Sooo Many Birthdays!

Wow, so many of my friends are having birthdays this week! Let's meet a few of them, shall we?
First up is Kodi, who just turned two. Kodi has a big, bossy sister Maddie who is 3, and they are both rescues from down south. They love walks, playing and barking at cats. They also enjoy the challenge of trying to escape out of their yard by digging under the 6 foot fence, just like they do in prison outbreak shows! Maddie is the boss, and is always after Kodi to behave, but he's pretty incorrigible and loves eating his mom's grandkids' barbie dolls and trucks! And I thought I was bad! That's Kodi sitting on the right, Maddie on the left, and a pretend wire at the back!



Then we have my smooth friends Lottie and siblings Sugar Bear and Gunner who are also celebrating this week!

Gunner (aka MTN Fox Ghost Rider) , now 2 years old, lives with many other sweet foxies in Utah, near the Wasatch Mountains. His Mom told me that he's almost human and loves to wrap his arms around her arm and "hold" her. Hmm, not sure I'd like to be human - who wants to walk on two legs and work all day when you can run on four and have fun all the time? But I guess Gunner's Mom means he's human in that (and I find this hard to believe) he can speak like a human and say "Mama". Maybe the high altitude in the Utah mountains causes delusions? Heh heh, eek, I may get into trouble for saying that about Gunner's Mom Bev.
Gunner has a brother Sugar Bear who is owned by Cindy - he is pictured right. They sure look like brothers, don't they? Happy 2nd Birthday Gunner and Sugar Bear!



Both Gunner and Sugar Bear are lucky to have big foxie families. I wish I did, but I'm an only child for now. Check out Sugar Bear and his siblings Beauty and Gidget Louise, having a wild time with their frisbee! They live together in beautiful Boulder, Colorado.



Lottie is a smooth gal who turned 3 this week. She seems to have an identity crisis believing herself to sometimes be a mountain goat according to her Mom Claudia. I hope that doesn't mean she has a beard, I don't like beards on bitches! I scrutinized the pics of Lottie and am relieved to tell you that I see no beard in sight! Phew. I sure like her black markings - she's beautiful. And I wish my tail was that straight! Mom and Dad call me CT - Curly Tail. I don't like being called that thank you very much. It injures my manhood.



A last birthday wish goes to my beloved Miss Amelia's human Dad, Phillip, who celebrates his birthday on Sunday. I have no idea how old he is in human terms, but to look at him I would guess he's about 4 years old in dog years. Bet his three furkids keep him young and trim. Check him out trying to lift his birthday cake while simultaneously working out on that weird machine they call a treadmill. I guess he thinks if he eats and exercises at the same time he won't get fat. LOL...humans are so silly sometimes. (I sure would like a slice of that cake, I don't have to watch my figure...)



Speaking of Miss Amelia, I got a nasty email today from Miss Amelia's brother Bigfoot Fletch. It reads in part, "Hey, Axel......you mind your manners here! I know exactly what you are up to! Unless you have serious intentions, don't mess with my lil' sis or you will have me, Woody and big Beau to answer to!!!! Amelia is not just one of your groupies ....she is a lady."

Geez Bigfoot Fletch, I am shaking...I am soooo afraid of you. Not! I'll challenge you, Woody and big Beau to a tug-o-war anytime. Just name the time and place. I'll do anything to win Miss Amelia's heart!

Well, on that defiant note, happy birthday again to all my friends, and have a great weekend! I am going to visit my lab/chow cousin Jakie at his big house on Sunday. I'll tell you all about it on Monday.

AGC

Friends Remembered and Gained

This post is dedicated to the memory of dear Tucker who I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry. By all accounts he sounds like the most loyal and caring companion to his family Melinda, Frieda and Angel. Rest in peace dear Tucker.

I have a new girlfriend to introduce (don't get too jealous Miss Amelia. I never said I was monogomous!). Her name is Scarlett - named after that bitch in Gone with the Wind! Scarlett lives with her Mom Melanie in Winnipeg, Canada (I wonder if she's met Colby?). Her Mom tells me, "She's three years old. She loves to be always on the move with walks, car rides, up and down the A-frame in agility, or chasing leaves or squirrels or tennis balls. She can demolish a soccer ball in seconds. She's a tough girl but she also likes quiet times watching TV or curling up next to me at my desk. She thinks Axel is very, very handsome indeed. She's been laughing at all his bad antics the last few days..."

