Totally Off Topic - But I Like Music with a Message

Hey All,
So let's take a break from talking about hot spots and doggie issues and let's turn to world issues. Mom has been very upset by the war going on in Gaza and we all pray every night before we go to sleep that the madness will end and peace will one day come to the Middle East. But I tell Mom there is about as much chance of that happening, as there is of me turning into a cockapoo overnight.

So I found this very inspiring, upbeat and optimistic video on Youtube that I want to share with all of you tonite - so turn up your speakers and clap your paws and spread this message of reconciliation and hope!



AGC
Part-time peace activist, full-time snack fiend.

Of Crocodiles and Crazy Boo

Well much has happened in the last week.

First, the Crocodile (pictured right with us) finally arrived. Crocodile is Mom's great old friend who was visiting from South Africa. Her real name is Suzie but Mom's Dad gave her the nickname Croc many years ago because she is very tall and long. Mom's nickname is Mouse because, well, she is the opposite of the Croc - she is small and squeaky. Heh heh.

So Suzie came to visit us for four days - so not only did we have a crazy pup named Boo with us, we had a Croc too. Luckily the Croc loves dogs though she is partial to labs and retrievers...but we were great ambassadors for our breed and she now loves Wires too.

We were on our best behaviour...well, I was...Boo kept playfully attacking me...

Let me tell you, that pup drove me nuts much of the time...he is crazy. He loves to play but gets a bit carried away sometimes and never stops. I like to play too, but I like to snooze as well and often the only way I could do that, was to beg the parents to put him in his crate. Sometimes I had to fiercely defend myself against him but I never snapped ever...I just had to give him a certain look, and he'd get the message...well, for about 3 seconds!

Can you believe that's me? You don't often see that side of me - I'm a mellow, gentle type of guy.

So Croc and Boo had a bit of a love affair. Boo mistook her for a pillow and loved to cuddle with her. I didn't mind, I just appreciated the break! Don't they look cute?
Boo is a funny character, especially when he was asleep. Just look at him sleeping in his crate (grinning in his sleep!) and on my couch:

Anyway, so yesterday, Mom, Dad and me drove Boo to Maryland where he will be living with dear friends M and S and their furkids Mackie, Finn and Ollie, who are charged with finding him his new home. I got to play with Finn and Ollie and check out their lovely house and huge yard - and then I wished Boo well and said farewell.

As you know, I, Axel G Chocholoza, am always honest, so I am not going to lie on my blog and say that I was heartbroken, bereft and in a state of abject despair to say goodbye to Boo. I enjoyed his company and having him as my playmate most of the time - but he was too hyper for me and sometimes his need to wrestle and play was too much for me. I was always patient and never once hurt the fella, but there were times where he really tried my patience. And, I am not ashamed to admit, I love my Mom and Dad, and did not enjoy sharing them with another dog. I also love my home and park and friends - it was hard to share all these things with Boo, though I never once openly revealed these feelings while he was with us. I was always gentlemanly and generous. I even shared my waterbowl, food and treats! Afterall, I am unique!

After we got back from Maryland - I fell into a most delicious slumber, free at last of the stress of having Boo about and having to entertain him.
And I had special one on one huggies/snooze with Dad...

I wish Boo only the very best life with a very loving family. I guess that means, I wish Boo everything that I have.

AGC

Boomer and Me

Well, you've all HEARD a lot about Boomer and seen a few photos - how would you like to see him in action and see what I put up with every hour, every day? When he leaves (possibly) this weekend, I think I deserve a week at a health spa in reward for putting up with his antics. Agree?



AGC

Boo Blogs...well, sort of.

Hi, my name is Boomer. Axel told me about his blog and he said I could give it a try. So I'm with Ron, Dani and Ax for a while and it's been fun. Oh hang on, what's that I hear? Gotta go check it out, be back soon....ok, I'm back. It was Axel biting his bum. So where was I? Yeah, so I came to Philly from NY via North Carolina, it's all a bit confusing. What was that? I smell something weird...hang on...gotta go check. Ok, I'm back, it was the Hanukkah candles dying out. So I really like Axel, I especially enjoy dive bombing him and jumping on his back. Uh oh, something moved downstairs, be right back. Oh, it was Ron, he's putting the trash outside....

