Gargoyle on the Deck

When we moved into this house, I guess around 8 years ago, we (Sandi) bought this little Gargoyle to set out on the deck. He is made out of stone and has been sitting in  the same place ever since then. I'm not sure what the purpose of the Gargoyle is but I think it is either supposed to bring you luck or keep the bad guys away.

I never move him out of harm's way when a storm is approaching. We move the furniture and plants and other things that could blow around but never the Gargoyle. Yet, there he sit's, never moving a fraction of an inch. He has been through a few hurricanes, terrible wind storms, blizzards, and the wind on the eastern shore is always blowing. Hurricane Sandy was bad but not bad enough to budge the Gargoyle. We'll just leave him sit and see what happens to him.

Puppy Comfort

 During the height of the storm, Sandi had a weak moment and let her Rim take a nap in a chair. She must be crazy about this puppy to allow this behavior. If Gypsy looks at a chair she is told to go to her bed. We'll see if this was a one time deal or if this little guy gets Carte Blanche with the furniture. He is so cute it is hard to resist.

If I'm going to ride out the storm I guess I'll make myself comfortable!

Hurricane Sandy

It's been a stormy few days here. Not a great time for the poodles. It started raining on Sunday morning and the weather went down hill from there. On Monday, as Sandy made her way through the eastern shore, the winds picked up and the rain came down hard. We were well prepared for the storm. We had a fire going all day long and had plenty of provisions. Of course, taking the dogs out became a major event. Rim is doing great with the house breaking but he is at that age where we don't totally trust him. The back yard went from a dust bowl, to a water bowl. Rim was more interested in drinking the rain water pooling in the yard then he was in doing his business. After a few minutes I'd take he and Gypsy back into the garage and try to dry them off as best I could. The rain was coming down so hard it was impossible to stay dry. The wind was howling too. We had a few gusts that shook the house. We never lost poser though and I'm grateful for that.

The dogs were pretty bored for the entire day. A full day of no wrestling or running in the back yard. Not even a walk around the block. They had a lot of laying around the house time.

I went up to the office to try to get a few things done and they just sat and stared at me. Like when are we going to do something? This was earlier in the day and you can see they both are looking unkempt from all the rain and wind.

Gypsy hates the rain. It ruins her beautiful hair, flattening it out until she looks like Howard Stern. She hates that.

We did get out and drove around the neighborhood late afternoon. This was the flooding down the street from us. I think in all we got close to 10" of rain. It is still raining this morning but not as bad. The poodles are going to get a good brushing and hopefully we can get out and  take a walk later. The storm could have been much worse for us and I'm glad that it is past us.

2 Dogs vs 1 Dog

Sandi and I debated for months on the second dog thing. I was actually the one that dragged his feet on adding another dog. I was fine with only Gypsy, plus we have cats running around the house. I thought a second dog would be too much. So, we went back and forth on the topic. I'd go from all in with the idea to, maybe it isn't such a good idea. I think I was hesitant mostly thinking a second dog would take me away from Gypsy. Especially a puppy. I guess sometimes you can just over analyze things. As it turned out, adding Rim to the family has been a great thing for everybody. Especially for Gypsy. These two dogs have such different personalities. Rim is calm, self assured, and confident. Gypsy is hard to describe. I think she is wound a bit tight and can be a bit obsessive. She is very sweet though.

There have been a few negative aspects of having a second dog.

1. Cleaning up after them. We have a fenced back yard and Gypsy has aways done her business on her home field. Not on walks. I've always been good about cleaning up after her. Never going more than a day or so without going on "Poop Patrol." With the addition of Rim, I've really had to step up my game. I'm always out in the yard, pooper scooper in hand on patrol.

2. Yard abuse. The wear and tear on the yard has increased dramatically with this little guy. I've always done a good job of keeping our yard looking nice. This summer was hot and dry and we had big patches of dead grass. With Rim, the yard is quickly becoming a dust bowl. Plus, I didn't want to put out any kind of weed and feed stuff on the grass with Rim wanting to eat everything in sight. So, this is what we have in the backyard now:

These guys are out there having a big time, tearing up the grass. I'll have to figure out something to get the yard looking good again.

Here is Gypsy, pre Rim, enjoying some peace and quiet in the back yard with nice grass. I think she likes things the way they are now. With her little (for now) friend Rim. We'll  figure out the grass thing in the spring.

Nice Saturday

Saturday morning we had to run some errands to get ready for the big storm that is approaching and get to the gym for a workout. It was a nice morning so we left the dogs outside. I went upstairs to get ready and when I came back down, this is what I saw.

