Huck: PINE!

Oh my gosh! What is this stuff? It's sticky and tickley and smells so good! I love to fling it in the air and then catch it. Then I like to do it again. And again. And again! My mom doesn't seem so thrilled though. She said it doesn't belong in my mouth. In my defense I found it hanging on the deck railing - at snout height - and thought she had left it there for me. Maybe she is not happy because she spent time hanging about 40 feet of that green stuff. She loves to decorate for Christmas and one of her favorite things is "draping the garland" (her words, not mine) on the deck with white lights. Um, I don't think that's gonna happen this year. Well, I'll let her worry about it because on top of this great find, it's snowing again! Woo hoo! 

Gotta go. I'm pining to get back outside. *Bada bing*

Signed,

Huck

Notice the missing strand of garland from the deck railing. Mom's right, it really was kinda pretty.

Huck: SNOW!!!

I woke up this morning and there was white stuff falling from the sky! I ran outside and jumped for joy! SNOW! I've heard my mom talk about it and I couldn't wait to see it for myself. I like how it tickles my nose and crunches under my paws. When I run across the deck I slip and slide. Oh, what fun! My brothers and sister even joined me. They wouldn't play with me outside last night because it was raining so hard, but they were out there with me today. Gus was like a puppy again! Abby was chasing the big blue ball through the yard and Buster kept poking at me to play with him. (Hobbit kinda just stood there, but he did bark at us a couple of times.) I wish it would snow everyday!

Signed,
Huck

"I would like to go back indoors now. Thank you."

Gus: Phew. Glad that's over.

Hi, Diary. I'm Gus. I know I'm the last to write, but my other siblings were so eager to introduce themselves, I decided to let them go first. I'm a patient boy, so I didn't mind waiting. Besides I'm in no hurry. I spend a lot of my time napping. I'm 11 1/2 years old, my legs are arthritic, I'm losing my hearing, and I live in a house with four other dogs. That can make an older guy tired. The great thing is I get to sleep upstairs on Mom and Dad's bed anytime I want - and that's pretty much all the time. I lie there with my stuffed animals Molly Meerkat and Sebastian Bunny. My mom gives me kisses and my dad does a great job scratching my back. I don't think life could get any better.

My full name is Augustus McCray. My dad named me after a lead character in the movie Lonesome Dove, one of his favorites. As you know by now, my dad is big on nicknames. Mine are Gussie, Big Bunny and Roo Bear. I've been with Mom and Dad since 1999 when my mom found me wandering the candy aisle in a 7-11. I was just a little pup, only six months old. She couldn't leave me there, of course, but she couldn't take me home because Dad and she were leaving for vacation the next day, plus they already had two dogs, Bogey and Annie. (I miss them. Annie and I understood each other and Bogey and I were buddies. The two of us snuggled and he licked my ears a lot. Oh, I looooooved that.) So, to Mom and Dad, two dogs were plenty. (Can you imagine?) Mom's only option was to take me to the local animal shelter. She left me in their care with directions to contact her if I didn't get adopted. She called to check on me when she got back from vacation and they told her I had found a home. Well, three months later at the Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade the shelter director told Mom I was still there! Mom was really upset that such a mix-up had happened causing me to live in that shelter for so long. She came home and told Dad and he said, "Bring him home." I was pretty frisky those first few months, but I eventually grew into a very well-behaved doggy. I do have a few nervous ticks, though. For example, I nibble on the bedspread a lot, and sometimes I chase my tail when I get excited. But Mom and Dad don't mind my quirks. They say I have a sweet and gentle soul. They call me an angel.

Yesterday, though, I'd had enough. It was the day that Mom planned to take our picture for this year's Christmas card. She'd spent time searching the right location to take the picture, moved a bench to that spot, set up the tripod, checked the sun and shadows, and tested various settings on her camera. Then she ushered Dad and the rest of us outside for our portrait sitting, which involved a lot of tangled leashes and some confusion. As hard as Mom worked to make everything just right, it still ended up being the worst photo shoot to date. I have to agree. First of all, I just wasn't in the mood. Because I am such a good boy, it's pretty well established that I can do whatever I want around this house, and, well, I didn't feel like sitting still for a picture. I even got up and left a couple of times. Buster wasn't exactly doing his part either. I guess we older guys have done one too many of these things. Anyway, Mom took 30 pictures. Yes, 30. And only one may be good enough for the Christmas card. Mom is kind of disappointed, but she is going to do her best to make the picture work because she doesn't want to go through another portrait sitting. She's not the only one.

