will believe it when we see it. Keep your paws crossed for us.
Oreo, we know that you c

Testing Testing Take 2

Actually this is our 3rd try at TAKE 2. Heres what's cooking for dinner, as mom multi-tasks cooking with blogging. We are hoping that

Testing Testing Take 1

Mom is testing out the ability to post on our blog from her new phone.  Bare with her as she tries to post by e-mail from her phone.

Here we are watching her multi task -- blogging while cooking dinner on the barrier.

Register

Don't Fall Over...

Hello All,
Don't fall over out of disbelief of a new posting on our behalf.  Our secretary has been a bit over whelmed the last few weeks, she can't believe its been this long.  Any how, we have been doing our challenges and doing quit well we would like to say, posting will have to come later.  Our secretary only has a few minutes.

We had a nice surprise at the hospital today.  When we were checking in at the time clock we notice a picture of us on the front page of the Intermountain Stories newsletter along with some very kind words about us.  Check it out:

Cover page

Thank you Dixie Regional Medical Center for the kind words about us.  We truly do love coming.

Got to go...more later...Mom promises. 

It's Our Birthday

Look who just turned TWO…us Brutus & Tytus…we are also celebrating our FIRST Anniversary as Registered Delta Pet Partners.  Mom made up a celebration video: composed from photo’s taken while we were on our Therapy Visits at Kolob Care & Rehabilitation and Cliff View Senior Living Center.  The portion that is video footage is from the Birthday Party we had at Cliff View; we had to lie down in front of four yummy muffins while mom lite the candles and everyone sang, ‘Happy Birthday’, to us.

Ricky, does this count as a challenge?  We stayed in a down/leave it command for over 5 minutes, before we were able to gobble down our yummy muffin.

Here is the video --  Enjoy and Celebrate with us:

(Mom wants to say sorry for the blurry footage in advance, she doesn’t quit know why it came out blurry.)

It's Our Birthday! from DeBoy's and Me on Vimeo.

Week 2 -- Challenge

This weeks challenge turned out to be a fun one. Mom had been trying to figure out our challenge for the week; she wanted to take us out and about for the training. But she was thinking that since we are so comfortable being out in the public, she thought this might be cheating. So she keep thinking: Where can we go that is different? In the public area? and many other questions.

Saturday morning, Dad was telling mom that he needed to go to the store to get some fertilizer for the lawn and see if there was something that would help our yellow pee spots. Mom was just reading the newspaper looking for things going on in St. George and came across the H.A.R.T. Homeless Animal Rescue Team of Utah event at the The Backyard Gardens and Gifts. Our challenge just landed in her lap.

We all where headed to the nursery for our training challenge of the week. Little did Dad know that he was part of our challenge (woof woof with tails a wagging and mom snickering :) ). Our

challenge went like this, Dad was going to be our handler we had to listen to him while visiting the nursery with distractions of meeting other dogs and people.

Here are some pictures to tell the story:

Here we are just getting to the nursery with Dad in control.

Us meeting new people and dogs, we love this challenge so far

Us actually training Dad: Dad we need to move on Moms over here...oops we forgot for a second Dad is in control.

Us shopping with Dad.

Dad and Us saying good-bye to our new doggie and human friends, while mom checks out with out purchase.

Brutus at home hamming up to Dad, trying to convince him that it was hard work going to the nursery.

Me, Tytus, thinking boy that wasn't so hard mom. Thank you for the fun challenge.

Week 1 -- Challenge

First, mother-nature gave us a surprise challenge her self last night: THUNDER, LIGHTNING AND RAIN. This is the first time I think we (I mean me -- Tytus) have heard thunder. My brother, Brutus, on the other paw still hasn't heard thunder: he sleeps like a hibernating bear and if a heard of elephants ran through the room he wouldn't have a clue.

Anyway, Mom helped me relax during the thunder by rubbing my chest and squeezing my paws (a trick she was told by our masseuse) -- I learned that THUNDER wasn't as bad as it sounds and got to sleep a little during the thunder.

With accepting the challenge late in the week, Mom unveiled the details today! It's a two part challenge: Part 1 -- We have to train one on one with her, this is going to be the fun part. Part 2 -- When we aren't training with her we have to wait patiently in the crate or x'er-pen all by ourselves, this is going to be the hard part.

Mom is going to take over from here.

This first challenge is going to be an on going task as the boys really need work on waiting their turn. I created this monster, now we are going to correct it. Here is how the first day went:

Brutus went first, then traded with Tytus.

Part 1a & b: Brutus and I headed out the front door for a walk around the block. Our walk consisted of first getting him to focus on me and not look around for Tytus, then started working on changing the pace, then added some stops with sits. Then it was Tytus's turn. Same thing with him. Both of them did ok, once they settled down.

Part 2a & b: The x'er-pen setup in the entryway next to the front door and Tytus sitting in it, boy what a look I got when I opened the front door and asked Brutus let's go. Not sure how long he barked and carried on, but by the time Brutus and I returned he was settled down and relaxed. Now, it was Brutus's turn, he just gave a look see ya when you get back. Brutus has that attitude of, "What Ever".

Conclusion of Week 1 Challenge: My thinking for having the x'er-pen setup in the entry, was to have it in a place they could see when we left/returned. The plan is to take it with us, when we train in other places.

Thats it for now.