SCREEEEECH....THUD....WOOF!

Ok everyone, it's me Ax. Clearly Boo's ADHD is too profound to render him a competant blogger. The bloke can't sit still for 2 minutes. So I told him I heard a mouse and off he went. Heh heh. These pups are so easy to trick - Boo is especially niave!

Let me tell you, this guy never lets me rest. It's a tad irritating sometimes, but I just have to give him a look or bare my teeth and he gets the message.


Yesterday he very skillfully jumped up on a shelf and grabbed a whole bag of treats while the people were sleeping late. He then brought the bag to me and we enjoyed the spoils. So I really do like having him around. He thinks of crazy shit that doesn't even cross my mind and he can jump real high - just like Pacco de Mongrel!

Boo is very agile, he can get into tight spots becos he is so skinny (he'll never qualify for the Substantial Wires Club!) - so is very good at retrieving Snax that roll under furniture. He has also proven to be quite a barker - and he doesn't even need me to set him off! And like all us wires, he likes to walk and sleep atop our furniture.

Looks like he will be leaving us next weekend, and I will miss the little fella. He is a sweet soul who though a tad cuckoo, will grow into a very wonderful companion and best friend to the lucky family he adopts.

Besides, he does slow down sometimes, and when he does, he looks like the most angelic, adorable creature on earth:

Enjoy your weekend! Mom keeps telling me that the Crocodile is arriving tomorrow. Huh? Sounds kinda scary, but she told me that she will be bringing me treats, so I guess it must be a benevolent Crocodile...do such reptiles exist?

AGC

Crazy Boo

I tell you, this Boomer dude is nuts. He is hyper ADHD wired 24/7. He never slows down. But I'm sweet on him, he's certainly fun to be around...and exhausting. We had some drama yesterday when Dad sprained his ankle and Mom was forced to become sole dog walker last evening and this morning. Poor Mom, she had to take us separately. Anyway, pleased to report, Dad is MUCH better and managed to take us out this evening.

I thought you'd enjoy some more photos of the two of us. Here is a rare moment when we are chilling on top of the couch...

Here is Boo enjoying one of my many Snax toys:

I tell you, he is quite a little rascal. We already have a few nicknames for him - Wee Willie Winkie (cos he loves to run up and down steps on his walks), Love Bug (cos he loves to love and be loved), Skinny Malinky Long Legs (he sure is thin and he has long legs!) and Crazy Boy (no need to explain).

We hear there are a few families lining up to give him his forever home...so fingers crossed he will have a wonderful new life by his first birthday on January 14. Though he is a bit of a pain, I reckon I'll miss him when he goes....

AGC

Our Hanukkah Guest

Please welcome Boomer Newman - he is our house guest for the next couple of weeks. Boomer is almost a year old and he's been with us for 4 hours...and I can tell you, I'm pooped already. This guy is a wire on speed! He is GO GO GO all the time...wrestling, mouthing, bitey face...boy I tell you, I could use a rest.

I've been the perfect host, allowed him to share the affections of my parents, play with all my toys, jump on MY couch and MY bed...the parents are rather impressed with me. Boo tried to hump me a few times, and I let him - I mean he's trying to be boss which we all know is rather hilarious, cos he ain't going to be the boss of me in MY HOUSE.

Mom and Dad took us for a walk. Boo was all over the place, deliriously happy to be outdoors in the ice and wet. I showed him my park and he enjoyed it immensely. I teased him a bit 'cos I, Axel G Chocholoza, being an unusual wire, was off leash most of the time, while Boo had to be tethered of course, 'cos I tell you, off leash, that guy would be half way to Florida in a nano-second and he'd probably make it there by nightfall!

