Halloween High.....

So, I'm just now surfacing from a couple of crazy weeks.....
Suddenly, there was a lot of extra Orange and Black around our house.
Pumpkins appeared everywhere..... 
(Sparky ate the entire porch pumpkin in less than a week.....
That's one giant squirrel belly ache!)
And, Mom mysteriously stopped cleaning the resident spider webs.
Lucy and I were carefully fitted for our special costumes.....
We were both prisoners in striped pajamas, with our crimes printed on our backs.
Lucy was labeled a "Sock Stealer", 
and I.....Errr..... "Eat Deer Poop".
(Now, how could that be against the law?)
Mom and Dad had funny clothes too, and kept calling each other
Bonnie or Clyde.....Both carried long brown plastic sticks.
Their ratta- tat- tat sounds made us jumpy and we Kids barked a LOT!
The best part of this time, though, was the wonderful smell of chocolate in the air.....
Mom has said a hundred times that we can't have this treat, 
but a Guy can sure still hope.....
On the big night, we had a barking extravaganza!
Kids came to our door, rang the bell, and showed us their crazy clothes.
TRICK or TREAT!
My favorites were the Ghouls.....Lucy liked the Princesses.
Arf, Arf, ARf, ARf.......ARFFFF!!!!!
Mom had a huge bowl of that wonderful chocolate stuff, and the Human Kids all got
to take it away with them, stuffing their huge orange bags.....
(Lucy and I were pretty disappointed to see it go.)
At the end of the evening, we both got an extra dog bone and it was time for bed.
I dug way under the covers and waited to pounce on Lucy.......Shhhh!
BOOOooooo!
Arf, Arf, ARf, ARf.....ARFFFFF!!!!!
AHHhhhh.....I LOVE tricking that girl.

Lion King......

My sister, Lucy, is completely obsessed with one of her toys......
Though she must have 100 half chewed varmints in our  toy box,
she is fixated on our bedraggled blue and gold Lion.
Lion is always smiling, has a cobalt mane, a cute little tail,
and she carries him gently wherever she goes.
When Mom and Dad return at the end of the day,
Lucy greets them at the door with.....
You guessed it..... Lion in her mouth!
Sometimes, she'll let Mom take Simba and throw him down the hall.....
Bounding after that wet hunk of fur, Lucy is deliriously happy.
(She can play that game for hours.....Mom is thrilled to be pitcher)
Sometimes, she sofa naps in the sun, head on Lion's belly,
and produces a small, purring snore.
Even I have to admit she looks innocently cute!
But, act like you might steal Simba, and Lucy is on alert!!
Now, I'd like to add, Lion used to be MINE.......
I got him from my human brother one Christmas 
a couple years back, before Lucy joined our Pack.
But Sparky Squirrel was new to our neighborhood then, 
and WAY more interesting, so Lion kind of got lost in the bin.....
Til Lucy came to Town!!
Actually, I see this experience as a chance for me to exercise my
more mature, patient, giving nature.....
And so, Lucy, your Lion is safe from ME......For now.
MICK'S TIP:
If your patience slips, and you're tempted to snag the TOY,
regroup, meditate, call on your Guides, be your best parent,

Or.....OMG!.....Is that Sparky right outside our window?!?!?

Redirected attention is a beautiful thing.

Tails from the Pup Tent: The Circle of Life......

Tails from the Pup Tent: The Circle of Life......: Suddenly, our house is very quiet..... Our Human brother moved out last week, and there's one less plate to beg from at dinner. Also,...

The Circle of Life......

Suddenly, our house is very quiet.....
Our Human brother moved out last week,
and there's one less plate to beg from at dinner.
Also, there's less head patting, 
fewer crumbs dropped
and not near as much play.
Lucy and I really miss him.....
I think Mom does too.
Why did he have to go??
Did he get too big for his bed?
Did he run out of exciting toys?
Did he crave new food?
Or, was it just time to chase 
all the wildlife out there?
One thing's for sure.....
We will NEVER leave MOM !
We know when we've got it good!!!
And, we never have to go to College......
MICK'S TIP:
Give your Mom an extra hug this month.....
She's gonna need it.

Saving for a Rainy Day......

Lucy and I haven't had a long hike 
in over a week......
Something is different, and very WET, 
in our neck of the woods.
Colorado seems to be under water and the flood warnings are everywhere.
The rain just keeps on coming, with no end in sight, and we kids are getting really BORED!
(And, we all know a bored Terrier 
is a BAD combination!!)
Mom runs us out quickly under umbrella 
for our potty breaks,
and we come back looking bedraggled 
and sadly Soggy Doggy.
Even Sparky has disappeared.....
Probably hiding out in the high Ponderosa 
with his stash of Sunflower seeds,
stolen from our Sunflower garden earlier last week.
Now, HE had the right idea.....
I guess We ALL need to be planning
for the next rainy day!
Stay safe Friends!!

