Boarding Trials

Okay.
Boardin’ wasn't as fun as I thought it would be.

I didn't get to play with any dogs or get a tennis ball thrown fer me or nut’in'!

I did get to do some neat things I am not allowed to do at home:
~See dogs Bigger than Me!
There was a Merle Great Dane and an Irish Wolfhound/Golden Retriever mix boarding there.
Whoo-Wee were they ever big!
~Mark inside my Kennel...inside the house!
Momma would never allow it!
I got to do this 3 times! :)
~Take advantage of the Kennel Owners.
They thought I was Sweeter than Sweet Potat’a Pie so I got ‘way with everythin’!

I did cut my nose tryin' to erase the bars...BOL! I like to try squeez'n outta the kennel at home and sometimes I chip my nose. That's why I look like I have a snow nose in some of my pictures. My pigmentation is actually really good.

No luck bustin' out yet but I rubbed my nose so much at the boarding kennel it got Chapped. Momma put this lotion on it but now I smell fruit everywhere I start 'a sniffin'.

I didn't get much sleep either...I was too busy beggin' all the pups to play with me.

One thing that wasn't very nice was the way the Owners of the Boarding Kennel treated Ruby! They made her real scared.

They said she was a boy and called her "Ruger" all weekend! Then they were not happy when she wouldn't come to them when they called so they started chas’n her ‘round and made her bark and growl at them when they got her cornered.

Then when our folks came to pick us up they said she was a follower and had no confidence. They said she was a bad representative of the German Shepherd Breed!

The reason she followed me ‘round is because I was the only one in whom she could talk with that she could understand. They were all messed up - calling her by the wrong name and the wrong Gender!

Would you come a’callin’ if you were a girl and someone hollered, "Come Here, Boy!"
I’m Guessin’ prob’bly not!

When my folks came to pick us up the Kennel Owners were so RUDE!!! They brought out two fine "Representations of the German Shepherd Dog Breed" out to the car to meet my folks and the first words outta their mouth were, "This is what a German Shepherd Should Look Like!"

‘Scuse ME!

Maybe Ruby just don’t like rude folk's like you two who can't even pay attention long ‘nough to learn she is a female and her name is Ruby.

Momma and Pops had to correct them Multiple times until they realized they were calling her the wrong name and then the lady said, "I though I saw Testicles!" Pops assured the lady that she did not see Testicles.

What!?! Did they not believe our folks when they said they were bringing in a GIRL and a BOY dog? Surely trained professionals would know better than a dog’s own owner!

They insulted our folk’s ability to socialize us, knowledge of dog training, and made them feel just terrible for leaving us there!

I didn't know all this until I heard it on the ride home...I would have lifted a leg fer them fer sure and showed them what it's really like to have "testicles!"

-Duke Boy

A Dog's Prayer

A Dog's Prayer

When God made the earth and sky,
The flowers and the trees,
He then made all the animals
And all the birds and bees,
And when His work was finished
Not one was quite the same.
He said, "I'll walk this earth of mine
And give each one a name."
And so He traveled land and sea
And everywhere He went
A little creature followed Him
Until its strength was spent.
When all were named upon the earth
And in the sky and sea,
The little creature said," Dear Lord,
There is not one left for me."
The Father smiled and softly said
"I've left you to the end.
I've turned my own name back to front
And call you dog, my friend."

Sure Fire Way to Get Kicked off the Bed!

I got Miss Dust and me kicked off the bed because Momma was laying on my thigh and some stinky gasses leaked outta my booty on her 8-O
::Embarassed::
I didn't mean it...it just leaked out. It made a hissing noise and I had to look to see if it was me.
Guilty as Charged!
Ruby wasn't happy with me either because once we got outside to use the bathroom she let me have it. Whoo-Wee!
She went up on her hind legs and gave me a bear paw right to the kisser!
All in the life of a Dukester!

Pops made a good Point...

When we were running on Sunday Jan. 10th 2010 we ran up and down the mile long drive way 4 times.

That's Four miles downhill and Four miles uphill for a total of EIGHT WHOLE MILES. The mushers at the Mushing Mania event at Monee Reservoir said those huskies were tired after 3 miles...the Mushers said they had to really help them through the last mile.

Pops has helped me to realize that what they really were saying was those huskies were pansies. LMTO!

