Some dogs are leg-lifters and some are squatters. My dog, Kipper, is a squatter. He runs outside full-force, hunches down and unleashes the contents of his bladder. He isn't dainty about it, yet he feels the need to squat instead of lift his leg. Maybe it's because he pees a gallon at a time and his leg would get tired out.
When Kipper was young, he would sometimes get excited when company came over. I swear to God he had just gone outside, but when my sister and husband came over for my son's birthday, Kipper forgot himself and left a lake in the kitchen. Thank God for ceramic tile.
Luckily, Kipper is cute, otherwise...
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kipper's Krunch
My dog loves to eat vegetables and fruit! He actually begs for them more for meat or anything else. When I'm cutting up a salad or peeling an apple, I can be sure to find Kipper by my side, watching every movement. I "accidentally" drop a scrap of lettuce, carrot, or celery stalk and he's in heaven. I guess even dogs are health-conscious these days!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Jingle Pooch to the Tune of Jingle Bell Rock
Jingle pooch, jingle pooch, jingle pooch Kip
Jingle tags swing and harness does ring
Sniffing and pulling and bushels of fun
Now the jingle pooch has begun
Jingle pooch, jingle pooch, jingle pooch Kip
Jingle tags chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing and sniffing the air
With a doggy stare.
What a bright time, it’s the right time
To walk the pooch today
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go walking in the park I say
Giddy up jingle pooch don’t you go poo
Jingle around the park
Mix and mingle with the other dogs too
That’s the jingle pooch
That’s the jingle pooch
That’s the jingle pooch bark!
Jingle tags swing and harness does ring
Sniffing and pulling and bushels of fun
Now the jingle pooch has begun
Jingle pooch, jingle pooch, jingle pooch Kip
Jingle tags chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing and sniffing the air
With a doggy stare.
What a bright time, it’s the right time
To walk the pooch today
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go walking in the park I say
Giddy up jingle pooch don’t you go poo
Jingle around the park
Mix and mingle with the other dogs too
That’s the jingle pooch
That’s the jingle pooch
That’s the jingle pooch bark!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Kipper Kontinued
So, for the most part, the beast was contained. Once in a while, someone would let their guard down, and he'd run the neighborhood, barking at little old men, getting in mud up to his chest in the creek, and just generally wreaking havoc on the neighborhood.
He became a legend. In other words, our neighbors know us as "you're the ones with the dog that gets loose." It's a heck of a reputation to live up to! But we do the best we can.
Kipper has always loved harassing our cats. Our cat Smokey died about a year after Kipper came to live with us. I don't really think it was a coincidence. Tiger came next and the two learned to pal around well. We thought we needed a buddy for Tiger to keep him company while Kipper was crated when we were at work/school during the day. We tried adopting a cat, but she was so thoroughly scared of Kipper that she crawled up into the ceiling in the basement. Once I tried to extract her, while she stationed herself atop the VCR to avoid the dog and found myself with two deep teeth marks in my hand. Later, we got Chips. But he and Tiger ended up having it out...that's another story for another time. Anyway, Kipper will frequently try to rile up Tiger, but in typical cat fashion, Tiger just gives him a look or makes himself scarce.
Just as we got into the routine of locking up the dog in similar fashion to how they keep the gold in Fort Knox safe, something changed. Steve retired and found himself home with the dog all day long.
What new metamorphosis would this bring about? Stay tuned...
He became a legend. In other words, our neighbors know us as "you're the ones with the dog that gets loose." It's a heck of a reputation to live up to! But we do the best we can.
Kipper has always loved harassing our cats. Our cat Smokey died about a year after Kipper came to live with us. I don't really think it was a coincidence. Tiger came next and the two learned to pal around well. We thought we needed a buddy for Tiger to keep him company while Kipper was crated when we were at work/school during the day. We tried adopting a cat, but she was so thoroughly scared of Kipper that she crawled up into the ceiling in the basement. Once I tried to extract her, while she stationed herself atop the VCR to avoid the dog and found myself with two deep teeth marks in my hand. Later, we got Chips. But he and Tiger ended up having it out...that's another story for another time. Anyway, Kipper will frequently try to rile up Tiger, but in typical cat fashion, Tiger just gives him a look or makes himself scarce.
