Farewell Dear Friends

I am sad. I am verklempt. I have just said goodbye to my dearest friends Gracie the Anatolian (my best friend ever); Dozer, the Shephard mix alias Fenway; Kela, the Spaniel; Mojo, the black cat; and Dee, the homo sapien. Tomorrow they leave Philadelphia forever and head to Massachewsits - which I hope for Gracie's sake, is the land of many chews - perhaps that is where they grow Dingos and Pigs Ears?

Let's take a minute, to savor the moments of the special friendship I've shared with Gracie for the last year and a half. I was a few months old when she moved into the house across the street. Oh Gracie, how I will miss you sweetie.
Here is Gracie when she was a wee pup - those were the days when I towered over her!



And here are just some of the precious moments we shared together - playing, wrestling, partying and just hanging out in our street:


I knew the end was near, when I woke up to see this apparition on our street:


Later, Mom and I sat on the step with P our friend/dogwalker/neighbor and watched the men pack up the truck. And then Gracie, Dozer and Kela came by and Sasha, our pal the huge Akita visited to say a last goodbye too. I love J, Sasha's dad as he always carries pockets full of treats:



Later still, P ran home to get Elvis so he too could say his goodbyes to Gracie, Dozer and Kela. Here he is giving Gracie a kiss farewell...our pack will never be the same...



Finally, as the sun went down - it was time to part at last. We did one final check on the neighborhood alleyways and then Gracie took me by the leash and led me to my door - she whispered in my ear, "Farewell dear dear friend - until we meet again. I shall miss you. Thanks for being such a groovy pal. I will never forget you - I will always have a special place in my heart for your spunky wirey soul."



And so dear friends, one chapter ends as the big, loyal and beautiful Anatolian goes off on a new adventure with her brother, sister and Mom, and heartbroken but stoic, her Philadelphia pack stay behind, to bravely face another day...

AGC

My Very Special Birthday

Ah how swell it is to have a birthday! Hello everyone, I am now 2 years old, and I'd like to tell you about the special day I had!

When I woke up this morning, Mom and Dad gave me a new toy - a red Loofa dog dressed up in patiotic colors. Unfortunately the pic isn't great as I was distracted...but I sure dig this gift, it has a unique squeak that sounds more like a grumble. I also got two packages of Dingoes - little ones and donut shaped ones...but alas I couldn't have them all at once, I only got one to chew. Mom told me the big packet of Dingoes were a gift from Miss Amelia - wow, what a groovy chick she is. Thanks darling!

I had my usual walk this morning and my walk with P, my favorite dogwalker and then Mom came home and took me to the park after giving me lots of liver treats and burnt hotdogs (I love them - mom slices turkey or chicken dogs and frazzles them in the microwave for 12 minutes. Yummy).

At the park, I saw many friends:


And greeted old friends including Harry the big Spaniel looking thing (here we are drinking rain water from a tree) and Brody, the Cairn, one of my best buds:



I also chased Maggie and Mom had a hard time getting a photo of us in the same frame becos Maggie runs so darn fast! Can you see me? And yes I know it looks a bit scary - that we seem near cars and traffic, but really we know not to go off the grass. Ever.



I met a new friend today, a Boston Terrier/Pitbull pup, but I didn't catch his name:



Mostly I sat on the green green grass and just enjoyed being outside on my special day:



And I also ran about of course - an older dog needs his exercise!



On the way home, we ran into Dozer-Fenway (his mom gave him a new name, but I still think of him as Dozer, Gracie's little bro). He is the same size as me now and we love to wrestle. They leave Philly on Wednesday...boy that will be a sad day:


And the fun didn't end there. For dinner tonite I got TWO juicy beef ribs and I got to eat it on the couch! Wow. Usually I have to eat them on the floor, on a towel... Mom must have lost touch with her senses...



At the end of the day, I was pretty worn out from playing and chewing (2 ribs, 2 Dingoes, one hoof)- so I hit my fave spot a-top the sofa, and chilled.



I sure do like birthdays. And I sure am a lucky guy.

AGC

My Birthday Cometh!

Hear ye! Hear ye! On Thursday, May 17 is my birthday!!! I will be 2! That means that in human years I have already surpassed my bar mitzvah. What a relief that Mom and Dad didn't make me read the torah in synagogue - I don't think I could have pulled that off!