Phew. I need a nap.

Signed,

Gus

Buster: Oh boy. It's Christmas card picture time again.

Hello, Diary. We haven’t met. I’m Buster Brown. Sometimes my maw and paw call me Booglebear. I don’t know why. It’s somethin' Paw started when I was just a youngin’. (Paw’s got a thing for givin' out nicknames.) I’ve been with Paw and Maw ever since they found me stranded on the side of a one-lane country road almost ten years ago. I was only eight weeks old and I was tiny.

Now my maw says I weigh 84 pounds! Who da thunk I'd get so big? I can’t help it. I didn’t mean to. Sometimes my size makes the other dogs nervous. Well, not Abby. Nothin’ makes her nervous. She can't boss me around and she hates that, so she'll bark at me - a lot! I try to ignore her. It’s easier for me than it is for Paw and Maw. For some reason I'm just better at tunin' out that irritatin' bark of hers.

Anyway, I was just lookin’ out the window and saw my maw with the camera and somethin’ she calls a tripod. It looked like she was scopin’ out places in our yard to take a picture for this year’s Christmas card. Looks like we’ll be usin’ the self-timer again. Oh, boy. This is not sumthin’ I’m lookin’ forward to. We do this almost every year. Maw and Paw wrangle us dogs up and try to get us to sit still and look at the camera. I’m pretty good at it, at least the sittin’ part. Of course, this will be Abby and Huck’s first family portrait, so there’s no tellin’ how long it'll take this year. The whole thing can be sorta stressful for Paw and Maw. More stressful for Paw. He can be a “glass half-full” kinda guy. He never thinks Maw’s photo sessions are gonna work. I remember the first time Maw had us pose for a picture using the self-timer. Paw kept saying, “This isn’t going to work. This isn’t going to work.” Maw would insist, "Yes, it is!" And, whaddya know, it did! To this day, Paw calls it the “miracle moment.” We’ve posed for a few other family photos over the years and they all turned out purdy nice. I can tell that Maw always gets a little nervous when this time of year comes around. She worries that we won’t behave or the weather will be bad or she'll look fat in the picture. I get tired of hearing that one. So does Paw.  I’ll be happy when Maw gets the picture she wants taken ‘cause then she’ll chill out and be ready to celebrate Christmas. I’ll also be glad 'cause she won't put us through this again for another twelve months. 

I went through Maw’s memory box and found some of our old Christmas cards. You'll see my brother Bogey and sister Annie in some of the pictures. Annie went to heaven in June of 2008, and Bogey in July 2009. Bogey and I were buddies. He used to lick my ears. I loved that; it really relaxed me. Abby is a lot like Annie, but a little rougher around the edges. When I first saw Abby, I did a double-take 'cause she looks so much like Annie. I miss Bogey and Annie. So do Maw and Paw - a lot. Well, I hope you enjoy the pictures. They sure bring back memories.

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2003

2002

1999

Hobbit: Good News!

I have excellent news to report! I am finally responding to the Cushing's Disease medicine! Dr. Paul, the veterinarian who is monitoring my dosages of Trilostane, said that the results of my blood tests today are proof. Yay! My mommy and Poncho had noticed that I hadn't peed in the house three nights in a row and were hoping it was because the medicine was working. We are all so thankful because if this increased dosage didn't work, then the prognosis wasn't very good. My mommy and Poncho prayed a lot. So did both of my grandmas.

Yesterday was Huck's day and today is mine! We are a very happy and thankful family!

Signed,

Samuel Hobbit

Huck: It's official!

I just found out today that I get to stay here with my foster parents! As of 8:30 this morning I am a "bone-a-fide" member of this family! My dad said that from now on November 8th is Huck Stays Day!