We ran into a few dogs and Boo was very interested in sniffing butts.

The good news is that Boo is not much of a barker, that was Mom and Dad's only wee concern due to noise intolerant neighbor to our right. We expect he might have a heart attack the first time he spots me and Boo walking down the street - his ultimate nightmare - two barking wires! Mom and Dad thought of forewarning him with a note, but then decided it was stupid and unnecessary - if and when we bump him, we'll just explain that Boo is a temp wire.

I hope you will all welcome Boomie to the blog world.
Happy Hanukkah to all - it starts tonite at sundown.

AGC

Happy Holidays All!

I love the holidays!!!

So the other day a box arrived for me from North Dakota. The parents and I wracked our collective brains to try to figure out who we knew in Fargo! We'd loved the movie, but we couldn't think of anyone there.... So we opened the box and inside was a littler box for me and a card. On the cover of the card was a PUG! We have a few pug friends, but none we know well enough to get a gift from, and none in Fargo! But then the mystery was solved - for the card read, "Happy Holidays love Jackson" and there is ONLY ONE Jackson! We realized that our pal in London had ordered me this delicious holiday gift ONLINE and they'd mailed it out! Doesn't it look like the best gift ever!? The company who made these tasty carob bone-shaped biscuits is called Doggielicious - and boy were they yummy! The parents are rationing them out to me 'cos they call me Fat Boy now. Isn't that lovely! Not!

Mom wrote to the company to compliment them on their fine merchandise and asked if we could sample a few more to review on www.theswankypup.com - and they said YES. So more cookies coming MY way...though mother is threatening to hire new biscuit tasters given my girth. Harumpfffff! By the way, for the record, I think our favorite friend Christina's gourmet cookies from her biz called Woofs and Whiskers are equally delicious! I never turn down a good treat!

In other news, I got one of my hanukkah gifts from the parents...a silly looking loofah penguin in a red Xmas hat with a pom-pom. Mom knows I like pom-poms, which is why she chose this. I must say, I do dig Mr Penguin. I've had him 5 days and he's still in one piece...a hanukkah miracle?

Finally, I have a complaint. Mother is working too hard on MY computer. Look carefully in the picture below and you will see clearly that this laptop is MINE. Mom is addicted to this silly machine - I only use it for blogging - which as you can tell, I don't do very often 'cos Mom uses it all the time! I am forced to draw up a chair next to her if I want any quality time....

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and Kracking Kwanzaai to all my friends around the world!

AGC

The Big Scare

Well, I frightened my parents half to death this weekend. I don't know what happened, one minute I was happily walking with Mom in the park, even ate a snack I found on the ground, jumped in and out the car....and then I didn't feel good and lay on the couch and found I wasn't hungry, didn't even try to eat the parent's take out Chinese. Unusual.

Then, I couldn't get up. I couldn't move. It was horrible. Dad tried to help me but oh, the pain. I cried. It was after midnight and Dad was so worried, poor Dad, he went and woke Mom. Mom then came down and spoke to me and tried to coax me off the couch. I wanted to please them, but I couldn't get up. It broke my heart to see them so upset and scared.

Dad lifted me off the sofa and put me on the carpet. I just stood and lifted my leg. I couldn't walk. Dad had to carry me up the stairs and we all got into bed and tried to sleep. I know Mom didn't sleep much, every 20 minutes I felt her put her hand in front of my nose and on my belly - I think she was checking I was breathing! I didn't move all night.

First thing Saturday morning I was carried to the car and taken to the vet. Two vets felt my legs and knees and hips. They took my temperature, checked my eyes, ears and bum, and decided I must have had a bad hip/upper leg sprain. They prescribed anti inflammatories and told Mom and Dad to watch me and check in in a few days, and to keep my activity limited. Mom said, unfortunately that won't be a problem, since I wasn't walking very much. I walked a bit at the vet, mainly 'cos I just wanted to go home. All the leg/hip manipulations hurt! Actually, at one point, I was so unhappy I snapped and growled, so they "Hannibal Lecter"ed me!