Mom came home late tonite and she was clutching a Petsmart bag when she walked in the door. I just know she went shopping for my birthday!! I tried to help her with her package but she told me it was not something for me. Yeah right Mom - I have a powerful sniffer and I smelled DINGOs and liver treats and toys!!! I might be almost 2 only but I wasn't born yesterday!

Today is the democratic election for Mayor of Philadelphia. Dad went off after our walk this morning to vote - poor Mom is not a citizen yet, so she gets no vote. She is pissed as she thinks a permanent resident implies you ain't leaving...so give me the vote!! Anyway...everyone else has endorsed candidates, so because my blog is so well read, and because I am a citizen albeit with out the right to vote, I am going to formally announce my endorsement. I, Axel G Chocholoza hereby endorse Tom Knox, for the very salient reason that his name rhymes with FOX and that is good enough for ME!

AGC

Hey, it's Henry!

What a beautiful day...and you won't believe what happened to me!

Dad and I were out on a walk in our familiar park surroundings when Dad sees a couple and a dog in the distance relaxing by a bench. As we got closer, Dad realized the dog was another Wire Fox!! We went and introduced ourselves and met Henry, a year old wire from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They were here on a weekend visit. It's always nice to see a fellow wire, but I was in one of my aloof moods...so the humans chatted for a while and then we continued on our way.

At the time, Mom was at the supermarket doing her weekly chore, when Dad had the brilliant idea of taking a photo of Henry and Me and sending it to Mom's cellphone. So there was Mom, perusing toilet paper in isle 9 when her phone rang. She thought it was Dad to remind her to buy something - but instead up came a photograph entitled, "me and my wire friend Henry". Mom was most confused, and when she realized what was up, she was most disappointed to have missed meeting Henry.

I'm the wire with the black saddle. Henry was mostly white.

When she got home, she interrogated Dad - who were they? how old was Henry? did we play? Was he stripped? where were they staying...poor Dad. Mom can be relentless when it comes to meeting other Wire foxes!

Tomorrow it's just me and Dad all day as Mom has to work at some big event - I don't see why I can't go with...but Mom says her work colleagues would not be impressed to have me along. Humpff!

AGC

Out & About

Yesterday, Mom, Dad and me went on a 3 hour outing to the Fairmount Arts Crawl - it's sort of a festival where local artists get to show their stuff at area establishments. I don't really have an appreciation for art, I prefer snacks!

Mom and Dad were helping out at the Fairmount Biz Association table and I was a very good boy - I sat on Mom's lap and smiled at everyone. I reckon people were more drawn to me than the stuff on the table...but don't tell Mom that. Here I am on Mom's lap - one of my fave places to be:



Later we walked around and many many people came up to us to comment on how handsome I am. I tolerated all the pats and attention but I started to get a bit pissed off after the umpteenth person referred to me as a mini Airedale. There is no such breed you silly ignoramuses!
Honest to God, do you really think I look anything like this?? (no offense to Stinky - SunShade's bro who I borrowed to prove my point)


On the way home, we stopped by a very big dog who didn't move at all and was not very sniffible. Mom said it was a statue of a mastiff who looked more to her like a huge overgrown pug. Here we are posing in front of it:



What a lovely way to spend an afternoon - out and about in the neighborhood with Mom and Dad, and a few ignoramuses.

AGC

The New Me

As promised, here I am with my new Summer haircut. I think I look pretty darn handsome. Mom gave the groomer a book of Wires and said, make him look like the guys in there. She did a pretty good job, the parents are just concerned she may have shaved more than she stripped...but we'll know soon enough when my colors either fade or come out... at any rate, everyone agrees, I look like a WIRE, finally. Hmm...



AGC

PS Mom says that without all that hair, I don't look so fat anymore! So maybe I'll be getting more treats...

Hanging in the 'Hood

AT LAST!
Yesterday we had our first WARM day in ages and ages. Mom and Dad took me for a long walk and to play with my friends by Lincoln Memorial and on the way back, we all just hung out outside our house - the humans enjoyed a beer/cooldrink and us dogs enjoyed our water and chilling with eachother.

Here I am on Dad's lap and in the background is Gracie's sister Kila. She's a very mellow chick:

Here is Gracie's bro Dozer - he's getting bigger every day. I have fun wrestling with him:


Wow, here is Dad surrounded by all of us. Radar is the big dude at left who walked by and said hello. I am still on Dad's lap, Gracie is in front of me, and Kila behind us.

I love this photo. Me and my Gracie - best pals in the world. Oh how I will miss her when she leaves in a few weeks!

