Hear Me Bark

Attack of the Standard Poodles

The humans and I drove to Morgan Territory Regional Preserve yesterday for our monthly Poodles-at-Play hike. Despite the rain, we hiked through slippery mud for 3.5 miles. Along the way, I ran across hills with my pals, stopped to play at a small pond, and got chased down and attacked like a gazelle being hunted by a mountain lion. Yes, you heard correctly; I was attacked.

The brother and sister pair, Tommy and Sally, came out of nowhere and started chasing me. At first, it was all in good fun, but when I signaled that I was tired of playing, they ran me down and started nipping and pulling hair and ears. Because it was such a terrifying experience, I shrieked in horror and whimpered pitifully as I tried to escape. Seeing Tall and Short rushing toward me, I hightailed it to where they were. Tall grabbed me on both sides of my body and started getting me away from Tommy and Sally, who were being pulled away by their humans. Short squatted down and I ran over to her, tail tucked and whimpering. I have never heard the sound that was escaping my mouth and hope to never hear it again.

After making sure I was physically okay, Tall and Short didn't make a big deal over the situation and encouraged me to run and play, which I did within a couple of minutes. Thank god for my huge ego and confident disposition. I was running around like normal before I knew it. I know Tommy and Sally just got carried away and I plan on remaining their friend. However, next time they decide to attack, I'm going to kick their ass. I'm pretty sure Tall and Short would have my back.

Despite that incident, the hike was a lot of fun. Also, I'm pleased to report that I came home tick free. Was it the concoction Tall mixed up or just luck? As long as I didn't pick up any of those blood suckers along the way, I don't really care if it was the repellent or luck.

Puppy Snob

Yesterday at doggie daycare, I chased around a bunch of doodle mixes, which suffice when no standard poodles are avaible for play. There also was a golden retriever puppy in the mix, whom I did not care for. After hanging out with my standard poodle puppy relatives -- Trevor and Will -- and friend, Hans, I couldn't be bothered with this GR puppy. Have I become a snob?

Point Isabel: My New Favorite Place

After hearing about Point Isabel -- a magical place where dogs and their people frolic along the Richmond Inner Harbor (pretty much a stone's throw from the Golden Gate Bridge) -- for more than a year, we finally went yesterday. But first, my incompetent humans went the wrong way and we ended up in San Francisco.

Point Isabel was glorious. Here I am with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background:

 

 We met my friend, Brillo, and her human for some muddy fun. As you can imagine, after more than a week of non-stop rain, it was a big mess. But I loved it. Check out all the water I splashed up while fetching; that's Brillo looking on:

 

As the humans strolled along the concrete path, I chased my ball through mud and puddles and over hills and valleys. As you can imagine, I was a filthy mess when it was time to go. Mud and grass were intertwined in my leg, chest, and belly curls. All this mud made me think that I could play with the mud puppies mentioned on this sign:

However, this was a very misleading sign. Instead of dirty puppies running around, the building was lined with bathtubs. I whined in horror when I realized what was in store for me. After all, I just had a bath on Friday.

I needn't have been upset though. The human who washed me was very nice -- and handsome. When he returned me to my humans, he said I was such a good girl and that it would be a pleasure to wash me next time. Wowza! The only thing I didn't like about him was that he put a bow in my hair and on my collar. You can bet the humans had a laugh at my expense.

To see more photos from today -- and I promise they're good -- visit Hear Me Bark's page on Facebook.

My Cousins Love Me

Things have been so hectic for the last few weeks that I neglected to tell you about the amazing birthday/Christmas gifts that my generous cousins, Audrey and Trevor, sent. I'll admit it this time; I'm a very baaaad dog.

I already knew that my cousins love me, but they decided to show that love by showering me with some awesome gifts.

