Launch Pad......

Springtime has come to 
Our corner of the World.....
Birds sing, grass is greener, 
Days are warmer, windows open,
AND, dog walkers are suddenly Everywhere!
Lucy and I hit the streets ourselves, 
At least once a day.
Got to stay in shape!
But we're inside dogs.....
(We wish it were different)
No fenced yard for Us!
SO, most of our daily surveillance 
Happens from the back of the couch.
Such a great perch.....
And, VERY little gets past our Attention!
Humans, Canines, Birds, Bikes, Postal.....
Arrf, Aarrfff, AAARRFFFFF!
It's a talent all right, 
To be snoozing peacefully,
While patrolling the entire neighborhood
With ear cocked and one eye open!
At the slightest noise, 
Lucy and I JET off the couch and down the hall,
Giving virtual chase to any interloper lurking outside.
Bark, Baarrkkk, BaArRkK, BARK, BAAARRRKKK!
Whew! That was a close one!!!
Almost missed them......
Yup, Vigilance is KEY!
There is a constant parade of dogs and their humans past our home,
And somebody's got to Administrate.....
We Westies gladly take up the challenge!
My most favorite time to Watchdog is during the Evening News.
Mom is settled into her chair, dinner's cooking, all those great Doggie
TV commercials are streaming by, and I am cozy on Mom's lap.
Suddenly, in a millisecond, there's a squeak outside and I have 
LAUNCHED off Mom's lap, claws out, teeth bared, 
and headed straight arrow for the front door.
Lucy is yapping close behind.
Bwark, BWarK, BBWAAARRK, BWARK!!!
Mom is hollering for us to STOP!!!!!!
And she's rubbing her leg like something hurts.
Hmmm......Is she OK?
I come running back and give her thigh a quick sniff.
Do I smell a bruise?
I climb up to her lap, my favorite Launch Pad, and settle back to nap.
Aaahhhh.
Just another day on the job.....

You know,
Come to think of it......
I haven't seen Mom wear short shorts
in a long, long time.

MICK'S TIP:
Keep an eye on strangers,
But be gentle on the ones you love.

Forever Friends......

Lucy and I have many Friends,
From fellow Westie Duffy
Down the street,
To siblings Winston and Petey,
Who winter in Scottsdale
But are here all Summer to street play.
Many we see from afar,
Walking with their Folks 
Past our yard.
But some we actually get 
Nose to Nose with!
Rumor has it there's even a couple 
New Kids on the Block.....
Cavalier Puppies.
Young Kids.
We're not allowed to see them yet!
There are Block friends, Park friends,
even Dogbook Friends.....
We love them all, in different ways,
Though it's pretty much Agape Love
(Because you know we're neutered)
Except for one Kid.....Guinness.
Lucy's True Blue Boyfriend
and who was a hunky Husky
With the longest eyelashes
You've ever seen on a Canine.
Lucy was crazy for Him,
and flirted whenever she'd pass.
Geeez.....Young Love.
I say WAS because Mom says Guinness
Passed over the Rainbow Bridge last week.
Lucy doesn't know yet.
She keeps looking for him.
Not sure how to break THAT news.....
Then, there are the Bearded Collie Twins.
Daily, we'd all race down their fence line,
In dizzy bursts of Joyful speed.
Mom says they moved away.....Wow.
Disappointing.....
Having Friends is a tough thing sometimes.
You share block walk mornings,
You sniff butt in that special way,
You bark greetings and pee on favorite rocks.
You look forward to seeing them.
Then, one day, you lose them.....
Never to be seen again.
I guess that's how Life is.
The risk of loving someone.....
Good thing I have Lucy.
No love lost there.

MICK'S TIP:
Never stop loving your Friends.
They are the closest thing to Heaven
We've got in this Dog Eat Dog World.
Let them know you care.....
Because one day, sadly, they might not be there.

Time Out......

Sometimes, the World puts its hand up and says.....STOP.
Stop the running in circles.
Stop the intensity.
Stop the obsessing.
Stop the madness......
Stop...................And Get Quiet.
Listen to your breath.
Go deep inside.
Feel the Forever.
Float for awhile.....
And when You surface, 
Ask Yourself,
What do you REALLY want?
What choices will make your Heart sing?

I guess we could All use a Reboot 
somewhere along the way.
(Except for Mom.....
She's pretty much Perfect)
OOMMmmmmm...............

MICK'S TIP:
There's a Time and Place to get your Doggie Lama on......
Could This be Yours?

Short Stuff ......

Mick Wagger here ......
Canine Clint Eastwood, 
Lover of Open Spaces,
Champion of the little Guy,
Keeper of the Peace.
On my Block (and in my mind)
I am a Force to be reckoned with.....
Not much escapes my laser focus.
Our Neighborhood is safe with Me!
(OK, maybe some days I might try too hard,
But those sneaky Squirrels deserve it)
Just one little secret......
At exactly 12" tall,
I AM the Little Guy.
Not exactly Goliath, or even David.
Truly the Napoleon of my Species.....
The kitchen counter is invisible territory,
I need help to bridge the bed,
and I can't EVER see over the snowbank.
Fences? Forget it......
Look for the knothole.
But HEY, Height isn't everything, Right?!
I've got a Keen Eye and a Shepherd's Bark.
My Intellect works overtime and
My Nose could win the National Bloodhound Award!
I'm a creative guy, who likes a challenge.....
I'm reasonably handsome.
And my Heart?
Well, Mom says I've got the Heart of a Champion.
Still, 
Some days, 
It would be awfully handy to have an extra foot or two.....
Looks are great, but in my next life
I want I want those long Great Dane legs!
AaaRoooo......