I think it was most cruel of Dad to snap a photo of me at my worst moment! And Mom laughed through her tears!

When we got home, we stopped in the park and I took a good poop. Boy I felt better! Nothing like a good poopie! I then rested at home for 2 hours but then Mom and Dad forced me to get up and walk a bit. Mom's theory was it was important for me not to be scared to walk. So they carried me down our front stairs and stood me outside. I took a few steps and it felt ok. I took more...then I took off down the road...Dad in tow. Mom grinning from the door. I walked all the way round the block to see my buddy Elvis and his Mom P. I told Elvis all about my ordeal, he was very sympathetic!

Anyway, since then, I have felt so good. Today I am back to normal, running, playing with toys and demanding many snacks. Mom and Dad are totally mystified!!

I am Axel G Chocholoza - Wire of Mystery.

Thanks for everyone's love and prayers. I think they helped a LOT.

AGC

Mouse Wars

I have to brag. I caught a mouse last night in the basement. Ok, so it was already dead, so what? I, Axel G Chocholoza is the one who FOUND it and alerted Dad by barking solidly for half an hour while staring at the spot of death.

Dad did the heavy lifting - crawling behind the stairway to retrieve it, but I grabbed it and did a happy dance around the room with it in my mouth and then handed it over to Dad for disposal.

I've been after these buggers forever. At last I got one!

AGC

Mouse Slayer...ok, more truthfully, Dead Mouse Locator

My Fave Day of the Year

I love Thanksgiving! I inevitably amass a large amount of yummy turkey, and tonite was no different.

Here I am posing with the parents and our nieces and nephews - aren't they cute kids. We love to chase eachother - I adore them and they adore me. Foxies not good with little kids? Bah humbug, I'm brilliant with little kids. Dad took a video, that will go up soon...

There was a GREAT BIG turkey. I watched uncle Craig carve it up, my mouth was drooling and I was praying it would slide off the counter and on to the floor. I spoke to Jake, the resident dog, and we had a plan for making off with the whole bird. Unfortunately, it didn't happen...

At first I was forced to sit under the dining room table and pop my head up near Mom and Dad to ask for turkey (got plenty) but after a while, they let me sit at the table, where I really should have been assigned my own seat from the beginning!

After all the turkey, the dessert was laid out...oh boy, cherry pie, choc/marshmellow pie (Mom made it), pumpkin pie, cheese cake, banana cake...I thought I would have a heart attack...

Mom and Dad tried to distract me by offering me a fake rubber lizard instead. What kind of an idiot do they take me for??? Any terrier worth his salt can tell the difference between a cherry pie and a toy reptile!

So I didn't get any dessert - for that I am NOT thankful - Dad convinced me to chill with him on the couch. The minute we sat down, that triptofin stuff kicked in and we were in SnoozeWorld in seconds...

Other than the deprivation of dessert, it was a lovely thanksgiving! Hope you all had a good one too.

AGC

The NEW Me

Well, here I am. Debonaire, handsome and no longer Scruffy. It's a good thing you can't smell me, Mom says I smell like a cheap whore. MOM!!! Not my fault they perfumed me. Mom said she wished I'd rolled in poopie in the park after my haircut, "anything is better than that cheap perfume reek!"

I'd like to give a hearty shout out to two new wirey friends from Sydney, Australia - Bacon and Tuesday Jones - a brother and sister act. Please visit their new blog and say hi.

AGC

Fuzzy Wuzzy

So as you can see, I'm a very fuzzy guy. My hair is super long which is just as well 'cos today it turned arctic in Philadelphia and we even got some snow flurries.

Part of the reason my hair is so long is because my groomer hurt her finger so she had to postpone our appointment over 2 weeks ago. I was not upset as I like looking like a scruff-muffin.