Just as we got into the routine of locking up the dog in similar fashion to how they keep the gold in Fort Knox safe, something changed. Steve retired and found himself home with the dog all day long.
What new metamorphosis would this bring about? Stay tuned...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Lock Down
Chain, check. Gate locked, check. Back door locked, check. Crate, check.
We thought we had Kipper secured now. We finally could go on vacation and not worry.
Renee came over to dog sit. She held his collar out the back and hooked him up to the chain as requested. Five minutes later she went out to let him in, but finds the chain with no Kipper on the end of it!
He had escaped again! She finally caught up with him, but wondered how he got off the chain. The problem was she had hooked the chain to the weaker loop on his collar that held his tags and he had used his brute strength to pull the loop free. Yes, my dog can bend and break metal!
So I added to the list of instructions to make sure you secure the chain to the heavy loop on his collar.
No worries to Kipper though. He next found out how to open the front door and get out. Or he would wait patiently for someone new to enter the house, see his chance to bolt through them before they closed the door, and out he went!
Keep screened door locked, check. Warn everyone who enters the house, "Don't let Kipper out!" Check.
Most of the time the above measures worked, but as they say, where there's a will, there's a way!
We thought we had Kipper secured now. We finally could go on vacation and not worry.
Renee came over to dog sit. She held his collar out the back and hooked him up to the chain as requested. Five minutes later she went out to let him in, but finds the chain with no Kipper on the end of it!
He had escaped again! She finally caught up with him, but wondered how he got off the chain. The problem was she had hooked the chain to the weaker loop on his collar that held his tags and he had used his brute strength to pull the loop free. Yes, my dog can bend and break metal!
So I added to the list of instructions to make sure you secure the chain to the heavy loop on his collar.
No worries to Kipper though. He next found out how to open the front door and get out. Or he would wait patiently for someone new to enter the house, see his chance to bolt through them before they closed the door, and out he went!
Keep screened door locked, check. Warn everyone who enters the house, "Don't let Kipper out!" Check.
Most of the time the above measures worked, but as they say, where there's a will, there's a way!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Catch Me If You Can
Alright, we've solved the problem of containing Kipper by buying a crate. Not so. One day, we let Kipper out back to do his business and the next thing we knew, he was gone! Further observation revealed that he jumped the neighbor's fence and escaped out their open gate.
Not wanting to install a privacy fence, we decided we would need to chain him when he goes out back. Ironically, this did not totally solve the problem. We soon discovered that he knew how to open the back screen door as well as the door on our sun room. Then he would use his long nose to lift the latch on the gate, and out he would gallop, like a thoroughbred in a race!
My husband, Steve, gave chase around the neighborhood. If he drove his car, Kipper would actually start running beside or behind the car, chasing Steve. Kipper could easily run 30 miles per hour in his youth! It was an amazing thing to watch as he ran across front yards up and down the neighborhood. Next he would head for the park for a dip in the dirty creek. Eventually he would get tired or Steve would trap him in a backyard and bring the naughty pooch back home. Kipper was never sorry for what he did--he would pant happily--proud of his latest adventure!
So we bought a lock for the gate and vowed to keep the sun room door locked. However, there is more than one way out of a house. Is there no end to Kipper's escaping abilities? So it seems...
Not wanting to install a privacy fence, we decided we would need to chain him when he goes out back. Ironically, this did not totally solve the problem. We soon discovered that he knew how to open the back screen door as well as the door on our sun room. Then he would use his long nose to lift the latch on the gate, and out he would gallop, like a thoroughbred in a race!
My husband, Steve, gave chase around the neighborhood. If he drove his car, Kipper would actually start running beside or behind the car, chasing Steve. Kipper could easily run 30 miles per hour in his youth! It was an amazing thing to watch as he ran across front yards up and down the neighborhood. Next he would head for the park for a dip in the dirty creek. Eventually he would get tired or Steve would trap him in a backyard and bring the naughty pooch back home. Kipper was never sorry for what he did--he would pant happily--proud of his latest adventure!
So we bought a lock for the gate and vowed to keep the sun room door locked. However, there is more than one way out of a house. Is there no end to Kipper's escaping abilities? So it seems...
