Work Day Saturday

 We had a Saturday of 70 degree weather here on the Eastern Shore. It was great. I spent all day long outside doing things around the yard. Gypsy and Red were out with us, playing and investigating what I was doing.

The end of the day, they both were worn out and ready for a snooze. Gypsy likes this spot by the patio on the cool grass but close enough to see us.

Red is quickly learning to follow the shady spot. After retrieving that purple thing about 200 times, he needed a nap.

#WOOF

It has been on the cool (cold) side of the spectrum this past week. We tried our best to have outdoor time with the pooches. We've been putting a sweater on Gypsy when it is cold. She seems to like it. She is getting older and is so thin we're afraid that she'll get sick. Now that I look at this picture her sweater looks like it is too small for her. The forecast is predicting more spring like weather over the weekend so, we'll be able to have "poodle days" in the backyard.

And lose the stupid sweater!!!

Gypsy & Red

 Gypsy and Red continue to do well together. They pretty much do their own thing outside. Gypsy looking up into the sky, looking for birds or 747's. Red hangs out and looks for sticks. They do have periods of play. Gypsy likes running laps and Red tries his best to keep up. Gypsy is slowing down some in her old age but can turn it on for short periods. Red is relentless and never gives up even though he has short legs.

After an afternoon of playing laps, they both crash hard. Gypsy was so tired she didn't even care that he wants to share her bed.  A well exercised dog is a happy (good) dog.

Red...Sock Thief

Guilty

Just a quick update on Red. He is fitting in like a champ. Very well behaved and listens nicely. He has an abundance of energy but with a bit of exercise, will chill out. I never had a small dog before Red. I don't think he understands that he is small. He runs laps in the yard, will play fetch for hours, go for a swim in the warm weather, and chase all the birds away from the feeders.
That said, he is a sneak. When we aren't looking he will sneak a bite from the cat food bowl. Just a few pieces and he'll try to chew without making any noise. He is also a notorious sock thief. If he sees a stray sock, he'll quietly steal it and take it to his kennel. He doesn't chew them, he just likes to collect them.

Spring Snow

When I took the dogs out this morning we were greeted by a wet, sloppy snow. Nothing serious, just an annoying mess. We'll hit 50 later today so this is not a big deal.

It made me think of how much Gypsy loves to play in the snow. I pulled a few photos of her playing in the last few snow storms. She loves to run laps through the drifts.
I love the powder snow dude!!!

During this storm we took her into the woods at the edge of the neighborhood. She really likes to run in the woods, smelling all the smells. She always keeps us in viewing distance.
We are ready for spring and warmer weather and the return of "Poodle Days" in the backyard.

Spring Forward

The clocks jumped forward an hour last night and Tang is having difficulty adjusting. Losing that hour of sleep is tough on a cat.

Groomed Poodle

Last week was grooming time for Gypsy. This has turned into one of Gypsy's least favorite things. We have a great groomer that runs the business out of her house. Gypsy has been seeing her for years. She is excited when we get there but, when we go inside, she starts to tremble. Gypsy was starting to resemble Howard Stern so I had to leave her. Obviously she is super excited when we arrive to bring her home. I'm going to try to be much more vigilant between grooming sessions this time around. Bushing on a regular basis and generally keeping up after her. Maybe that will make the next visit to the groomer easier on her.

NO BELLS Returns

No Bells (not his real name) is the cat that lives across the street. When our neighbors moved in, we soon noticed piles of bird feathers in the yard and quickly found their cat guilty of bird murder. We suggested that maybe they attach a bell to the cats collar, giving the birds at least a chance. They never did the bell thing. Thus, the name No Bells. Now that I think about it, attaching a bell to a cats collar would probably drive the cat crazy. Over the years we've become attached to No Bells. He comes to the front door, sending our cats into a frenzy. He just looks at them as if to say "hey, I'm outside and you guys are not...losers!" He then slowly turns his back to our cats, ignoring them.
We haven't seen much of No Bells recently. I occasionally see him down the street in a cat stare down with a few of the new cats in the neighborhood. No Bells keeps a close eye on his turf.
We haven't found any piles of birds feathers in the yard in many months. No Bells must be slowing down in his old age. At least he still comes over for a visit.