Gypsy as usual peering inside wondering where we are and Rim relaxing on a chair cushion. He has gotten in the habit of pulling a cushion off a chair and lay on it when we are away. I even caught him hopping up on a chair to snatch a cushion off the table top one time. This puppy likes his comfort for sure.

Saturday was going to be the last nice day we will have for several days. Hurricane Sandy is coming and with it rain and wind. We wanted to get outside and enjoy it while we could. We first went down to the local farmers market. Rim met many people and a few other dogs too. We then went over to the annual Oyster Fest to meet more friends. Gypsy was great the entire time. I am starting to believe that Rim might be having a calming effect on her. Or, maybe we are just going out more.

The entire day Rim kept close to Sandi. He is really doing well on a leach and is totally tuned into Sandi.

Gypsy caught sight of a squirrel running back and forth in front of us, packing away acorns for later. Gypsy laid down, never taking her eyes off the little squirrel. Rim could have cared less. He just laid down by Gypsy and relaxed. These two dogs could not be more differant.

Playtime Never Stops

These two are non-stop playing. I've picked up all the toys, including Dino, from the yard to help settle them down. That will work for a brief time and then, bam, back to wrestling. I don't know if this is playing, or them trying to figure out who will be the boss. All I know is that Rim is usually the one that starts it. He sprints laps with Gypsy but I'm not fast enough to capture that on video.

We spend big bucks on grommong and they end up going outside and get slobber all over each other and rolling in the dirt. Does that make and sense? We'll get them cleaned up and spend the afternoon roaming the streets of St. Mike's.

BIRDIN (again)

The Bark In The Park on Saturday was a big event for both Gypsy and Rim. After that we went out to lunch and they both met a bunch of admirers. Well, most of the people stop by to visit with Rim.
What am I, chopped liver?
Anyway, by the time Sunday morning rolled around, both the pooches were ready to relax.

Nothing like a little nap on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, we live fairly close to the local airport. Not a big problem most of the time. We actually enjoy watch some of the little planes come into our town. This morning though, the Maryland State Helicopter was practicing approaches or something. They were coming and going and coming back again.

So much for some peace and quiet on Sunday. Oh well, they need to practice.

Hey, whats that noise up in the sky?

 

where did he go?

 

Gypsy does not like to have anything fly over her yard for some reason.

 

She even got Rim into the BIRDIN game. I don't see rim as a BIRDIN kind of dog. He isn't as obsessive about things as Gyp.

Puppy Grooming

One of the best things about a poodle is, they don't shed. Their "fur" is really close to being the same as human hair. So, they don't go through the stages of shedding their coats like other dogs. This is a good thing. It certainly keeps the house cleaner. The down side is, their hair grows like crazy and they need to be groomed every 6-8 weeks. We have been taking Gypsy to the same girl for her entire life. This girl has a little shop set up next to her house and she does a great job with Gypsy. I will drop Gyp off in the morning looking like a black llama, and Sandi picks her up in the afternoon looking like a show dog.
Can somebody tell me how pretty I am?
I think Gypsy likes going there but not too crazy about not seeing us for the entire day.

Rim is growing at an alarming rate and his hair is growing fast too. It is finally time to get him groomed.

Here he is on the way to the groomer, looking like a little black bear cub. You can just see the excitement in his eyes. I drop him off and he walks into the place like he owns it. There were a few other dogs getting check in when we got there and he was happy with just waiting in line until it was his turn to check in.

Sandi goes and picks Rim up in the afternoon and, WOW we have a poodle after all. The groomer said he did a great job for his first time.

The silver in his ears is really starting to come out.

I think you can start to tell the difference in color between Gypsy and Rim. He is gaining on her in size too. Of course, the second after I took this picture, the two of them were out in the backyard, rolling around in the dirt wrestling.

Bark In The Park

Last weekend we took Rim and Gypsy to the annual "Bark In The Park" event in town. This is a big fund raiser for the local animal shelter. Gypsy is a veteran of the big day and of course, this was the first time for Rim. They have a dog  walk, talent show, prize for tallest dog and shortest dog, and things going on the entire day. We thought it would be a good way to get both the poodles socialized more and also to just enjoy the day. We arrive and have to park a few blocks away from the park. As we approach, Gypsy gets more and more excited.

 So, we get to the park and it is stet up with tents and a show ring. Gypsy is almost shaking from excitement. Rim is wondering what all the fuss is about. At times like this I have Gypsy sit down and relax for a few minutes and she usually gets a handle on things.

There was a large turn out to say the least. The biggest I've seen. The goal was to raise $50,000 for the shelter.

