I hate ticks

Well, I don't get shook up by them but my skin people hate them. They think they hitchhike a ride on my body and jump off in the house, only to then crawl up on the skin people and try to bite them. Yesterday they found 5. It is kind of funny watching them find one, jump up and run to throw it in the toilet and then spend the next 10 minutes checking their hair.

Skin mom put some stuff between my shoulder blades to make the ticks die if they bite me. But so far they haven't found any on me, just them. She put it on outside so I spend a while rolling around on my back because that seemed to excite her, she kept running up and saying no Hoss, no. Don't rub it off. Looks like she was enjoying the game so I kept it up, anything to make her happy.

Finally the snow is gone. Bad thing is it went right into hot hot weather. I want to lie outside and enjoy the weather. But I get overheated really fast. Skin mom thought I might enjoy the sprinkler, did not. She then tried to pour water on me, didn't like that either. She is going to get me something called a kiddy pool. I don't think I will like that either.

She says she is going to make me stay in the house. What I do. When she takes me out to do my duty, I lay down on the grass and refuse to move. She pulls and tries to talk me into getting up, I become stone. I love it outside. I dug a nice big hole next to the garage and like to lie in it where it is cool. She keeps filling it up which is nice because then it is cool again when I dig it up.

I went for a walk this morning while it was cool. I love my life.

I just love Children

We went out to Stone park to walk, I really like it out there. It has a lot of great smells. And yesterday we had a entire bus full of kids out there on a field trip.

Of course who can resist me, charming, handsome and friendly. Skin dad stopped and all the kids got to pet me and scratch my tummy. Oh heaven. I just love kids. My skin dad was pretty proud of me because I didn't jump up on any of them. I did get a few face licks in though. I am always gentle around children. Just in my nature. You have to be careful of the little ones to not hurt them. So that made my day.

I was tired after my walk. My skin mom got me a backpack so I can carry my water, treats and my bowl. She said it would help use up more energy. Boy it sure did and I felt great. So when we got home I got on my favorite bed to take a nap. Xena was in the window watching the birds.

I was sound asleep when all of a sudden Xena let out this blood curdling howl. Scared the crap out me. I leaped out of bed and tore out of the room sure a demon of some sort was loose in the room. Skin dad in the meantime was tearing into the room, sure I had murdered Xena. Like even. She may drive me crazy but I would never hurt her.

Turns out she was looking out the window and there was a strange cat in her yard. Man, talk about over-reacting Xena. You took 10 years off me. I sat by the skin dad shaking and he comforted me and gave me a treat. Sometimes I act like a chicken because skin dad can always be counted on to pop me a treat to reassure me it is OK.

I hope the strange cat doesn't come around again but I sure do not like the noise that little cat is capable of making. Wow. I never even bark and I weigh 80 pounds. She weighs 9 pounds. Silly cat.

Shut down Puppy Mills

I live in the state that has the 2nd most puppy mills in the country. Iowa. I may have come from one. I don't remember. A lot of the puppies here have. There are terrible terrible places. Dogs are kept in tiny cages and get no exercise, love, good food or health care. The puppies are taken away and sold usually around 5 to 6 weeks old. Way to young to taken from mommy. They don't learn all the stuff moms teach their young pups. Plus thet weren't bred to be healthy dogs. They were bred for money.

Many of these places are in old barns or sheds. The cages are stacked on top of each other. Instead of a nice bed to lie on they are in wire cages all day. No one pets them or brushes them. If they get sick they are put down, not brought to the vet.

How can we stop this. Write your elected officials. Tell them to support The PUPS Act – S.395, H.R.847. Do it because you all love your dogs. Because this is animal cruelty at its worse. It is more wide spread then dog fighting and just as cruel. Because the pounds are full of dogs being killed everyday. Because the dogs can't do it, but we can. Please go to this site and educate yourself on puppy mills. https://www.facebook.com/IowaVotersForCompanionAnimals

How much is that puppy in the window. Really it should be at what price of that puppy in the window, in so many other dogs life. Please check out the place that you get your dog from. Please don't support puppy mills. If everyone stops getting their puppies they will stop breeding them. Write your elected officials. Save a dogs or cats life today. Because only we can.

Cadaver dog

Skin dad took me on a long walk yesterday. It was great and my pal Teddy got to come. We walked through fields and along a fence. We walked for miles.

I smelled it a long time before I found it and made sure to lead skin dad to the smell. I made it seem like it was his idea but I just keep going in one direction and since he really had no direction in mind this worked well. Finally there was the source of the smell. A old dead deer, all skeleton and smelling great. Skin dad wouldn't let me pick any up, sigh but I was happy I found it.

We continued on and I smelled something else. Riper. Lets make skin dad go there. Closer, closer, closer, there! A dead raccoon. This one hadn't been dead as long as the deer and my skin dad said it stunk so he walked me a different way. But it was a great day.

Back home skin dad told skin mom about my finds and she said maybe they should train me to be a cadaver dog. I have a feeling they weren't talking about dead deer though.

Skin mom cooked me some chicken liver and then let me in the backyard to lay and nap in sun. I am so happy it is nice out again as I love to nap in the yard. I lay there all warm and happy, skin mom worked on the yard she was happy too. The long winter is over.

Happy Easter

It's Easter today, Happy Easter everyone. Skin dad is going to make a ham and I bet if I look at him right, I will get a little. I know just how to stare at him to make him give in. I have it down pat.

