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!