There were a few other Standard Poodles at the park. Here is Rim meeting a big white guy. I might be crazy but it seems that when ever we are at one of these things, or at a dog park and there are other Standard Poodles, they seem to gather together and seek each other out. Almost like they know they are the same breed. I think the poodle conversation goes like this.

Other Poodle: Did you see that Lab over by the fence?
Gypsy: Yes, did you smell his breath? YUCK!
Rim: I think he rolled around in something nasty too!

What is a Bark in the Park party without a horse ride.

 

 

They had a talent show that I was considering having Gypsy show off her jumping ability. There were the usual sit, shake, roll over tricks. One guy fake shot his dog and the dog played dead. How many times have we seen that? Then an old guy came out with his Lab and he had a pretty impressive show, topping it off with the dog fetching a pair of sneakers.

At the end of the day we ended up having lunch downtown. Gypsy sat patiently with her new friend.

 For some reason I can't find many pictures of Gypsy when she was a pup. Here is one of her at around the same age that Rim is now. We are always comparing the two dogs.

 

Gypsy has always been thin and petite. She was a very differant puppy than Rim.

Rim is rough and tumble boy. Always ready to play.

Big Plans For Saturday

It's going to be a big day for the poodles. Today is the annual "Bark in the Park" in our town. It is a day long event that includes 5 and 10K runs, dog walk, various dogie demonstrations, and even a dog talent show.

I thought of having Gypsy put on a jumping demonstration for the talent show but we don't want to show up the other dogs too much. Who can resist that smile? Gypsy is a veteran of Bark in the Park. She always has a big time meeting all the other dogs. This will be the first time for Rim and I'm sure he too will have a big time.

I'll have to get them both brushed out and looking good for the big day. I'll make sure the camera has a fully charged battery and report back on the festivities.

Spectators

While we were outside playing with the dogs the other day, we had a couple of spectators from inside the house. Sandi took this picture and I think the screen gives it a interesting look.

Cold Front

We had a nice, cool day Saturday. I don't think it got into the 60's all day. When the weather gets a bit cool a favorite thing to do is have an outside fire. Yesterday was the first of the year. Gypsy really enjoys these days as we are off the deck, out in the yard with her. She will lay by the fire, patrol the yard making sure we are safe, or look for birds all day long. This was the first fire day for Rim and he fit in like a pro. After a long play day, they both are relaxing by the fire.

The Return of NOBELLS

So, it's a quiet Saturday morning and I'm sitting at my desk, thinking calm poodle thoughts when there is a big commotion from down stairs. I go take a look and lo and behold, Nobells is back at the front door.

Moose is making a valiant effort to chase Nobells away but without too much success. The fight even stirs Chloe up from her nap and she peaks around the door to see what is going on. Or, she thought the pizza delivery guy was here.

Rim Update

Sandi took Rim in for the last round of shots the other day. He is a big, healthy puppy. When I say big, I mean he is growing at an alarming rate. He is 22 pounds now and is totally into food. We are careful not to over feed him and try to feed him at the same time everyday. Gypsy has been eating much better with this guy around.

This picture was from a few weeks ago. A very rare picture of Rim and Gypsy sitting still in the back yard. They are usually rolling around wrestling and carrying on.

More Puppies

When you think about it, all Standard Poodles have to be related in some way right? I think if you look back into their family tree you would find out they are all distant cousins. The big news is that Rim's father, Phil, has been a busy guy. More puppies are on the way. Yes, Violet traveled from St Louis to Oklahoma where she got busy with Phil and the Standard Poodle population is about to grow.

Phil (Rim's father) is a big white poodle from Oklahoma. Not only is he a beautiful champion, he is also a certified search and rescue dog plus a narcotics detection dog. How did he find the time to hook up with violet? Check Phil out at www.kitsuepoodles.com

 

Violet is also a Grand Champion. You can see she is silver and white and I think she is a stunning pooch to say the least. You can check in on her progress at www.crossbrookpoodles.com

 

If Rim is any indication of how their puppies will turn out, they should be great. Rim is learning commands with ease. House training has been a breeze. He is great with the cats. Sandi takes him everywhere and Rim loves to meet people but never overly excited. Rim must have some of his fathers smarts I guess.

Warm Weekend

We have had a spell of cool, fall like weather over the last few days but this weekend was pretty warm. I know our long days of outside fun are limited with the changing of the weather so, we have to take advantage of everyday outside we have. Gypsy and Rim played Dino hard all day. Gypsy holding Dino by the feet, waving Dino close to Rims face daring him to try to get it. Gypsy eventually drops Dino and it is big time wrestling or at times mixed martial arts in the back yard. Rim is over 20 pounds now and does not back away from Gypsy one bit.