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Keeping Kipper
A couple of days into ownership of Kipper the dog, it becomes obvious that we have made a major commitment and possibly a serious mistake.
A hole the size of a softball in the back cushion of a couch is hard to hide. Its only the third day of having Kipper in our lives, but I feel like he's walked in circles on my heart and settled in for good. Returning him to the shelter is out of the question.
I purchase some spray which is meant to keep animals off the furniture. We leave for a weekend trip. We are gone about 2 hours before my sister goes to my home to let Kipper out. She opens the door to piles of white fluff and a devoured recliner.
I talk about it, do some research, and decide to purchase a crate to keep Kipper in when no one is at home.
We set up the crate in the kitchen. When he pees in the crate, we decide to move it to the basement. When we come home to find him not in the crate, we purchase a lock for the crate. When we find Kipper has again escaped, I buy a chain lock normally used for bicycles and wrap it around the top of the crate to keep Houdini well-contained.
I seem to have solved the problem of chewed furniture. Our separation anxiety-ridden dog is now able to enter a Zen-like state in his crate while we are gone. Surely, life will go on peacefully now....if only I'd known...
A hole the size of a softball in the back cushion of a couch is hard to hide. Its only the third day of having Kipper in our lives, but I feel like he's walked in circles on my heart and settled in for good. Returning him to the shelter is out of the question.
I purchase some spray which is meant to keep animals off the furniture. We leave for a weekend trip. We are gone about 2 hours before my sister goes to my home to let Kipper out. She opens the door to piles of white fluff and a devoured recliner.
I talk about it, do some research, and decide to purchase a crate to keep Kipper in when no one is at home.
We set up the crate in the kitchen. When he pees in the crate, we decide to move it to the basement. When we come home to find him not in the crate, we purchase a lock for the crate. When we find Kipper has again escaped, I buy a chain lock normally used for bicycles and wrap it around the top of the crate to keep Houdini well-contained.
I seem to have solved the problem of chewed furniture. Our separation anxiety-ridden dog is now able to enter a Zen-like state in his crate while we are gone. Surely, life will go on peacefully now....if only I'd known...
Monday, September 21, 2009
A New Friend
We walked into the animal shelter with heavy hearts. Beloved Buffy had passed away a week earlier, and we longed to hear the scampering of a dog in our home again.
The dogs barked and jumped as they vied for our attention. All but one pooch who sat still and simply regarded me with his big brown sad eyes. He had long reddish-brown ears that looked like silk. He was white with spots the color of his ears and a stub tail. I found out he was a Brittany Spaniel.
I knew Springer Spaniels were nice, calm, and well-behaved dogs. I figured this dog would be similar in temperament and obedience. After a quick walk outside (he seemed a little rowdy), his eyes got the best of me and I decided I wanted to take him home. We signed the paperwork and took him out to the van.
My oldest son was about 5. He was not immediately enamored with this new dog. My husband came up with the idea to name him Kipper, after the cartoon dog my son adored. My son seemed to take to him more now that we named him.
It seemed we'd found the perfect dog.
When we got home, we discovered he'd peed in the van. We chalked it up to first day jitters. But more surprises were in store as we started our adventure as the owners of Kipper...Stay tuned for the next installment.
The dogs barked and jumped as they vied for our attention. All but one pooch who sat still and simply regarded me with his big brown sad eyes. He had long reddish-brown ears that looked like silk. He was white with spots the color of his ears and a stub tail. I found out he was a Brittany Spaniel.
I knew Springer Spaniels were nice, calm, and well-behaved dogs. I figured this dog would be similar in temperament and obedience. After a quick walk outside (he seemed a little rowdy), his eyes got the best of me and I decided I wanted to take him home. We signed the paperwork and took him out to the van.
My oldest son was about 5. He was not immediately enamored with this new dog. My husband came up with the idea to name him Kipper, after the cartoon dog my son adored. My son seemed to take to him more now that we named him.
It seemed we'd found the perfect dog.
When we got home, we discovered he'd peed in the van. We chalked it up to first day jitters. But more surprises were in store as we started our adventure as the owners of Kipper...Stay tuned for the next installment.
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