"Very, very handsome indeed" - what a perfect description of my good looks! Thanks Scarlett, you're pretty cute yourself - groomed or fuzzy!




Speaking of grooming....I seem to not only be a chick magnet, but a burr magnet too! Everytime Dad takes me for a romp in the park, I come home covered in those prickly things. As I'm always sticking my nose into bushes, they particularly like to cling to my face. Dad calls me "Snoot" becos of this.

My other friends Swoop and Bailey are short-haired and don't have any problems with burrs. It's not really fair when you think about it.

Here is a pic of me getting a burr near my nose removed. Check out my new adult teeth, I am fearsome!


Eventhough I tease Miss Amelia that Scarlett is my new girlfriend, I want her to know that I still think she is quite ravishing, long nails and all. I'm sure all my fellow readers would agree? That's her on the right. She makes my loins stir.

Last night there was a huge thunderstorm outside. I was convinced that the lightening and thunder were attacking our house, so while Mom and Dad slept, I stayed alert and barked all night. Funny, I didn't know Mom and Dad talked let alone yelled in their sleep, but every now again I'd hear a loud, "oh shut up Axel!" Of course, I totally ignored their ramblings and kept on barking. It really is deplorable how much they rely on me to protect the house. Such a huge responsibility for a 5-month old wire.

It's blowing gales today, leaves are flying all over the place - it's kind of fun to chase them and chew them!

AGC

My Exhausting Life

Yesterday my friend the UPS man arrived with a new package. When Mom opened it, it turned out to be a sofa cover intended to spare our couch from further terrier stains/damage. But silly Mom, did she not realize my curiousity would be spiked by this new addition to my territory? I promptly began to dig at it to test its durability and by so doing, made some beautiful holes in it. Really pretty ones. Then I noticed it had tassles on the end, so that provided me with endless entertainment, pulling and biting them. I also wanted to test its preservation properties - so I buried some of my biscuits in the corners so I could eat them later.

I am not sure why, but Mom and Dad looked at each other and said, "Well, there goes $40 down the drain. I give the cover another week before it looks like the shredded toilet paper all over the house." I don't have a clue what they were talking about.

Later, the same evening, Dad emerged from the basement with this odd looking combination of stick and strings. He sat on my couch and proceded to pull at the strings, and would you believe, some strange noise came out of it! Wow, intriguing! So much stimulation in one night - first my new couch cover and then this thing Dad referred to as a guitar. The noise made my ears hurt, but at least Dad didn't sing!



About 6 weeks ago, Dad bought me a huge bag of Solid Gold puppy biscuits, and last night as he was preparing my nightly repast, I was horrified to see him tip the whole bag into my dish and then he folded it up and put it in the trash can! Well I can't have Dad throw out my biscuits, so I grabbed the bag out the trash and dragged it into the livingroom and promptly began investigating the insides of the bag! There were no biscuits in there!!! How can that be and what am I going to eat tomorrow?? I'm worried, I think I might have an anxiety attack!

Well as you can imagine, I was completely zonked by the end of the evening what with the new objects in my territory and the stress of worrying about my next meal, that I fell into a deep sleep while dreaming I was a frozen chicken in a supermarket freezer.



Yeah, I know, not the most becoming of poses...don't hold it against me Miss Amelia! I was strung out! You see life can get exhausting for us terriers - there is always so much out there to investigate or destroy. Ask my English friend Tilly -- like me she was so tired, she found a perfect spot amongst her Mom's clean and toasty laundry, curled up and went to the land of nod.



