Finn Howard

A Case of the Blahs

2012-02-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

Hewwwwow! Finnie here. I have to tell you all something...

Momma's come down with a case of the Blogging Blahs.

We're going to take a little blogging break, and plan on coming back when spring is in full bloom and when we can tell you about all of our warm outdoor adventures then!

Have no fears, I will be keeping Momma and Pops good company, dreaming about my heart-throb Cody and having fun running and playing around.

We will see you soon!

True Color Thursday - Aqua

2012-02-16T05:28:00.016-05:00

This week's challenge was aqua! How fun!

I went to one those paint your own pottery places
with my Mom and made myself this cup.

Here's Finn playing with her new toy from her boyfriend!
She loves it, as you can see by the way she has
torn through the rope!

Here are some candle holders without the candles.
Finn tried to eat the wax when she was a puppy and
we haven't put them back yet.

And our twist was to take a picture of actual aqua - this spot is just a couple of blocks from where I spend most of my days...

Ok, so Manhattan waters aren't so blue, but you get the idea!

And here I am on the other side (Brooklyn), looking back at lower Manhattan. Murky blue aqua in foreground. I took this picture on a staff outing for our holiday lunch. I couldn't believe it was this gorgeous outside in late December!

Enjoy!

Go Vote!

2012-02-14T05:52:00.001-05:00

Head on over to vote for your favorite Bad Sport! You have until 5pm (EST) totomorrow!

We hope you'll give Finn a fighting chance in this competition. Remember her ~~bratty behavior~~ bad sport retriever games?

Good luck to all of competitors! May the Worst Sport win!

I'm a bad sport!

Happy Valetine's Day!

2012-02-14T01:11:00.009-05:00

Dear Cody,

I am looking forward to seeing you tonight at the dance. MMMMWWWAH!

Love, Finn

Now, you remember that Cody sent me a package last week, right? Well, one day, there was a knock out at door from the postlady! An EXPRESS mail delivery for meeee!

From Singapore!

WOWOWOW!

Looks like a love letter!

Toys!

A squeaky pink octopus, an instant favorite!

Ok, I'm back, posing with my love letter!

Cody, you are really talented with a scissor and glue!

I love my new toys and treats!

Thank you thank you thank you!

But, I am a little concerned, you aren't in the box.

I still hope to see you tonight at the dance. I am at the kissing booth, remember?

*wink, wink*

We've Been Tagged!

2012-02-12T05:50:00.011-05:00

Hewwwow, Finn here. Guess what happened to us on Friday? We got tagged!

1. Describe yourself in seven words:
Loving life, curious, beautiful, energetic, typical golden!

2. What keeps you up at night?
If they let me in the bed, Momma and Pops kicking me keeps me up all night. Jeez, all I want to do is stretch out, can't they understand that?

If they don't let me in the bed, I just snoooooooze the whole night through.

3. Who would you like to be?
Everyone who spends time with me just says how much I love life....the dog sitter, random people on the street, and my peeps especially. Makes me think I would be particularly good at being a reporter of some sort, or hosting my own daily talk show, so I believe that I could be an excellent Oprah.

4. What are you wearing right now?
I like to go in the nude.

5. What scares you?
Lately the guys outside hunting for deer and shooting their guns have been giving me the jumps!

6. The best and worst of blogging:
I just love knowing about you all and my Momma really learns some creative things that she uses on me! That's just the best! You guys get a new toy, I get a new toy, you guys go somewhere exciting, Momma takes me somewhere exciting. It's awesome!

Momma does get a little down sometimes when she's reading about the Rainbow Bridge. She won't tell me what that is though because I am still a young pup!

Ok, I'm not that young anymore, but Momma says she and I can't have that discussion yet.

7. The last website I visited: My tagger - Basset Momma! Thank you!

8. What is one thing I would change about myself:
Hmmmm,...I am beautiful, well-groomed, healthy, smart...I don't think there is too much to change!

