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

Not-so-dreaded Vet Visit

I know this is difficult to believe, but I was actually happy when Mom told me she was taking me to the vet this morning. I was that uncomfortable. My itchies were driving me bonkers.

So off we went on the 15 mile drive to Boulevard Animal Hospital in the Far NorthEast of Philadelphia. I was quite calm when I walked in, greeted the two German Shephards, beautiful Akita, Puggle and trio of kitties. I patiently waited my turn and then I saw Dr. Brett. He announced the obvious, that my skin was very inflamed and infected, and Mom and Dr. Brett decided I needed a cortisone shot and anti-biotics. I agreed!

The only part of the visit I did not enjoy was the thermometer up my behind! Oh, and when blood was drawn for a worm test. But at least I left the practice knowing that in a few hours, I would feel much better. And it is now almost 12 hours later, and indeed, I am itching less. I happily went on my evening walk and even played with my friends. For the past few days I wasn't up to that.

Thank you for all the well wishes left in the comments. Mom did look into homeopathic solutions but the homeopathic vet told Mom itchies was one of the most difficult afflictions to treat and it would be a very slow process. Seeing how miserable I was, Mom knew we could not afford to be patient. Maybe in the fall, when typically my itchies desist, we will explore that again.

Oh and Jackson, Gus and Mackie - you had better sign me up for the Big Wires Club -- Mom nearly passed out when she saw that I now weigh....32lbs (14.5kg)! Dr Brett, bless him, didn't seem very concerned. He said I should maybe lose about 2lbs as I am a big guy by design. He did remind mom though that the cortisone would make me ravenous...not the best time to put me on a diet Mom!

AGC

PS Mom has meant to tell you all the good news that her eye is almost back to normal - the retinal bleed has cleared up pretty well. We are all very relieved indeed!

About my Family

I am very depressed because I went for my haircut today and the groomer did a horrible job on me. We are confused and upset as she did a good job last time. I told Mom and Dad they shaved me instead of stripping my ex-beautiful coat. I can't even bear to show you what I look like....Mom already wrote a letter to the groomer to complain...but I'm trying not to focus on it...luckily Ricky Pepper tagged me and says I have to tell you about my family. So here goes...


About my Mommy
My Mommy was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. That's her right - when she was a toddler. She is the youngest of three and the only daughter. She grew up in a small, warm Jewish community and went to Jewish day school and high school and LOVED it. (Guess school is different from obedience school!) Mommy grew up in SA at a time when there was a horrible government that oppressed the majority of South Africans who are black people - it was called Apartheid. White and black people were not allowed by law to integrate - black people could not live where they liked, own property, get a good education and never go to the same schools, universities, restaurants, movies etc as white people. Until Mom was in her teens, she didn't even realize people lived diffently in other countries. Then she realized something in her world was very very wrong.

Mom had three parents - her biological Mom and Dad and a black nanny named Tina (right). Most families had live-in servants. Mom loved Tina with all her heart - Tina was pure unconditional love and lived with her family for the first 25 years of Mom's life. She passed away 3 years ago.

When Mom was 10, her Dad suggested they get a wire fox terrier. Mom wanted a maltese poodle, but her Dad said wires had spunk. So she relented. Georgie was a wonderful wire and Mom was nuts about her. That's the two of them pictured left when Mom first got Georgie. Georgie lived for 15 years, and Mom vowed that one day she would have another wire. My middle initial is in honor of Georgie.

After high school, Mom went to Law school even though she wanted to be a journalist - at that time there was no university degree in Journalism in SA, so she followed her parent's advice and went to study law. She didn't enjoy it very much but graduated. In that same year, Apartheid ended and on the most memorable day of her life, Mom stood in line for hours with Tina and millions of other South Africans of all races, most of them voting for the first time in their lives.

She didn't know what to do then because she didn't want to be a lawyer, so she decided to travel - and went to Israel where her brother lived and some friends. Mom lived in the holy city of Jerusalem for 6.5 years. It was the best and worst of times - she met wonderful people, did well in her new chosen editing and managing websites career and enjoyed speaking Hebrew etc; but it was also the height of the Palestinian uprising (Intifada), and buses were exploding all the time, suicide bombers seemed to be everywhere - life was scary and precarious. At some point she met an American guy (not my Daddy!) and they dated for almost 2 years but then he announced he was going home to Florida. Mom decided to go visit him for 2 months to check out the relationship and the USA. After two months, Mom ditched the guy but was in love with the USA - the freedom, the peace, the huge array of choices in the supermarket! And of course the beaches in Florida. So she took a very big risk - put all her stuff in storage in Israel and decided to stay - she was able to still work for the Israeli company as it was a web job.

Mom had to find a job and visa sponsorship in the USA to stay...but then 9/11 happened. Mom couldn't believe it. She'd left Israel to avoid bombs and now they were there! And the terrorists had been living down the road in Mom's new neighborhood of Delray Beach! Yikes! After almost a year, noone wanted to hire Mom...her visa was running out...so she thought she would have to go back to Israel. Before she left, she thought she'd go see some family living in Philly. And yadda yadda yadda - sent her resume to 2 places there for the heck of it, got an interview and got the job and sponsorship and moved to Philadelphia! She still works there today as an E-Communications and Marketing Manager!

About My Daddy
Daddy grew up in Philadelphia. He is the oldest of three and has two sisters (opposite of Mom). That's him at around age 5 taking a bath, heh heh! He had a few dogs growing up, including Bunnie a very fat mixed breed terrier and Ted, a German short-haired pointer. Growing up in the USA wasn't as eventful (or interesting) as Mom's life in SA - so fast forward to post high school. Dad went to school in NYC to study audio engineering. When he was quite young he got married (first wife). They then went to live in California where Daddy worked in Hollywood as a studio engineer in the music biz and an audio engineer in film (he worked for that boring movie The English Patient!) At some point he came back to Philly, got divorced and worked for a TV station as a broadcast engineer. Now he is in the security biz installing CCTV and video surveillance cameras to catch baddies etc...all I know is, he always finds time to take me on awesome walks!