~Dashing Duke

Since Ruby gave herself the mushing name Ruby Rocket I decided I needed to give myself a stylish Mushing name too. The best part about mine is my mushing name has a double meaning, BOL!

SHOT TO THE HEART...

And Mom's to blame.

We had to go to the vet to get our shots today.

It's a little early for shots because Our Grandparents gave the family a weekend vacation to go skiing and booked a hotel for everyone and forgot about the Grandkids...namely us :( So we needed our extra shots to stay at a boarding facility.

Momma was so sad she had to find a boarding place for us. She could have picked a place close to home but instead she picked a kennel right in the same town as the skiing vacation. Pops was secretly sad too I find out because he was happy she got a place for us to stay in WI too. He said this way he an' Momma can visit us throughout the weekend.

When Momma was talking to the boarding kennel she kept saying "...because it's their first time being boarded" after every sentence. The lady was nice and told her that we would be very happy there and it is harder on the people then the boarders.

I'll tell you if it's true after the weekend is over :) FULL REPORT!!!

Back to the Vet...

We go to the Animal Welfare Clinic at the shelter because it is cheaper. Instead of costing us over $300 dollars for the shots we needed at a Veterinary Clinic it only cost us $126.80. Not too shabby.

At the Animal Welfare Clinic you have to sit and be on your best behavior for a long time. Longer than most dogs can stand. We had a very short day today only 2 and a half hours…oh yeah, that’s short. Momma has taken us there one time when we had to sit and behave for 6 hours…that’s all day!

It was torturous when all these possible Buddies came in and I had to sit or lay and not play with them. Sometimes I sat there Whining...and I am not much of a whiner.

I did get to sniff a little black and Brown Chihuahua with a busted leg and a Large Husky...probably a Husky/Mal mix because he was about 27" at the shoulder...named Juno. When I went to sniff Juno a second time face to face Juno made unhappy noises at me. I think he was growling or doing that Hrrrah Hrrrah Hrrrah sound that Mals make that sounds like growling. Anyway Momma thought it was best that I come back and not cause trouble at the clinic.

One Crazy lady kept telling her boyfriend that her HUSKY was going to get as big as me. She sounded like she already gave the husky away. She also Sounded Like She Was Out Of Her Mind!!! I am a King Shepherd...32" at the shoulder and 114.8lbs...a'thank'you! No husky on earth can touch that!

And Yes I did get a little extra winter chunk on me...But I am solid as an ox...NOT FAT, BOL! Ruby also gained some weight...I mean "filled out" BOL! Don't tell her I said she gained some weight the little princess won't take that comment lying down. She weighs a whopping 78lbs compared to her measly 61.something pounds last April.

Anyway I was a pretty respectful gentleman at the vet's clinic but after we saw the vet and took our shots like troupers the nurse assistant brought Mommas binder and hat and gloves to her. Momma purposely left them on our chair so she could balance us and control two larger than life dogs at one time.

With this added pound or two and less elbow room and balance we took Momma for a ride into the other room. We made her look like a fool who couldn't control her large dogs. She put the binder on the counter and tried to get us to take her role as alpha seriously again in the hallway going toward the door. She was doing so well until that point, but once you are compromised all hell breaks loose. She didn't put on her hat or gloves and semi walked us and we semi walked her to the car.

Sorry Momma you know it wasn't our fault it was the nurse who through us off. We were doing so well but you know if you give a mouse a cookie...

-Duke

Mushing Pictures!

Here are some pictures from our adventures. Check them out!

Our first run New Year's Day!

1st run Pic 1

1st run Pic 2

1st run Pic 3

1st run Pic 4

1st run Pic 5

1st run Pic 6

Sunday's run January 10,2010!

Mushing Pic 1

Mushing Pic 2

Mushing Pic 3

Mushing Pic 4

Mushing Pic 5

Mushing Pic 6

Mushing Pic 7

Mushing Pic 8

Mushing Pic 9

These are the same pictures posted in Ruby's Diary page under the same heading. ENJOY!

-Duke

Ring...Ring...OOOooooooH

I don't know what it is about the house phone but ever’time it rings I just get the erge to howl!

Pops and Momma never do answer it because they've got hand held phones they’re always carryin’ with ‘em and the home phone is only people trying to sell stuff.

So, Ruby and me gave ourselves a job!