9. Slankets, yes or no: My Momma doesn't know what a slanket is!

10. Tell us something about the dog which tagged you - these guys really make me laugh - have you seen the entry where Freddie drinks the tea? Or when he goes for a run in the snow? Please go check it out!

Now, I am supposed to tag eight more blogs, but I can't decide. I know it's the easy way out, but if you'd like to share some things about yourself with us, please do!

And, a lot of you asked more about The Big Duck post from Friday. We didn't actually get to go in! We just walked around outside for a bit, and continued on with our joy riding. But, I was reading that they sell a lot of "duck" items! Maybe we will head back one day and try again!

The Big Duck

2012-02-10T01:06:00.007-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we took a ride to The Big Duck.

They aren't kidding! Built in the 1930s by a local farmer, The Big Duck was a place for him to sell duck eggs. Today it's a gift shop on a little piece of county owned property.

Finn loved it!

But, we got there at 11:45am, and there was a sign saying that it would reopen at 1pm. Kinda a long lunch hour, eh? So, we walked around outside for a bit.

Finn still loved it!

True Color Thursday - Eucalyptus

2012-02-09T05:22:00.007-05:00

This week's True Color Challenge was Eucalyptus. How fun!

I found some nice shades of this green -

Here's the floor in my building's elevator. Actually, it's quite beautiful!

And here is the sign of a restaurant across the street from me.

Confession: I have only eaten there once.

It was on my first day of work.

And our photo twist - find something that smells like Eucalyptus.

Thank you, local drug store!

Muddy Girl, Part 2

2012-02-07T06:36:00.005-05:00

Finnie is feeling much better, thank you! She's walking a little better and she's not moping

around too much. Her tail is back up and wagging and she is getting more

of her personality back.

This is what we had scheduled for today...

This dig is more impressive than her last one.

Nice work, girl And here's after she did a little shake before coming inside...

Oh yeah. Momma loves to clean the glass.

Our Busy Day

2012-02-05T04:55:00.013-05:00

Well, no sooner had I read over my post yesterday morning about how much I loved the Finn, did she do something that made me worry sick.

Guess where this picture was taken? She looks pretty happy and normal, right?

Well, we are at the emergency vet. That's right. Apparently, my normal vet couldn't squeeze us in yesterday (note to self, find new vet) and we had to run to the emergency room for my little girl! She wasn't sitting, and favored one hind leg over the other and her tail wasn't raised at all. She had been moping around all morning too, just not acting like herself.

So, the vet performed a little rear cleansing, we discovered she's backed up with....wood chips! Oh Finn. And bad supervision by the peeps in this house. We get a big F for bad backyard supervision.

And, after a little stretching, we're hoping that she's just sprained her leg. :(

So, Finn's suped up on drugs, eating some pumpkin and resting with Momma for the day. I realized how much I loved my little girl. Hope she's feeling better soon.

Confessions from Finnie's Momma

2012-02-04T05:13:00.011-05:00

I admit it. Getting Finn wasn't my idea. Well, let's rewind.

I never had any pets growing up, as my veteran readers know. My husband grew up with dogs and he wanted a dog for us, and so I went along. When it came to pick out a dog, yes, I stood amongst many choices of dogs and pointed her out and said, "That one, please." But I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

This is my first confession: I used to google, "I hate my puppy." Yes, I thought I was going to kill her. The crying, the whining, the biting, the constant need to pee. To poop. The walking, the training, the shots, the vet. I wanted to kill her. I read every person who agreed with me - they were puppy owners who were losing it...slowly...as they raised their dog. Then I kept reading, "wait," they said, "you will love your dog in a year." I thought it would never happen. How could I love this...animal....this dirty thing who was suddenly, and without any real planning, in my life. For like, ten years. Or more. *gulp*

So, I started to blog about Finn. I thought it if could see her grow and mature, I would learn to love her. This is my second confession: Blogging has enriched Finn's little life. And mine. The toy reviews, training tips, advice on Finn's wacky behavior. She has benefitted from this leaps and bounds. And so have I. I have a constant flow of different ideas from folks around the world. And for that, I thank you. I thank you for welcoming Finnie and a I into Blogville, giving us a place to laugh and share our crazy stories, and for giving us inspiration to try new things.