I hate to end on a sad note, but you see I'd like to pay tribute to another dear wirey friend who passed over rainbow bridge recently. I like to think that Tucker and Rocky are playing together over there. Tucker (Nottingham's Merry Man) passed on October 23, he was only 8. In a moving email, his Mom Melissa describes him: "What a huge heart, all the intelligence, intuition...how he performed in the show ring.. how he mastered the agility course and got through the earthdog tunnels so quickly... how he loved and cared for my Mom through her battle with Alzheimers..and marched like an official pallbearer behind her casket with utmost respect, how he helped me with every single task, how he loved his toys...how he cared about everyone and made everyone smile... "

I send his Mom, Dad and big sister Frieda my deepest sympathy over their difficult loss. He sure sounded like one special fella!

AGC

A Tribute from Rocky's Mom

I received this very moving tribute from Elinor, Rocky's mom today. She said writing her feelings helped to heal the pain and remember her beloved wire.

Rocky was very lovable and very loving. Everyone he met was an immediate friend, especially children. The highlight of each day was going for a ride with dad. Some days it was just around the block but, still, it was "go for a ride?" He played extremely well with Rosie, his big sister (Schnauzer), and with our two kitties. After a good romp with the cats, it was not uncommon to find them grooming one another. Getting his ears cleaned by them sent him to Nirvana. During the day, he was with me wherever I was -- protecting me from the vacuum cleaner or dustmop, helping sort clothes for the laundry; or hoping I would drop a tidbit while cooking. In the evening and during the night, he was definitely my husband's dog. He was a typical WFT in that he had a mind of his own but, most of all, he was a good little boy and very much loved. He shall be missed terribly.

Elinor, that is a beautiful tribute. I don't know if there is web access over the rainbow bridge, but I'm sure Rocky can feel your love in these words. It is so overwhelming to know how much joy we bring to our human friends, the love between us really transcends anything I could put into words.

AGC

Farewell to Rocky

Today we received the awful news that our dear friend Rocky (AKC "And the Rocket's Red Glare") has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

He was diagnosed with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). He was in Chattanooga for training and became ill. He would have been two on December 27.

Dad, Mom and me send Elinor, her husband and their surviving little schnauzer Rosie our very deepest sympathy on this tragic and untimely loss. It's so scary to think that we are all so mortal...

I'm sure Rocky had two wonderful years with his family and is happily at peace chasing squirrels and birds in the next world, while forever smiling down on his Mom, Dad and little sister.

Take care little Buddy!

AGC

Get Thee to the Bathtub!

Another great weekend is behind us! The weather was glorious and we had frequent frolicks in the park together - all the while off leash! Free!

It seems to me that there are a few too many hand stripping fraudsters out there. Remember my so-called stripping at the hands of Petsmart groomers a few weeks ago? Well, my hunch is that my good pal Kramer (left), had a similar experience, although he still looks better than I did! At least his body seems nice and trim, but the face? hmmm, don't look hand stripped to me, though he still looks cute. Compare him to my Canadian pal Master Colby (right) - now that is what I call a good hand stripping, he looks awesome! His Mom Wendy is one amazing stripper! (eek, that don't sound so good..)



Speaking of grooming, Mom and Dad forced me into the bathtub on Saturday. The plan was for Mom to bath me alone as Dad had to go out and work, but after chasing me around the bathroom for about 10 minutes (I can get under the clawfoot tub, Mom cannot, haha!), she admitted defeat and yelled for Dad (who was about out the door). When Dad opened the door, I thought I had my escape route all worked out, but instead I ran right into Dad's arms and those darn arms lifted me up and plonked me in the tub. I love water, but I don't like bathing, particularly when they put water and shampoo on my face. When the ordeal was over, I ran all over the house like a maniac and then settled under the bed. Mom was intent on blow drying me, so she literally lay on her back on the floor and pointed the blow dryer at me. She looked funny! I ran around for a while, but then I sort of started liking the warm air on my damp body, and I lay still while Mom dried me. Just don't point that noisy thing in my face...! I now look very fluffy...Dad keeps vowing to strip me, but all he's done up to now is pluck at me. Do I look like a dead chicken Dad?

I want to introduce a few more pals of mine. First, my very youngest pal, Sammy who belongs to Michelle and who is one lucky dude, as he lives in Mililani, Hawaii! He is just a very wee chap, barely 9 weeks old...boy is he a cutie. Wasn't so long ago that I looked a bit like him!