After a hot day of Dino wrestling what better way to cool off than a dip in the pool.

Everybody in the pool

 

Rim in not afraid of the water as you can see.

 

Sometimes you have to take a break.

Gypsy, on the other hand, kept a safe distance away on the deck so she would not get splashed by the little water bug.

 

Gypsy and Rim continue to become better friends. Playing much of the day together and when it comes time to relax, they are both great at that too. Rim is very good in the house. I think Gypsy has been a good influence on Rim in that regard.

 

We are going to begin taking Rim to a few places that might be visitation locations in the future to get him used to the sounds and sights and smells. Sandi will take him for 20 minutes or so and sit in the lobby. That should be interesting. 



SPOKES

I would kike to introduce you to Spokes. Particularly those of you that might want to adopt a cute kitten.

This is his story.
Sandi and the bike club were out for a ride this past summer. It was a Sunday morning and one of those that was pushing 100 degree's. Very hot. The club was out in the country, passing the farms that surround our little town and pulled over for some hydration. Eagle ear Sandi hears a soft squeaky noise coming from the ditch along side the road. She investigates and uncovers this little guy. He was very tiny and also very dirty. She gave him a few drinks of water which he gulped down quickly. Another bike club member zoomed as fast as he could back to the starting point for the ride to get his car so he could give Sandi a ride back home. She brought Spokes home and we isolated him in a bathroom, giving him some food and more water. He went after both with gusto. Sandi made a few calls and we took him up to the local Humane Society where he was checked out and given a clean bill of health. The name Spokes obviously relating to the bike club. (Can you guess where the name Rim came from?) The bike club sponsored the little guys cage with the club's name on it and he gets a little extra TLC from the staff. There is no doubt in my mind that Spokes would not have survived the day had the bike club not stopped at that spot for a break. After we got Spokes settled at his temporary home, we went back to the spot where he was found to make sure there were no others hiding in the ditch.
The Humane Society is swamped with kittens/cats at this time and Spokes has been waiting very patiently for a new home. He is waiting much more patiently than Sandi I might add. Anyone that might want to check out Spokes drop me a reply or go to www.talbothumane.org.

The Spokes story comes on the heels of another Kitten story. A few weeks prior to this the Bike Club was participating in an organized ride. The River to River ride. Again, during a break, Sandi hears a squeaking noise and discovers a little kitten out in the middle of nowhere. This time she turns the kitten over to the race officials that in turn give the kitten to a nearby friend. Of course she named this kitten River. I am beginning to think Sandi is a cat magnet?

Sock Monkey

I've mentioned in the past that from day one Gypsy would destroy soft toys within an hour or two. She would just nibble at them until she got to the innards and then go for the gusto. The original Dino was a soft toy that didn't last very long. So she has been confined to rubber toys from then on. Rim on the other hand seems to like soft toys.

Here he is taking a snooze with this silly sock monkey Sandi got for him. He will usually sleep on top of the monkey or have a hold of it in some fashion. This is a puppy that plays hard and then sleeps very hard.

Dog Friends

Gypsy and Rim are becoming better friends everyday. It seems we notice something new that they are doing all the time. Gypsy isn't looking for us as much. Rim is the most self assured puppy of all time. Sandi says he is "bomb proof." We are trying to do things with them separately but, they sure like their time together.

Party Time

OK, I know I haven't blogged in a bit but seriously, having a puppy is like having another kid. YIKES!

It's party time!

 

Things are starting to get into a normal flow again though. Last weekend we had our friends from the "Western Shore" over for lunch and to meet Rim. Now, these just aren't your typical friends, these are the folks that introduced Sandi and I to how great Standard Poodles are as a breed. Back when we met they had a big, older male Standard named Gabriel. Gabe was a big, black poodle that loved running in the woods. He totally was the opposite of what I thought a Standard Poodle was. Not long after we met Gabe, we had Gypsy. Gabe is gone but they have two Standards now, a male and a female. Every time these guys come over, Gypsy is besides herself with excitement. She goes nuts when she sees them. I think because she gets away with murder while they are here. She will lick a face until the cows come home at some point during the visit.

The water feels great!

 

We set baby pool up for Rim and he proved that he isn't the least bit afraid of the water. Gypsy would stay a safe distance away while Rim was in the pool.

Hey, no splashing BRAT!

.

 



 

After our friends left, we brought Chloe out on the deck. We didn't want her to feel left out and she enjoys the deck so much. Plus like I said before, she is too fat to run away.

 

By the end of the day, everyone was wiped out and needed a nap. It was a fun day for humans and dogs alike. Gypsy got spoiled rotten and Rim got to meet two more great friends. Can't ask for much more than that right?