MICK'S TIP:
It might be prudent to stash a Snack or two under 
your bed for the next big deluge......
And, maybe a well seasoned Sparky..... if you can catch him!

There were 4 in the Bed, and the Little One Said.....

Have I mentioned that my Mom is a real pushover?
My friends tell different stories, but at our house the BED is open territory.....
(Actually, for that matter, so are the sofa, chairs and coffee table!)
From the time I was a Pup, I got to snuggle under the covers.
It probably helped that I was a neat guy and got the hang of potty training early on.....
Also, we Westies don't shed, and we see the inside of the Pet Pawlor Salon often, 
so overall Mom's pretty tolerant.
Of course, Lucy and I have been known to cross the line.....
Pine cones are frowned upon at this establishment, as are most all outdoor toys
and snax of any kind..... Ditto dead rodents.....But, we sometimes can't resist.
I just love the king size pillows, and commandeer the Alpha spot on Top any chance I get!
Lucy is a burrower, and loves the bottom depths at our parents feet.
That division of territory works out pretty well most of the time.....
We try stick to our opposite corners.
That is, until Lucy surfaces and thinks that Mom is HER personal pillow.
That's when the Midnight snarling begins!
And that's when Dad, The Strong Arm, gets one of us in a choke hold
and we're in isolation for the rest of the evening.
So, have I mentioned that Mom is literally a pushover?
By 2 a.m., Lucy and I have switched places several times,
and in response Mom has migrated a few times too.
One night we were all so tight to the edge that I fell off.....
Thunk!.....OUCH, that hurt!!
Mom groaned, Lucy laughed hysterically,
I limped out to the couch 
and everyone sleepily rolled over.
NOW..... 
There were 3 in the bed, 
and the little one said.....

MICK'S TIP:
Resist the temptation to drag 
your stuffed Squirrel to bed.....
Mom's not thrilled 
when she opens her morning eyes 
and soggy dead fur 
is the first thing she sees!
Such choices put the Whammy 
on future bed privilege.....

And Now You know.....The Rest of the Story!

Hey Pup Fans.....Lucy (aka Lu Lu Belle) here.
My brother, Mick Wagger, has been monopolizing this story board for months,
and I figured it was my turn to speak up (or is that Arf up?) .....
And, kind of set the record straight, you know?
As you probably read early on, I was a late comer to this family.
Mick, being an only kid and BELOVED, was not exactly ecstatic at my arrival.
The tension in the air when I first walked in that house was THICK.
He wanted to rip my furr out, but instead sat there looking all sweet and innocent.
Mom was fooled.....She thought we'd be instant Pals.....But, I knew different!
SO, as any smart Underdog would, I went on the defensive.....
The minute he went Alpha,
I ripped his furr out first, and drew a little blood along with it!!
So, maybe you think I deserved my new nickname, LUCI-FURR, 
but look at it my way.....
I had to draw the line from the beginning..... It was a matter of survival.
No stealing my food, No sniffing my butt, No sitting on Mom's lap EVER again, 
and every Toy in the house is MINE!
Even if you think possession of Toy is 9/10's of the Law, it's still MINE
and I have every right to approach and plunder.....And, You must RELEASE.
And, no whining to Mom.....
(SHhhhhh....You didn't hear it from ME, but Mick's the Ultimate Momma's Boy)
Suddenly, there was a new set of Laws in the house and they suited me just fine.
As long as you follow those rules, Brother, then all will be happy and peaceful......
Cross the line, and your white bread furr will be hanging from my teeth!
(I may seem PUSHY, but I have my RIGHTS)
Eventually, our best sibling moments actually came on our tandem walks.
We both loved the thrill of the outdoors, and the Call of the Wild.
On our treks, there was no Home Turf to defend, so we relaxed a little and finally had fun!
Noses to the ground and tails wagging, we followed the Sparky Squirrel trail,
Mom wearily dragging behind.....
Somewhere along the line, we formed a Truce and became a Team.
That's when home life became easier for all of us, 
and Mom breathed a huge sigh of relief.
And, my name went from Luci-Furr to Lu Lu Belle.
Of course, it also helped that about that time I FELL IN LOVE!
Yes, you remember, Mick has mentioned my Affaire with Guinness?
Our neighbor..... The Handsome, Salt and Pepper Grey, 
Hunky Husky with the longest Canine eyelashes EVER?
The moment I sniffed him through his white picket fence, I knew I was a goner.....
He had me at WOOF!
Suddenly, life was all Hearts and Flowers and even Mick couldn't ruin my good mood!!

LUCY'S TIP:
Forget the Rules at your Peril.....Every Toy is still MINE!

Stay tuned for more of LUCY'S side of the story.....
Lu Lu Belle here.....Good Day!