Then lets zoom around the world, all the way to Denmark and meet a sweet, furry gal called Aimee who belongs to Kitty (not a real Kitty thank God! Imagine being owned by a feline!).

And look at these siblings, Danny and Suzie having a wonderous time outdoors. Hey Danny (right) and Suzie (who belong to Joan), remind me, where do you guys live? Oh, Ohio!!!

And finally, a tale/tail of caution to all us terriers out there who love to chase after moving things! Spare a thought for Heidi (who looks to me like a Jack Russel) who was chasing birds along San Diego's Sunset Cliffs. "A bird flew over the cliffs and so did Heidi. She ended up on the rocks below. Local lifeguards launched a rescue operation using a crane. A rescuer was lowered to Heidi, then he hoisted the bewildered pup to safety. "
I can quite imagine any one of us wires or smoothies doing the same thing! So read up friends! Look before you leap/chase....

AGC

No Appreciation!

I slept in my crate again last night just for the heck of it - I so enjoyed seeing my parent's confusion, I thought I'd extend their angst for another day.

This morning early Dad took me for the greatest walk. We ran into my best buddies Swoop (mixed brindle colored breed, looks a bit like the Pharoah dog) and Bailey (Boxer) and even Elvis agreed to join us - though he is a pitbull and he makes us all a little nervous, especially 'cos about 2 weeks ago he got into a fight with his foster brother, another pitbull, and they both ended up with stitches. Eek! Elvis's Mom Priscilla often jokes that me and Elvis are going to hit the road together (you know Axel Rose and Elvis?).

Mom was off to work when Dad and I came home - I always get excited to see her no matter how little time has passed since I last saw her, and I jumped up to say goodbye, muddying her jeans! Uh oh. Mom declared that I needed a bath after my fun romp with Swoop, Bailey and Elvis. I do look rather scruffy, but what am I, a poodle? No, I'm a terrier damn it, I'm supposed to be scruffy!

Last night, as I was sitting on my perch by the window, I spotted not one, but TWO cats accross the street. Well, I couldn't contain myself, I barked and barked till Dad tackled me and dropped the blind, almost guillotining me! Mom was all pissed, cos I happened to bark during the last five minutes of The Apprentice, so she missed the firing squad showdown. How she can watch that man with the stupid orange wig is beyond me, I felt I was doing Mom and Dad a double service: protecting the house from feline invaders and preventing them from watching the orange-haired fool. Not that I got much appreciation for my efforts!

Speaking of cats, look at this funny picture of a cat getting a bath..heh heh, she doesn't look too happy!


Have a great weekend everyone!

AGC

Confounding is Fun!

You know what I really enjoy doing? Confounding my poor parents! Last night, just for the heck of it, I slept in my crate. Now Mom and Dad are trying to figure out what's up with me, haha - like why would I voluntarily sleep in my crate (with the door open) when I could quite easily sleep in the bed with them? This is such fun!

I want to introduce a new friend -- his name is Jax and he divides his time between Dallas, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 'cos his Dad works in both places. Must be fun to move around like that me thinks. Jax is 3 years old and loves chew toys (and can even destroy Kongs if they are around for a long time), walkies, all medium and small dogs and all Airedales (?!), and people. I like his beard!

He sounds like my sort of dude, though I have never taken to Kong toys unless they are slathered with liver paste. I also don't think I've ever met an Airdale...but I sure would like to!

Take Me Home - Part II


Yesterday I was thrilled to announce that little Asta found a wonderful home and left the shelter forever. I now want to tell you about 4 purebred wire haired fox terriers that were found abandoned, 3 males and one female. They seem to range in age from 2-5 yrs old, pictured are 2 of the males, Fred and Fritz, the other 2 not pictured are Daphne and Duffy. Since the pics were taken, they have beem groomed, Fred is pictured after his grooming above right. They are currently residing at the Humane Society of Middletown, New York. If you want to take one of these sweeties home, please email luvyrpets2@gmail.com or call (845) 361-1861.
Fritz, Fred, Daphne and Duffy - here's hoping you find forever homes soon!

AGC

BREAKING HAPPY NEWS!