We had a thunderstorm last night. Now I am a big tuff dog but have to admit I don't like storms. Too many bad memories from my old life when I had to stay outside chained up even when lightning and thunder rocked the skies. Pouring cold rain soaked my fur until I was near froze. I ran and leaned against skin mom who petted me. It's OK Hoss, you will be fine in here and there is no reason to be worried ever again. Then she gave me a small piece of steak she was eating. Hummmm this may work to my advantage.

Yup, life is different now. But I know, out in the cold, chained, are so many other dogs that don't lead the life I do. It is so sad.

Spring, got to love it

Yesterday I went on a long walk with skin dad. It was warm and felt great. We walked for miles and I got to smell so many new things since I have never been to this place before. It was warm enough I was really thirsty when we got back so I drank a ton of water skin dad keeps in the van for me.

Later I got to go outside and skin mom brushed me. I shed a lot so she was happy it was outside. I am happy to be able to take a nap in the warm sun again. We sat outside for about a hour. I wasn't happy to go in the house but skin mom doesn't like to leave me out alone. I am such a handsome man, she says, someone may just take me. And I am such a friendly dog I would probably just go with them she says. What can I say, I am a people person.

It rained last night but is still warm so we will walk by the river later. You have to admit, being a dog is a great thing.

Grandskin kids

I wish we could post photos to this. I have some great kids I get to play with. Today the skin folks oldest granddaughter is coming. This will be the first time I get to meet her. My skin mom told me I have to be on my best behavior and not jump up and lick her face. Now what is wrong with that I wonder............ But skin mom says when people first meet me they are a little scared of me because I am so large and can be overwhelmingly happy to see someone. Just want to show them how happy I am to see them, sheesh.

Yesterday I spent the day with the youngest granddaughter. I am careful around her not to knock her down. She loves me. I sat on her lap and she wasn't real happy about that since she weighs 50 pounds and I weigh 80 but she was sitting in my spot on the sofa. She moved over and we sat together nicely after that.

I also went on a great walk with Teddy and everyone. The air is getting warming. It is muddy though and Teddy comes home with muddy feet and since he is so short muddy tummy. His hair is real light so it really shows up. Kind of funny to me but his skin folks aren't real pleased. Why not, Teddy loves his baths unlike me.

Well, I hear skin dad stirring. Time to get him moving to make me something to eat. I am HUNGRY.....

Stiff and sore today

I woke up feeling like a old dog today. Man, all that hiking kind of stoved me up. Now I know how skin mom feels. Think I will take it easier today, skin mom is going to buy me a wishbone nylabone to chew on and some more liver to make treats out of. She said we are gonna have a lazy pamper ourselves day. Oh yeah, I can do that.

My new food has been recalled

So the food I just started on got recalled. The bag I just finished eating in fact. Skin mom is pretty upset. All the foods I like. She tried calling the company but was on hold forever. She left a message for them to call, they didn't call us back. She emailed them, no return emails yet. That alone is making her mad.

So we are going back to Blue Buffalo. Skin mom has decided the bad things she read about are something called spam. The company denied the rumors and I have never been sick on it. I really like it in fact. Now skin mom is worried I will get sick. It can take some days to get sick from the bad food I ate so she is going to be watching me like a hawk.

Today is the first day of Spring. Skin dad took me for a long walk. It was still cold but it was a great walk. When we got home Teddy, my skin dad's son and my skin grandson were here. So we went for another long walk. My skin mom says a tired Hoss is a good Hoss.

It was a really long walk for tubby Teddy. When we got back to the van skin dad gave us both water and Teddy gulped it all down. When we got home he drank a bunch more water and then pukes on skin Moms nice clean floor. Skin mom thanked Teddy for not throwing up on her carpet.

I am exhausted. But in a good way. I took a nap with Xena, my fur cat friend. I guess I am being what skin mom likes, a good tired dog. And the bite mark on my leg is almost gone.

Attack by the Little Dog

Ok, so we were walking down by the river. I love walking there but skin mom gets upset since so many people don't leash their dogs.

But it was fun until. This little tiny dog came running up and barking at me. It started biting my ankles. Ouch. Skin mom told me sit and stay and I did, because I listen when she tells me to do that. She gives me petting and treats when I mind. The little dog kept darting in and trying to bite my ankles. What's up with that? If I wanted to I could shut him up with one little snap. Skin mom told the other dog to scat.

I could see the owner of the little dog running up. Why was she so far away from her little dog. I could tell she wanted to catch the little dog so I put my big paw out and held the tiny dog down. Well for pete's sake. The dog started to make noise like I was killing it or something and the other woman started to scream!

Your dog is killing my dog, she screamed. I wasn't. I was barely putting any pressure on this little dog. Not even as much as the cat.

The lady started to scream at my skin mom about me. Skin mom calmly said, this is the difference between a well trained dog under control and a dog who has had no training like your dog. You are lucky my dog is trained and didn't kill your dog and why were you letting your dog run loose. And she said, your dog has better have had it's shots because she drew blood on my dog.

The woman refused to give her name and mom brought me home and cleaned out my bite. It isn't bad. I hardly felt it. And skin mom gave me treats and told me what a good big boy I was. And I am.

I am glad that little dog met me instead of some of the other dogs it could have met. I hope it gets training like I got so it doesn't take on more then it can chew in the future. Could have been a tragedy.