As you can see, they didn't skimp on the fun stuff. In addition to a cute letter with photos, they sent some delicious vegetarian treats (carrot, to be exact); a Chuckit! Glow Ball (hell yeah!); a Hartz Chew N' Clean Dental Duo (I'm still waiting for the humans to let me sink my teeth into this); and, perhaps best of all, the most realistic and strong plush bear. I beat the crap out of my bear almost daily and I love to sling him around. Who knew I had a strong prey drive?

I'll be able to properly show my gratitude to Audrey and Trevor when I see them at the end of the month, but in the meantime, thanks guys! You are the best cousins ever!

My Shadow and Me

Two weekends ago, my humans met a nice human, Mike, and his dog, Martin (a.k.a. Marty My Shadow) at the dog park. We ran into them again last weekend.

Marty doesn't consider himself a ball dog, but he does enjoy a good stalk and chase (as depicted in the previous photo). I feel this relationship is mutually beneficial for everyone. First, I get to play fetch to my heart's content. Second, Marty loves to chase me. Third, the humans get to have a nice chat with Mike and vice versa (I guess). The fetching and chasing goes on for at least 30 minutes and sometimes more.

As we've been spending more time together, I find myself developing some affection for Marty and I think he feels the same way. Perhaps he'll be my new boyfriend. After all, dogs who play and rest together stay together.

 

A Birthday Surprise From Faith

I teased you last week on Hear Me Bark's Facebook fan page about the contents of a mystery box from my sister, Faith.

I ripped into the box and discovered the most beautiful plush bone I've ever laid eyes on. However, what makes this bone so special is that it's homemade. That's right — Faith tasked her human with making me a toy. I was touched beyond belief — well, as much as a crazy spoo can be anyway.

This toy is awesome; I love running around the house and flipping it in the air. It's also quite snuggly and I've been caught using it as a pillow. You can probably imagine that I don't like exposing my vulnerable side to my humans, but this bone is so comfy that it's worth the embarrassment.

I know that I'm such a lucky dog to have friends and family who, as Hallmark puts it, care enough to send the very best.

My First Bay Area Friend

Today makes three in a row that the humans (actually, today it was just Tall) have taken me to the Alameda dog park. I'm pleased to tell you that I made my very first Bay Area friend there today. My new pal's name is Troy and he is a 14-month old pit bull. And as many of you know, I LOVE pit bulls!

Troy likes fetching as much as I do, so we had fun as our humans threw our balls. However, I was sad to learn that Troy had never played with a crack ball (a.k.a. Chuckit! Ultra Ball), so I shared mine. He, of course, loved it and is now addicted. I imagine his human will be making a trip to the store very soon.

I'm sure Troy is the first of many friends to come. After all, my charms are quite overpowering.

Playing With Morgan

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to play with a five-month-old standard poodle puppy, Morgan, who is temporarily visiting with my pal, Charly. Morgan is a spitfire and reminds me a bit of myself at that age. I think the following photos describe our visit better than any words could.

 

 

 

Pumpkin Pie From Jack

Short and I were headed outside last night for a potty break when we noticed a small baggie of treats at our door. As luck would have it, these treats were for me . . . and they were from my friend and love interest, Jack.

The cookies, which are labelled "Pumpkin Pie," are in the shape of a standard poodle and a high-heeled shoe. Jack has excellent taste. And speaking of taste, these cookies are delicious. Short put them on the counter while she unhooked my leash, etc. and I whined for — something I rarely do. The aroma was driving me crazy.

Hopefully Jack will continue to court me by leaving special treats like these. I do love to be pampered.

Meet Trevor

Cousin Audrey has a new baby brother, Trevor, which means I have a new cousin! I haven't met Trevor yet, but from what I understand, he is quite the pistol. Trevor is a little more than two months old and he's already taking on his big sis. Honestly, I think Trevor sounds a lot like me, but I won't know for sure until I meet him.

Audrey and Trevor spend a lot of time wrestling, which is a little stressful on their humans. However, they also snuggle together and Audrey even grooms him. How cute is that? Audrey loves him so much that she sent out a birth announcement this week. I think that is pretty darn cool. Welcome to the world, Trevor!