How they Met
When Mommy moved to Philly in 2002, she joined an online dating website and met many many creepy guys. Then her cousin (the one she'd flown to visit) in Philly told her a friend mentioned that her friend had a nice son to introduce Mom to. So she said ok and they went on their first date to a Cuban restaurant. They got on really well and dated for quite a while....Mom loved Dad's loud, raucous laugh and his ability to fix anything; Dad loved Mom's petiteness (she's 4'11) and funny accent. Soon they both knew it was the real deal. Mom took Dad to SA to meet her family - they loved Dad - and he proposed during a Friday night (Sabbath dinner) in between mouthfuls of awesome South African roast beef and warm challah bread.

They got married on June 4, 2006 in Philadelphia. Mom said, let the family endure the 25 hour flight for a change - and endure they did. Everyone came from South Africa, Australia, Israel, London, Canada and around the USA - Mom has family and friends everywhere. I spent the day at doggy day care - don't think I ever let them forget it. No dogs at a country club my ass!

Mom and Dad's Likes and Dislikes
Mom loves writing! She writes and writes compulsively...to all those people around the world mostly. She also reads like a maniac - one or two books a week. She loves the Free Library in Philadelphia! Mom loves Marmite - a black yeast spread she grew up on. Most Americans, including Dad can't stand the sight of it. Mom also likes steak, fried liver and onions, cola tonic and lemonade (a SA drink), Cadbury's chocolates, salt & vinegar potato chips. She won't eat swine in any form, but lately relented and allows Dad to eat bacon (I get some too on occasion. I am not a Kosher dog) She is positively wire mad! She watches quite a lot of TV - loves British comedy, Rescue Me, Seinfeld...

Dad loves to read manuels! No magazines or newspapers in our bathroom, just manuals! He is very handy and can fix anything and everyone in his family knows it ("Son/Brother can you come and fix x?"). He knows music - name a lyric and he'll tell you the band. He has thousands of CD's - Mom has about 10. Dad doesn't like throwing out stuff...it's Mom's pet peeve. The basement is his domain - Mom is too scared to go down there. Dad loves chocolate ice cream and he is addicted to Coca-cola. It is the only thing he drinks! No tea, no coffee - just Coke! Dad loves Diner food, especially breakfast. Dad enjoys video games and knows every episode of Seinfeld by heart. He watches all the reruns despite owning the box sets! He loves silly American movies, Mom loves foreign artsy fartsy movies. They order two Netflix movies a week; often one of each.

How I Came About
I came into their lives in July 2005 after Mom did a lot of research finding a good breeder. We are a very happy family. We live in a little house next to Lemon Hill/Fairmount Park where I walk every day and often find tasty snacks left by picnickers! Below is a photo of the street we live on - that's me and Daddy taking a stroll... Our family dream is to one day afford a home of our own with a fenced yard for me to run in, a garage for Daddy and no steps for Mommy!

Phew...so that is the parents and our family! What a long megillah! I need a nap after that!

Now can we please go back to Doggy stuff! And no discussion on haircuts please!
Just for fun, I am going to tag Koobuss and Bebe - I want to hear more about their families!

AGC

The Great Philly Wire Get Together

This morning after my walk and swim with Dad (yay, no guards were at the fountain), Mom and Dad told me we were going to the Great Philly Wire Get-Together! So off we went in the car. We came to this house, we knocked at the door, and out came Bebe, the one and half year old wiry gal I'd seen online. Boy, what a pistol she is! We immediately started running around the house. Bebe jumped from couch to couch and we were off to a great start. We then went outside and I found, to my delight, that Bebe has a lovely back yard with grass and trees and flowers.



A few minutes later, we were thrilled to see another wiry face at the gate - and it was Elliot, who is just 5 months old!
(We were hoping that Willie, Bebe's cuz would show up, but alas he didn't. Hope we can meet him soon too...)



The Great Philly Wire Get Together was well under way!
Elliot and Bebe played and wrestled while I was a bit more sedate as I was tired from my long walk and swim, and boy was it hot out, even in the shade. Elliot found a shady spot in the dirt, a refuge of sorts from Bebe...

Mom gave us each a Dingo chew to enjoy - and then us wires had fun stealing from eachother. I buried mine in the dirt and Elliot found it with his sniffer. Then Bebe stole Elliot's and carried both hers and his in her mouth and tried to eat them both! Boy it was fun! I also showed the pups - being the resident elder wire - how a drinking bowl could also be used as a pool and to demonstrate, stuck my face and feet in Bebe's water bowl.



To all those fuddy-duddies who say wires do not get along and should be kept separated, all three of us say, PHOOEEY!! (We would prefer to use a more explicit expletive, but being ambassadors for our aristocratic breed, we will restrain ourselves.) We are living proof that we are friendly guys and gals and we play brilliantly together! And we love humans (Bebe gave my Daddy kisses!)

And in case there are still folks out there shaking their heads...I have more proof for you! Today I got an email from my pal Colby in Canada. Would you believe, he was part of the Big Canadian Wire Get Together this weekend as well!! He found four fellow wires living nearby and they all got together to meet up and play. And guess what - they all had a fun time too! I, Axel G Chocholoza, submit more photographic evidence of wires getting along just swell!



I had a brilliant day with Bebe and Elliot and their humans, and I'm really hoping that today was the first of many Great Philly Wire Get Togethers!

Peace
AGC