But I'm afraid my groomer is all fine now and tomorrow my friends, I get the spa treatment with stripping....Hmmm. I prefer to stay home and snooze on my spot on top of the couch!

So take a good look at me now for tomorrow I will look like a different dog. Here I am ensconced in velvet on my spot. Me and George from Seinfeld love the velvet. I feel pawsitively royal...

So come on back tomorrow night for pics of the new ME...I just hope Dad remembers to tell the groomer not to strip me to the skin cos I don't want to freeze and you know I will NOT wear a coat or sweater!!!

By the way, tune into Animal Planet at 8PM EST Saturday night - they are profiling Wire Fox Terriers on Dogs 101!!

AGC

Our New President, Torn Toenail and Mom's Debut

I was fast asleep around 11PM last night when I heard mom SCREAM. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I ran to Mom and she was jumping up and down and then she started to cry. I thought she had lost her mind but then I heard the TV announce that Barack Obama had won the Presidential Election! I was so happy because the old geezer guy was scary and his side-kick even scarier (not to mention I was horrified that she hunts polar bears from helicopters!). I then sat on Mom's lap listening to his amazing acceptance speech. And just when we thought it couldn't get any better or more historical, Mr. Obama told his beautiful girls that they were such good kids that they would be getting a puppy in their new, big white house!! Hurrah!

Congratulations Obama Family.
Congratulations America for not messing up this time!

Mom felt very left out yesterday. She would have so loved to have voted for Obama but because she only has a green card and is not able to apply for citizenship for another 2 years, she is precluded from voting. She came home feeling sad and said to Dad, "I have to have my say. Please get the video camera." So Dad set up the camera and filmed Mom talk for 2 minutes about how she felt and what it was like to vote in South Africa in 1994 in the first Democratic election. She was in her pajamas and had no make up on. She didn't even rehearse. She just spoke. She then uploaded the movie to http://www.ireport.com/ which is owned by CNN. Not thirty minutes later, our phone rang. Mom joked with Dad, "oh, that's probably CNN!"

And guess what! It was!! They said they liked what Mom had to say in her video and asked to use it on CNN.com and television. Mom nearly fainted. For the rest of the night all Dad and I heard was Mom moaning about her lack of script/make up/wardrobe etc....boring! Click on Mom to see the video or click here.


Finally, can I talk about myself? I was running in the dog park 2 days ago and tore my toe nail. Yup, split it in two but not enough to pull it off. So this morning Mom shlepped me to the vet and she cut it off at the split and put a silly green bandage on it. Do I look silly?

Anyway, at least I only have to wear it for one day and take a few anti-biotics. I'll be ok.

AGC

Do What Mom Can't Do!

(Thanks to our friend Amelia for the cute pic)

Mom is very miffed that permanent residents (green card holders) in the USA do not have the right to vote. She says it is not fair - she isn't going anywhere (well, actually that's not true - if Geezer and Dingbat win tomorrow - she will be looking for continent #4 to move to - Australia or Canada?) - she should get to voice her opinion on who should serve as President of America.

We'll be crossing paws here tomorrow that everyone goes and casts their vote undetered by record lines at polling stations. Mom well remembers the incredible lines in the first democratic elections in South Africa in 2004 - they were so long, they had to extend voting by another day. Here is one pic from that momentous day:

Peace to all.

AGC

Message from Mom (again!)

AGC: Mom is hogging my blog, again...MOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!

Mom: Hello everyone (get down Ax!),
I just wanted to tell you that I will be going to South Africa tomorrow to see my family - Ax will be staying home with his Daddy. I'm not sure if he will have computer access while I'm away...

AGC: "What? No way!!!"

Mom: Sorry Ax...but it is just so. I promise to bring you a big piece of South African biltong (beef jerky SA style - incomparable to American beef jerky) to make up for it. How does that sound?

AGC: Hang on, I have to google biltong to see if it is a fair bargain....Well, after looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltong - you got yourself a deal Mom. That looks yummy!