When my mom and dad first saved me more than five months ago the intention was to find a good home for me somewhere else. They already had Gus, Buster, Hobbit and Abby and they didn't want five dogs again. They would tell people they wanted to downsize, but "we" kept finding them! Well, Mom and Dad did find a nice couple to take me - Erin and Jeremy. I enjoyed visiting with them and even grew to love them. The problem was their little dog Josie. She stressed me out. It's not that she did anything wrong. I just get really nervous around new dogs and people, and even new surroundings. Erin and Mom did everything they could think of to make me feel comfortable around Josie, but I just wasn't having any of it. Well, Mom and Erin talked this morning and they agreed they want what is best for me and that means keeping me where I am. They originally thought a home with fewer dogs would be ideal for me, but Mom started to see that I had become quite happy and comfortable exactly where I am. Abby and I are buddies. We play a lot and take naps together. I don't bother Gus and Hobbit - too much. Buster and I even have fun playing together. Sometimes we butt heads, but for two male coonhound mixes living under the same roof we get along pretty well.

Sleeping peacefully with my sister Abby.

I want to thank my Godparents, Erin and Jeremy, for wanting me to be a part of their lives and for buying a new collar and food bowl for me. I really appreciate that they were willing to give me a loving home.

Today is a big day and I am going to celebrate with my family by playing in my yard with my brothers and sister, eating out of my dog bowl, and snuggling with my mom on the couch.

Signed,
Huck ("Bone-a-fide" brother of Gus, Buster, Hobbit and Abby)

P.S. It's 8:00 pm and I just got back from my last day of doggy training, and guess what - I graduated tonight! I even got a diploma! My teacher says I am a very good dog. Today is the best day EVER!

Abby: Rock n' roll! It's my turn!

Hello Diary, my name is Abby Grace. I am the only girl doggy in my family. That's me in the picture. Don't let my good looks fool you. I am quite smart. In fact, I'm rather clever - and very quick! Most of my days involve grabbing something I shouldn't, barking at a rather impressive eardrum-piercing pitch, or pulling Hobbit's tail. Lately, I've taken a liking to going after his leg. He's not too fond of this, but I find great joy and amusement in it. Mommy tells me  "No!," but I can only remember that command for about five seconds. This frustrates her, but what does she expect? I mean, I'm a dog, so I live in the moment! Another game I enjoy playing is sneaking out the front door. Mommy and Daddy come yelling for me and I just keep running and running. It's sooooo much fun! I know Mommy means business, though, when she gets into the car to come get me. I run straight to her and give her my best "I love you!" expression. She wants to get mad at me, but Dog Training 101 tells mommies and daddies that they should never, ever punish a dog for reluctantly coming after several attempts. Always praise, no matter how long it takes the doggy to respond. I think this is hilarious! It's a win-win for me. :) 

Well, that gives you an idea of my typical day. Always something to get into. Tomorrow ... game on!

Signed,

Abby

Hobbit: A long day

My brothers and sister say it's their turn to contribute to the Doggy Diary, but I had a really big day so I think I have more to say. I'm very tired because I spent several hours at the veterinarian's office. My mommy took me there early this morning because it was time for more blood tests. You see, I have been diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. My adrenal glands produce too much cortisol. I don't know what that means, but I know how it makes me feel. I am often thirsty. I pee a lot. I am hungry almost all the time. I get hot and pant frequently. It can be rather uncomfortable. On top of that, I have skin problems and my fur quit growing on my back. Anyway, I was on some kind of medicine called Lysodren and it wasn't working, so Dr. Sarah, (my veterinarian), put me on Trilostane. My blood work today showed that I am not responding to it either. She decided to double my dose. I heard my mommy ask Dr. Sarah what it would mean if it didn't work. I didn't like the answer. If this new medicine doesn't work, then there is nothing else that can be done. My mommy and daddy are sad. They have done so much to help me. I try to stay positive, though. I keep a nice skip in my step, wag my tail, and talk to them. I try to tell them that I'm happy and that I don't feel pain - just uncomfortable at times. That's the cool thing about being a dog - you just accept, adapt, and move on.

