Spring means MUD.

Holy moly. Now that the snow is melting, Mommy says it's "one holy bleeping mess" out there! She never said bleeping though. She said one of those not-suitable for sensitive ears words. Anyhoo, finally it is getting a little warmer, which means we are getting more walks. The snow is melting, but there is still a lot of sand on the roads, and mud, and dirt and stuff, which means a MANDATORY BATH after every walk. Talk about punishment! We had a great walk today, the sun was out, Mommy took her time letting us smell everything, we walked a nice distance, and then she has to go ruin it by washing all the good stuff off! And not just a wimpy leg bath either. Today we got so filthy (her words) that we needed full baths, even our heads! Mommy sure knows how to put a damper on a great day!

We are having a snowstorm!

Seriously, pups, it's -2, and we have lots of snow, blowing snow and wind right now. We refused to go outside and do our business until we were absolutely busting, which was around supper. We held our pee ALL day! Then Mommy snuck up on us and put our winter jackets on, and made us go outside. The wind was blowing up our backsides, and it was NOD fun. Izzy is a lot better at being in the snow than Rudy, in fact she doesn't mind it too much. Rudy, however, thinks the world is coming to an end. If Ben were here, he would stand just far enough out the back door, to do his pee on the deck! Mommy says he's up in rainbow bridge where he can lie in the sun all DAY. That sounds nice. We will hold down the fort down here, Ben, until we see you again!

much love,
Rudy and Izzy

Ben ATE!!!

Hey pupses! Mommy took Ben back to the vet yesterday cause he was barely eating, and it was stressing us all out. Mommy was putting out all sorts of good fud, and he wouldn't touch it. Not chicken or rabbit, or cheese or roast beast or salmon. NOT EVEN SARDINES. It was getting serious. After 48 hours with only a few little treats in hims belly, Mommy said enough was enough. Well, good news. The vet examined him and decided that the super strong antibiotic was making him nauseous, and so she gave him an anti-nausea, appetite stimulant pill to take. Also, he wouldn't take any of his pills on Thursday, so his stomach had a break from the antibiotic anyway. Well, Mommy took him home and opened up some smelly wet dog food to try to entice him, and he ATE! And nod just a little bit! Mommy was so excited she started to sing and dance. Rudy was put off cause she didn't get to finish Ben's dinner, and Izzy wasn't sure why he got yummy wet food. But it's all good, cause he ate!

Then we got up this morning, Saturday, early, to do our business outside. It was 6 a.m. We decided to let Mom sleep in - BOL. Anyhoo, Ben was hungry!!! So Mommy fed us all at 6 in the morning, and he gobbled his breakfast all up! Mommy was real proud, and then we all went back to bed for a good snooze.

So Mommy is happy today, and tonight we are going to Mommy's Mommy's house (Nanny) cause it's her barkday. Mommy made a homemade carrot cake with cream cheese icing and the hoomins get to have pizza. That's okay, cause Mommy promised us some yummy rabbit. It has been a good day.

love Rudy, Izzy and Ben

Three Dog Night

Well, Mister Ben has been with us for almost four months, and we are FINALLY settling into a routine. Mommy can ALMOST figure him out now. Here is Ben's schedule:
8 a.m. get up, go out
8:10 eat breakfast
8:15 go out for other urgent business
8:20 go back to the hoomin bed where it is nice and warm and go back to sleep
12:00ish get back up
12:00-3:30 walk around house, look out window, snooze on couch
3:30 nap
4:30 go outside to investigate possible intruders and check yard
4:30-6:00 relax, watch tv, be entertained by Rudy and Izzy, do some barking, torment Mommy
6:00 eat supper
6:15-7:00 chill
7:00-9:00 snooze
9:00 demand snack, and maybe a short play with Mommy
10:00 go outside for urgent business, investigate yard
10:15 go to bed and snooze all night!

Mommy is pretty happy with this schedule. Ben is an old man and doesn't play nearly as much as us two young girls, but we keep that in mind! He even watches us when we wrestle, but he keeps his distance. BOL.

love Rudy, Izzy and Ben

What a great Christmas!

Christmas 2010 was Ben's first Christmas with our family, and we think it was quite successful! First, we got like fortelebenty Christmas cards, and the mommas only got a few. Ha! Power to the PAW there! Secondly, Ben got to meet Santa Claus, and he was a real good boy, and we even got a great family photo (you can see it on our page). Mommy and Mama are real proud of that picture. Thirdly, we got some real nice pressies from our good pals Lucy & Daisy, and Zaidie! Wow, that was such a nice surprise. We love our MEATZ toys, our Snoopy toy, and the goodies for the mommies were much appreciated!!!