Mom: I do need to add one word of caution Axie Pax. For some reason it is illegal to bring biltong into the United States, so your Mother will have to smuggle it in. I'll gladly risk imprisonment so you can get your snack...but if you can send word to those airport dog sniffing beagles...that would be wise.

AGC: I'll see what I can do! Have a good trip Mom, we sure will miss you.

Mom: And I will miss you every day too Axie Pax. Be a good boy and look after Daddy.

Mom Steals my Blog

Mom tells me she is stealing blog time from me to report on todays Free Bruce Springsteen/Obama rally on the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philly. Mom went alone since Dad and I went to see Dad's parents and we went for a nice walk and swim in the Pennypack Creek Park, even though it was a bit chilly. Ok, over to Mom...

I decided I couldn't miss the historic free Springsteen concert/rally today so I walked there this afternoon. I'm not sure how many people were there, probably over 20,000 and the atmosphere was one of great hope and longing for a change in November. I must say, at some point, while Bruce was singing The Rising, I got all choked up. I felt very much like I did back in South Africa in 1994 on the eve of the referendum to decide whether SA was ready for change, for an end of Apartheid. Hope was so huge then too amongst most South Africans, it was palpable eventhough we knew the referendum was a farce (only white people could vote - Yes for Change; No for status quo). The result was an overwhelming YES and thus SA was set on the path to non racial democracy and free/fair elections.

I hope too, that in November, Hope and Equality, Decency and Good win out as it did in SA.
It was amazing living through one peaceful revolution. Is it too much to hope to live through a second on November 4th?
Here are photos from today's rally/concert. Bruce totally rocked! I couldn't get very near - ironically I sat under the Pakistan flag!

YES WE CAN!
God Bless America. God help America. Obama/Biden 2008

Happy 5769!

I am blessed!

Today Mom and Dad took me to The Carnivale of the Dogs in Rittenhouse Square Park. We went a few years ago and it was fun, so we decided to go again. I'm not too fond of crowds and gatherings of little dogs, especially little dogs dressed up in ridiculous costumes, but it was kinda fun. One thing I remembered from last time was the big pond in the middle of the park, so I immediately pulled my humans in that direction and jumped up on the ledge. Imagine my disappointment - NO water! Someone stole the water!!!

That's me at left smiling, but actually I'm just in shock that all the water is missing!!!

I tried to hide my disappointment, but it wasn't easy. Many people came up to us to enquire what breed I was...got some new guesses today -- Is that a Lakeland terrier? Is that a Dandy Diamont terrier? I mean please!! Do I look like I have pom-poms on my ears? The silly enquiring lady said she thought I was a Dandy cos I look a bit like a sheep!!

We only spotted two other terriers, a Scottie and a Bull Terrier. The rest were those very irritating tiny dogs like teacup things and a zillion Yorkies. Yeah, I know they are terriers, but I think they need to be reclassified as toy dogs!

So we walked around, Dad enjoyed the free hotdogs and drinks; and I got plenty of treats. As we were leaving a lady came up to us and told us to come on over to the church across from the park for the blessing of the animals. Mom embarrassed Dad and Me by asking if the service was non-denominational because "our dog is Jewish!" The lady said that indeed it was for dogs of all faiths. So we went. The priests were very kind and humorous. Father Neale spoke about his beloved terrier who had lived for 15 years and died in August.

I liked him very much especially as he was kind enough to have one of my nicknames enscribed upon his very impressive robes:

So prayers were said and hymns were sung and at one point they mentioned Jesus and Mom gave Dad a dirty look as if to say, "non denominational my ass!"
We then had to come forward and Father Neale threw water over our heads - that was a tad confusing since the only time people throw water on my head is when I lose my head in the park biting other dogs! There was also a very strange animal in the crowd, I'd never seen one before, Mom said it was a hedgehog! He was a very prickly guy...bit of a weird pet if you ask me!

So I am now a blessed dog - and it feels pretty good!

AGC