Things are a little somber around the house not only because of my health issues, but because my foster brother Huck will be going to his new home next week. Mommy and Daddy say it's bittersweet. They know they are doing the right thing for Huck because he needs to be in a home with fewer dogs, plus his new mommy and Huck are a great match. It's just that Mommy and Daddy will miss him. He really is a nice doggy. A bit excitable for me, but he's not that bad. Things will be quieter around here, but I think that's what our home needs. Gus, Buster and I are getting older and we can't handle too much activity anymore. Gus is 11 1/2, can't hear as well as he used to, and prefers to spend time alone upstairs on the bed sleeping with his stuffed toys Molly Meerkat and Sebastian Bunny. Buster and I are both about 9 1/2 and we're slowing down a bit, too. Buster is getting cranky these days and I'm sure it doesn't help that he has arthritis. That will leave us with Abby, but even she is starting to calm down. We hope she's coming out of the terrible two's.

Like I said, earlier, it's been a long day, so I'm going to go to sleep - my favorite!

Hobbit: Hello Diary. Please meet my family.

 

This being my first entry into the Doggy Diary, I suppose I must introduce myself. My name is Samuel Hobbit. Just call me Hobbit. (That's me on the top left.) I am most likely a mix of beagle and basset hound and I have one eye. It's okay, really. I don't mind. I've adjusted just fine and rather love my life here with my family. Well, I could probably do without so many dogs in the house. There's Gus, (Augustus McCray), a tall, skinny-legged tri-colored guy. He's nice, but God love him, he seems to have a few nervous quirks. The two of us get to sleep with our mommy and daddy. There is also Buster Brown Boogle Bear. Buster makes me nervous sometimes. He is big! He weighs nearly 85 lbs., but I don't think he realizes it. He's a mixture of black lab and coonhound, we think. Oh, and he slobbers a lot. And then there's Abby Grace. Let me tell you, there is nothing "grace"ful about her. We think she is a mix of poodle and terrier, or "terror," and possibly schnauzer. She's bossy and her bark can pierce a person's ear drums. My mommy and daddy tell her that it's a good thing she's cute, because she'd be long gone otherwise. (She's a bit of a diva.) Oh, and of course, I can't forget my mommy and daddy. I love them very much and they take very good care of us. They love all dogs. As a matter of fact, they are fostering an eight-month-old puppy named Huck right now. He's very handsome and appears to be a coonhound-shorthaired pointer mix. That's him in the picture above. I know, he's awfully big to be a called a "puppy." My mommy found him abandoned on the side of a road about five months ago. My daddy and she have had a difficult time deciding whether or not to adopt Huck, but they recently determined that he'd do better in a home with fewer dogs. (Geez, don't I know it.) Anyway, he is going to live with a wonderful new mommy and daddy in a couple of weeks. So, I guess that should catch you up, Diary. Now, on to me ...

Last night was a good night. I didn't pee on the bathroom floor, the bedroom carpet or even downstairs by the couch - all my usual places. This is a very good thing because I've been doing it a lot lately, and especially because my mommy and Poncho, (that's what I call my Daddy), paid $91 yesterday afternoon to have the carpet cleaned. It was money well-spent, and I am happy they did it because I was a bit embarrassed by the lingering evidence of my minor infractions. Well, there are still two yellow "places," (that's what we'll call them), and I'm hoping they won't notice. (They are next to the closet doors. Ssshhhh.) Anyway, I think the reason I didn't pee all night is because my Poncho took me outside to pee at midnight, and also because my Cushing's medicine is working. Yay! (I'll explain about my Cushing's Disease diagnosis another time.)

Right now I am in the garage waiting for my Poncho to come back from golfing. When he comes back he will come get me, carry me upstairs to bed and then cuddle with me while we watch the Mountaineers play. They are getting beat by Syracuse right now from what I understand. My Poncho better hurry up and get back so they can start winning again!

Oh, and the reason I call my daddy Poncho is because we used to rob banks together. Me Lefty, he Poncho. (That's a fun little story he came up with. He's very good at telling stories. Besides, I would never rob a bank. I couldn't move fast enough.) Anyway, we are compadres from way back. He nicknamed me Lefty because I have only the one eye - my left one. He also calls me Powerball, Hiram, Sugar Bear, and his KoochiKooBooBoo. My mommy calls me her little Pumpkin Cherub. Well, it depends on the time of year. At Christmas I am her Cranberry Cherub. In springtime I am her Tulip Cherub. You get the idea.

Okay, I am going to go back to sleep now and dream of my Poncho coming home to see me. :)

Signed,
Hobbit