Let's see, we also had a YUMM-O Christmas dinner at Poppy's, and we had lots of fun watching the humans opening their presents. All that wrapping paper, and laughter! Everyone was in a real good mood! Today Nanny had a get-together and we went over to her house, and got lots of rubs and loves from cousins, and uncles and aunts, and all sorts of friendly dog-loving people! Ben was completely at home with lots of people there, and wasn't remotely scared at all! Today was also one of the only days in a long time that it DIDN'T rain, so we got to go on a nice walk! It has been pretty miserable here, we didn't have the snow that a lot of the Northeast U.S. got, but get this, in December, St. John's had 300 mm of rain! That is the most since 1909!!!

Anyway, we thank each and every one of our pals for our Christmas cards, rosettes and presents. We love you all, so very much. Dogster rocks!

Rudy, Izzy and Ben

OMD, our Santa pictures are back!

Remember last week we told you all that we went to visit Santa Paws? Well, we gots our pictures back! Mommy is so pleased she is dancin' like a crazy lady all over the house. She is so proud of how good we were in front of the camera. And she is so happy that Ben didn't freak out. Turns out he's a photogenic as Rudy and Izzy!!! We hope you like our family photo, that's Mommy's favorite. 2010 was a good year, cause we added Ben to our family. Merry Christmas everypup and every family.

love Rudy, Izzy and Ben

Wow, a featured dairy pick!

We are a featured diary pick today. Thank you dogster! We are having a really great December so far. Hardly any snow, just cold and some frost. Last week it was so mild we had a big rain storm, and this week it will be above the freezing mark for most of the week! This is good, as Ben's arthritis seems to act up when it is really cold. Mommy has taken to putting tee-shirts, sweaters and hoodies on him every day, cause he seems to shiver much more than us (Rudy and Izzy)!

We are getting ready for Santa Paws at the house. Mommy is slowly decorating, and Mama will do the outside lights soon. We are hoping to get our tree up this coming weekend! It's always a fun time of year. Mommy is just happy cause the tree blocks the window, and it's more effort for us to get to the window and "ARRROOOOOO", which means we don't do it as often!!! BOL.

Ben is finally off his third dose of antibiotics for his mouth infection, but Mommy is not convinced it is better. He still rubs his mouth vigourously (sometimes whimpering too) against the couch or bed after eating. He still yelps if Mommy tries to go near his mouth. It's looking like he's going to have to have an x-ray to see if the infection has penetrated the bone. Our poor Bennie. Mommy and Mama are keeping a close eye on the situation, and we know our good vet Dr. Beth will do what she needs to do to get him better.

love to you all!
Rudy, Izzy and Ben

Christmas card count

Well, we have received 8 cards from our dogster pals for Christmas! Mommy and Mama have only gotten 3! What can we say? We are much more outgoing and sociable than they are!

Thank you Shakey and Lacey, Zoe and Drover and Tux, Bella, Dixie and Sniffers, Jelly, Sabrina and Abigale June, Uno and Mickey and Reece, Bailey and Oliver!!!! We can't wait for you all to get ours!

love Rudy, Izzy and Ben

Please vote for us!

Mommy entered us in the "Best Friends" and "Sleeper" categories of the dogster photo contest! She is using pics of just Rudy and Izzy, because Ben is still very skittish and she hasn't gotten a good pic of the three of us yet!

Vote for Mini Mischief


thanks everyone!
love Mini Mischief

Hello! As you know, Mommy and Mama are fostering me (and probably adopting me) and it is their first foster. I am 10 years old, have 6 teeth, a collapsing trachea, slightly elevated kidney function and possible arthritis. I LOVE to eat. I can't wait to get as much food in me as possible! I am still a trim 16 lbs. though.

Mommy's question is this. You see, I have been here two weeks, and I still cry at night. I whimper at around 2, then again at 4, and then I get up at around 5 or 6. Mom wonders if I am in pain? She took me to the vet, and I had a full check up. The only place I wouldn't let her touch was my mouth. I am on antibiotics for a jaw infection, but I am already 5 days into them, so Mommy doesn't think that is it. Maybe I have arthritis which is making me stiff? Either way, Mommy is really tired, because my whining makes her wake up. She doesn't know what to do. I also whine a LOT when I am hungry, which is about an hour before feeding time, and I don't quit until I get food!

Mommy had never fostered or adopted before, and she knows she has to be patient, but she doesn't know what to do. Do you have any ideas? Mommy is getting ready to start an IV drip of caffeine for her, as Mama said Ben is "her" dog since she was the one who the foster people called!
love always,
Ben and Mommy Sarah