I feel like doing a jig! I just received word that little Asta, that sweet gal I featured in my premiere edition of "Take Me Home" yesterday, and who has been on my mind, has found a forever family!

Is this not just the happiest news!? Asta sweetie, I wish you all very best in your new forever home - may you finally get the love and attention you deserve.

Unfortunately there are other Wires still seeking homes in Brooklyn and Upstate NYC - I'll be posting their stories tomorrow.

AGC

Turn up the Radio!

Awesome news my canine and feline friends (ok, who am I bullshitting, I have no feline friends) - we now have our own radio station! It is aptly called DogCatRadio.com. "Now dogs, cats, hamsters and parrots can keep the anxiety, the loneliness, the restlessness at bay while their owners are out. It is radio just for them, live 17 hours a day, 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific time, and podcast for the rest of the 24 hours. " So I'm listening to it right now while I blog! It's really cool! You can read more about it in the NY Times. Thanks to my friends Becka and Noonie the retriever in Israel for passing on this great info to me.

Well, Halloween is behind us, the Cow costume is thankfully in the closet...but I am still getting photos of my pals in their costumes, or how should I put it, Halloween themed images? On the left is the very fetching Tennessee Witchie girl Moira Eilleen - boy has she grown into a gorgeous speciman! But she is protected by her big brother WindWizard...and apparently I have to undergo some sort of test to even play with Moira! To the right are the Savage kids looking decidedly spooky - I'm not sure if it is Woody and Amelia, or Alexis...they all look pretty alike.


I keep thinking about little Asta who I posted on yesterday's blog entry...I keep hoping she's found a home. You just never know what can happen when you rescue a dog. Read a wonderful story today about a rescued cocker spaniel who saved her new owners life when he backed over a ravine and was pinned in his car. "Honey saved his life just in time (she ran 1/2 a mile to summon help). Ironically, Bosch had recently saved hers when he adopted her from a shelter two weeks ago. " I must be maturing, this story is making me teary and sentimental!

I'm off to work with Dad today...yippee. He is working on his parent's house doing some repairs and painting so I get to go with and play in the yard and supervise the job!

AGC

More Tricked than Treated!

Boy, last night was exciting! Every few minutes there were loud knocks at the door - Dad would lunge for me, Mom would open the door and there would be all these strange creatures outside holding out bags into which Mom dished out candy! This went on for some time! Then Mom dressed me in my Cow costume and we went for a walk around the neighborhood. Everyone laughed at me! I didn't really mind, I still looked better than the pug in the Eagles Tshirt with devil horns! (Personally, I don't think Pugs even need to dress up to look funny!)

I got a bit pissed off that everyone was getting candy except me, so when we returned from our walk, I jumped up by the diningroom table and managed to overturn the whole candy dish onto the floor! Heh heh, Mom and Dad forget how big I've grown. I grabbed a mini Snickers and then ran behind the VCR hoping Mom and Dad wouldn't find me! I figured if I couldn't see them since my head was inside the entertainment unit, they couldn't see me, and I felt very clever! But Alas, they grabbed my butt and wrenched the candy from my jaws, and that was that. Dad then tried to appease me by giving me the WRAPPER sans the chocolate. Gee thanks Dad...that's really gonna do it for me! Not.

I got a great email from my smooth foxie friend Huckleberry - he told me he had seen the pics of me playing with my pal the Golden Retriever, and wanted to share a pic of himself and his best friend Max, also a Golden. What a cool pic Huck! They look like they're having a blast!

Being the frustrated philanthropist that I am, I am going to introduce a new feature on my blog called "Take Me Home!" It is sad but true, that there are many Wires and Smoothies out there looking for forever homes. I thought that perhaps by featuring these sweet souls on my blog I can maybe find a nice human out there willing to adopt them. So I'd like to introduce you to little Asta, currently residing at the Huntington Animal Shelter (Huntington, New York) . She is about 5 years old, passed her behavior test with flying colors, is spayed and vaccinated and just dying to find a family to love. Anyone interested, can email etory@metlife.com, or call 631-261-0767.

Heres wishing everyone a happy November! Hmmm, is that turkey I smell??