Ring...Ring...OOOoooooo-OOOoooo-Ooooh!!!

This is a job our folks love. They hate barking but they love How-ow-ow-ling!

Howling Away,
Duke Boy

Huskies have all the Luck!

We visited the Beecher farm again this weekend when Grandma got an awesome phone call. The person on the phone told her the town of Monee was having a Dog Sled Race at Monee Reservoir. Grandma asked if dogs could come and she was told they could. This was one event we wouldn't miss for all the eggs in the hen house.

Pops and Momma packed us up in Grandpa's big Ford Pick-up Truck and let us ride in back because he had a cover on the bed of the Truck. The Kick Sled and equipment were packed as well and we headed over to the Reservoir. The Monee Reservoir was packed. We parked at the neighboring church with many of the other people and started walking to the entrance. Ruby and I could not wait to get there. We were so excited we were pulling all the way. Momma and Pops had to take us extra slowly to get us to walk half way decent.

Of course I had to say "hi" to everyone that came near us. It was people over load. Ruby told me to pace myself..."Hi! 2-3-4, Hi! 2-3-4, Hi! 2-3-4!"

We passed the first check point without any hang-ups but at the next check point we were stopped by a police woman in charge of crowd control. She told us we weren't allowed.

Of Course we are allowed...this is a sled dog event and we are sled dogs!

Apparently only Siberian Huskies were allowed to race. We asked if there were any events we could participate in because we are ready to run and our sled is waiting in the Pick-up Truck for us and Momma's carrying the harnesses in her backpack slung around her shoulder. The Police Lady said we, non-husky dogs, could not go in and our parents would have to put us in the Truck and walk all the way back to find out if there were any events we could have fun at.

We ran back to the Truck pulling our people all the way! That was f-u-n FUN!

When we got back to the Truck our folks put us in the back and tried to lock the back window on the truck bed with the key but the locks were frozen. Pops told Momma that we had to go home because he didn't want us to get stolen out the back of the truck. Momma agreed wholeheartedly.

We made the sad trek home and we got boarded...that's where our Sled Dog Race ended. :P

Dad and Momma went back to talk to the people and it was in fact bias against any other dogs but Siberian Huskies. In fact Not only was it runned by the Greater Chicago Siberian Husky Club but also the Adopt a Husky people were there. Momma thought they should have brought some huskies to adopt out. But they didn't.

Momma got to ask lots of questions and see some stuff like the beginning of one race but that was it. Our parents were not happy that we didn't get to come so they went back to the farm to spend time with us.

The Day Started out so well too,
Duke

The only completely good news that came outta today was that our favorite Hockey Team the Chicago Wolves won 3 to 1. They are on a winning streak. They have won 6 out of 8 games so far. What a fantastic Team! Not that it's surprising - The Wolves Always Win!!! Especially when we're watching :)

LMTO

Am I the only dog that does this? "Laughs" my tail off?
It seems Sunny Lee does, too.
If I do something funny or someone says something that I think is hilarious I don't bark. I literally Give the biggest open-mouthed Grin on the planet. It is right on cue for laughing. Some people have silent laughs...just because no sound comes out I hope I am not being judged.
A laugh is a Laugh!
-Duke

Dad's Dash Against Duke's Dastardly Plan

I was layin’ on top’a the bed enjoying my morning nap. Spread out horizontally across all the pillows except Momma's because she was still pre-wake up.
Pops comes in wantin’ his spot back.
"You can't move me," I thought.
Pops started pushing and pushed me vertical to only 1/3rd of the bed instead of my 2/3rds.
Pops was all gleeful about his "win" -Win!
This is not happenin’ without some retribution.
I thought about the worst thin’ I could do without moving...at this point ‘n time I am still a tired Dukie.
I pick up my tired paw and put it a’ top the solid glass nightstand table.
"This will get 'em back for taking my spot!"
I pull the lamp down in slow motion so they can’t miss a beat.
Momma yells, "The lamp!" and points.
Pops reaches over me and grabs the falling lamp in midair on it's downward fall!
What the heck! I've gotta work on my Super villainous plans. I didn't know Pops was some sort of Superhero.
No Powerless Mortal man could have caught that lamp with one hand the way he did.
Needless to say I was mortified that my plan didn't work and I escorted myself off the bed and outta the room in a huff.
Working on New Plan,
Duke