Gracie lives in a zoo. Did I mention that? She also has two feline siblings. Here is Mojo the almost completely black cat hanging out in our flowerpot. I like to play with Mojo, we get along very well.



Dad seems to be enjoying a joke in this photo. Next to him is Dee - Gracie, Kila, Dozer and Mojo's mommy.

And here we all are again, this time also with our neighbor (the nice one) B and also visiting is Hailey, a breed of we're not sure what - Beagle and something...she is 9 years old and lives across the road - she barks a lot cos she's not used to us yet.

And finally - Dad yet again (obviously Mom prefers being the photographer than the model) with me, Gracie and Dozer.

Oh I love long summer days, hanging out with neighbors, being outdoors!
I hope this is the first of many wonderful days -- though they won't really be the same without Dee, Gracie, Dozer, Kila and Mojo.

AGC

PS In a few hours I'm going to get my haircut! Hope I don't come out looking like some crazy apparation.

My First Sleepover

Wow, what a day! First Mom took me for a walk and I found this huge pile of poop, and boy did I have a good roll in it. Mom is so stupid, she thought it was a bit of mud, but when we came home, the PONG struck! I was promptly dunked in the tub and doused in shampoo.

Then Mom and Dad left and 5 minutes later, came back - with Dozer, Gracie's new Shephard mix puppy brother! I did an instant jig. I LOVE having friends over. Mom told me that Dozer is spending the night becos his Mom had to go away. Dozer has my old crate -- he can enjoy it, I don't want it back thank you! So I was told he would sleep in there tonite and I would sleep, as usual, in the bed with Mom and Dad. I am so excited that I can't eat. I just want to play and play - I have more energy than Dozer. Boy, does he pee and poop a lot. Minute he drinks...pssss...out it comes. Minutes he eats...psfft...out it comes. Mom and Dad are rather amazed - they say I didn't do that as a pup. Poor Dozer - must be exhausting.

So friends, meet Dozer (enjoying my rubber chicken):



Here are some pictures of me and Dozer having fun:

I think you can take ONE look at my face to know how HAPPY I am to have my friend over for the night! I was standing on the couch watching him chew my chicken when this was taken:



AGC

Dalton's Birthday Party

Yesterday all my pals gathered at Fairmount Park to celebrate our friend Dalton's birthday. Dalton is a very hadsome English Setter of champion stock (Geez, hope I got the breed right). What a rollicking good time was had by all!

Here is Dalton with him Mommy Barb:


Dalton was very keen to eat his special birthday cake - and who wouldn't be, it looked delish.


Dalton nearly lost his cake in one BIG gulp, when Gracie tried to make a grab for it! That Gracie - ain't she something! Check out my Dad (right) laughing his head off!



Speaking of Gracie, as you all know by now, she is my bestest friend in the neighborhood. Yesterday I heard that her Mom finally sold her house and they will be moving away in May to some place called Massachewsetts. (I hope for Gracie's sake that means it is full of things to chew!). I am very sad to think of Gracie a million miles away, but Mom and Dad promised that we would make a trip up there to visit over the summer. Gracie is very lucky, she is going to have 2 acres to play on and live in the countryside. Gracie is also getting a new brother today - a Bermese Mountain Dog!

Anyway, so back to the party!

There were lots of snacks about, and you all know how much I love snacks! Here I am straining to get into the pretzel jar:



Alas, I didn't get very far, but throughout the party I did get plenty of snacks including birthday cake and cookies in a treat bag! I buried a few of them in the wood chips but when I went to retrieve them, they were GONE! Dad is always telling me how silly I am to bury treats when my pals are in the vicinity. Oh well.

Here are some photos of my friends:

Me and Gracie (poor Gracie had to wear a silly party hat. I would have none of it!) Gracie was chewing her chew from her treat bag and unwilling to share:



This is the newest friend in our neighborhood and it was hard to take a photo of him because he was so well camoflaged by the wood chips. His name is Basil and he's a puppy Cairn terrier:



Here I am (notice my party bandana) with Pippin the black and white dog, and Rocket the lab:



And finally - me with my buds (from left) Lilo, Dalton and Maggie. I love Maggie, she likes to run at top speed and I chase her! There has to be some Greyhound in her somewhere!



After two hours with my pals, we came home and I collapsed with exhaustion from all the running, playing and excitement! I hope come May that I too will have a party in the park!

AGC