AGC

Pre-Halloween Poop Fest

Wishing all my friends and fans a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

So this is my first Halloween...Mom said she will take me out in my cow costume later, but Dad will have no part in it. He says it's stupid to dress me up. Who asked you Dad - I want to see how many treats I can get!!

Speaking of treats, it seems Halloween can be a dangerous time for us dogs, so for my human fans, here are some reminders:
-- Keep candy wrappers, foils and lollipop sticks away from pets. They can be choking hazards
-- When children come home with candy, make sure that pets have treats too. (Amen to that!)This will distract pets from wanting to investigate the candy.
-- If you want to dress your pet up in a costume make sure that the costume does not restrict their airways or have parts that can easily get caught on something.
-- Be aware that even the most mild mannered dogs may show a different side when they have strangers constantly coming to the house. It is best to keep animals away from the door.
-- Keep lit pumpkins and candles out of reach of wagging tails.

Actually, I better go easy on the treats, I've had a bad case of the shits for the last 24 hours. I was sound asleep under the bed (yup, now that the heat is on, I'm happy again to be under the bed for at least part of the night) when I felt my belly move. I tried to wake Dad, but he was dead to the world, so I ran downstairs and boy, I made the biggest poop ever, it was so big it stuck to my bum while I was in mid crouch. When dad finally came down, boy did he get a surprise...he thought maybe a rottweiler had broken in and left big poop on the carpet. ha! So he cleaned it up and we went back to bed. But would you know, the belly groaned again, and this time Dad ran down with me to let me out, but alas, I just couldn't hold it in...and out it came, all over the carpet again. Poor Dad...I felt bad. But not bad enough to prevent me from grabbing the papertowl while he was wiping up the mess...heh heh, I just love to shred the stuff.
Lucky Mom, she slept through the entire poop fest! Or was she just pretending to be asleep?

AGC

Perfect Fall Day in the Park

Oh boy, did we have a glorious day today! Mom and Dad took me to Lemon Hill Park and we were there for a long time taking in the beautiful mild temperatures and the sunlight. I ran into my friend the Golden Retriever, and we had a swell time as you can see:


Then I played catch with my fave green ball:


And we went to the brick wall and gazed at the beautiful view of the Schukhill river:


And I enjoyed some cuddles with Dad:


All in all - the PERFECT Dog Day Afternoon.
And now it's time to nap! Toodles!


AGC

Out Darn Sock!

Good news! Remember my silly friend Mackie swallowed a sock over a week ago? Well, this email arrived last night from his mom Melissa:

"Weeks after my Mackie ate the infamous nylon sock, hefinally vomited it up. I was waiting patiently for himto pass it, but it came up the other way. I can't tell you how heavy the darn thing was..."
Heavy? And I bet really really smelly! Yuck! I hope you learnt your lesson Mackie - no more socks pal, ok?

Well, I WAS feeling so crummy over my pathetic haircut until a dear friend (who's identity I will keep anonymous out of respect for his dignity) sent me this picture of himself and his really bad haircut. Poor dude, that is a bit too close to poodlish for comfort! No Wire should ever suffer such poor grooming - though I do understand that this haircut was required due to some medical problem on the dude's legs. Hopefully he's recovered fully and looking like the handsome wire I see lurking beneath that haircut!



I tell you, some Wires really live the good life. I mean I'm not saying I don't, but my pal Tilly in the UK goes on vacation more often than I poop, and that's OFTEN. Check out these pics of her having a frolicking good time on her latest holiday. The first pic is of her climbing a cairn, and in the second she's just chilling with her Dad:



Tilly's climbing adventure reminds me of an astounding story I read in the English press this morning. It seems a dog has escaped death and was left unscathed after falling 100 feet over a cliff on the Dorset coastline. "Three-year-old black Labrador Bracken was walking with its owner and her daughter, when he slipped and fell off a ledge at Peveril Point, near Swanage."
Not only did he survive, he was unscathed! Just shows what strong stuff we canines are made of!

Nothing very new to report in my life, except that sadly my petsitter Rose resigned yesterday as she needed to get a full-time job. I will miss you Rose - let's stay in touch! Poor Rose was blubbering when she left me yesterday. She must really love me. What's not to love?

AGC