MICK'S TIP:
Use the Gifts God gave you.....
Make lemonade from lemons.....
And, if you're a short guy like me,
practice your High Jump skills.

Boundaries.....

I've always felt I was pretty good at Boundaries.....
You know, how far the World (and your Sister) can push you.
Touch my bowl, and I'm gonna snarl.
Bark at me, and I'll likely bark back.
Put one paw on my front yard, and there's Hell to pay.
And don't even get me started on the UPS Truck!
I'm a Terrier, after all.
That's how an Alpha Guy lives.....
But lately, I've had some pangs of regret.
(Chalk it up to my Catholic upbringing.....That Guilt thing.)
Maybe there's room for a kinder, gentler Mick on this Planet?
I could share my stuff......
I could make friends with our neighbors.....
I could drop a bone at Big Brown's feet.
Really, I could.....
But, would I respect my Terrier Self in the morning?
Actually, I've always been a little suspicious of those 
Mutts that don't know where to draw the line.
Who wag their Tail for just anyone.....
But that's just Me.
An Alpha needs to know where he 
Stands in the World.
Often, an Alpha stands alone.

MICK'S TIP:
Good fences make good neighbors.....
Thanks to Mr. Frost.
But, We All know.....
The smaller the dog, 
the quicker under the Fence!
Boundaries.....
Sometimes,
They're made to be crossed.

ATTACKED !!!

Last Fall, 
Something really scary 
and awful happened.....
It's only now that I can bear to remember.
It was a beautiful, 
golden Colorado morning
And Mom and I were nearly home 
from our morning jaunt.
Flushed, happy, endorphins pumping,
We rounded the corner towards home.....
Suddenly, I heard a deep snarl, 
saw a streak of Shepherd fur, 
and found myself pinned to the ground 
In a nano second.
Mom was kicking and hollering above me, 
But the choke hold continued,  
I couldn't breath
And the light was dimming.....
Jaws were locked on my neck
And my whole body was shaken 
Like the Dog Toy I'd become.......
My World felt like the inside of a
Maytag washing machine.
The shouting and snarling continued.
My life was flashing before me.
Goodbye Mom.
I love You.
It's been A Wonderful Life.
Give my toys to Lucy.
And THEN,  I was released.....
The 130 lbs of Fury was dragged off me,
Still twisting, snarling, snapping.
Mom was breathing hard,
(Or hardly breathing).
I jumped up, 
Glad to have 4 paws on the ground again!
Trembling,
I headed down the block 
as fast as my short Terrier legs could take me,
Towards home.
Once inside, I took stock.....
Paws check.
Tail, check.
Ears, OK.
Neck.....OUCH!
There was a necklace of pain
Wrapping my throat.
Blood was now dripping on my paw.
I was one sorry Westie!
Mom's on the phone......
"Bring him right in.....", they say.
So, to add insult to injury that day,
I'm headed to the VET.
(It's common knowledge how I feel about THAT)
Several shots later, my wounds are salved
And I'm back on the couch.
Wondering if I'll ever be able to walk down
That block again.
Yikes.
But, I'm counting my Blessings.
It could have been so much worse.......
I just hate to think of Lucy messing with my toys!


MICK'S TIP:
I could say, NEVER trust a German Shepherd.
Their Bite is definitely Worse than their Bark.
But, that would be contrary to my democratic soul.
Not every Shepherd is a biter.
Each must be judged on their own merit.
Still, it makes sense to keep your Westie eyes open.....
Perhaps pick a different block?
ACHTUNG!!!

Who Do You Love.....?

Yesterday was Valentine's Day,
Day of hugs, love, and plenty of slobber Kisses!
All week, Lucy and I have been wearing our 
Heart print Scout Scarves.
(She loves hers.....I feel a little less macho in Pink)
Humans on the street thought we were SO cute!
Yikes.
All the fuss was kind of fun,
(Who doesn't like heart shaped dog cookies??)
But it also got me thinking......
What is Love to ME?
Sure, I love my neighbors, my sister, 
My family, my home.....
The deer I bark for, my favorite pee tree.
I love my couch, my bowl, my new Beef Hunk dinner loaf.
I loved Lamb Chop and a hundred other toys.
But who do I LOVE?
Who do I watch for end of day......?
Who do I follow in tireless circles.....?
Whose eyes do I yearn for.....?
Whose nose is my favorite lick spot?
Who's got my heart, 
and I've got hers?
I'll tell you Who...........MOM!
In a Word,
That's what Love means to Me.


MICK'S TIP:
Who you Love is Voodoo Magic.
It just is.

Listen to George Thorogood.
(Minus the Cobra necktie)
Now, Who do YOU Love.....??

Celebrate them every day,
And let them know 
with a Hearty Licking!