This is my third confession: Somewhere along the line, I didn't have to learn to love Finn anymore, I just did. I can't remember when it exactly happened, but one day I stopped dreading to take her out, I looked at her pictures and a big smile came across my face, and at some point, I knew I was sold. I want to thank you all, my readers, my inspiration, for being there whenever it was that I fell in love with Finn. You have all meant the world to us and have made such a difference in our lives!

True Color Thursday - Terra Cotta Red

2012-02-02T05:20:00.010-05:00

This week's challenge was Terra Cotta Red. It's only the third week of this challenge, and already it is getting hard!

Ok, so three pictures which include a bit of the color...

I'm gonna say that rooftop has some terra cotta in it.

I'm gonna say that bowl is terra cotta...

And finally, I was half-way through my curry chicken and rice mixture for lunch when I though, hey, that's terra cotta curry on my chicken!

And finally, we had to put something out of place in a terra cotta pot. I bought this pot, and the ceramic sun, on a trip to Mexico. Great fun!

(The sun normally hangs in the kitchen...)

STRETCH

2012-01-31T06:15:00.003-05:00

I hope you can see this picture clearly enough....here's the background.

We get up real early now, so early that I have to wake up the Finn in the morning to take her for a walk. On this morning, she wasn't waking up, and I put her collar on her and she heard that click and jumped off the couch and went right into her STRETCH mode. Half on the couch, half off. Nice moves Finn, nice moves!

Mango Minster 2012 Bad Sport Entry

2012-01-29T01:18:00.010-05:00

I have to let the judges in on a few things before I start to tell you why Finn is a bad sport.

First, Finn LOVES, and I mean ABSOLUTELY, ABOVE ALL THINGS, LOVES to play fetch. This is evidenced here, here, and here.

Secondly, Finn does know the command "drop." Apparently with everything except a ball. A squeaky, drive everyone in the house crazy, tennis ball.

So, here we go on why Momma thinks Finn is just a bad sport.

Even though Finn loves to play fetch, Finn will not drop the ball, which she has to so Momma can throw it again. I mean look at the look of death Finn is shooting me, the Momma, because I want to only take the ball so I can throw it again.

Yep, she makes me pull it from her mouth.

And then, even though she will bring the ball to me, sometimes she makes me chase her around the house before she even lets me get near her to pull it out of her mouth.

Yep, that's over a full minute of Momma chasing Finn around tables, stairs, the crate, etc. And the only reason why it ended is because Momma just stopped.

So, there you have it. Finn is just a bad sport. At playing her own game none-the-less!!

Good luck to everybody!

Finn's Chompers

2012-01-28T07:10:00.000-05:00

She makes me laugh for a couple of reasons...

- I have to hold the hoof-thing for her.
- While she is laying down in her night-time sleeping place
- And look at those chompers!

Oh, Finn!

True Color Thursday - Tomato Red

2012-01-26T05:33:00.010-05:00

This week's challenge was Tomato Red. Oh, did I have fun snapping this pictures around the office building!

I mean, seriously, the folks inside the office watching me take a picture of the exit sign - they think I am crazy!

And look at that - two reds in one shot!

And finally, we had to creatively place a can of tomato soup somewhere. But, I don't like tomato soup, so I used an alternative, tomato sauce. My grandmothers would be rolling in their graves if I knew I kept jars of this stuff at home and didn't make it from scratch, so please, don't share this with too many people!

This is how I have been leaving the house lately, and those are my maternal grandparents in the background.

Miss you two. You wouldn't be smiling if you saw that sauce up close in my house!

Simple Pleasures

2012-01-24T05:33:00.008-05:00

Ball...

Stick...

Run...sun...

Is that a smile I see???

Yesterday

2012-01-22T05:29:00.000-05:00

Lookie What Happened Here Last Night!

2012-01-20T05:09:00.000-05:00

A flurry!!!

Last winter, Finn only observed the snow from inside. This is her first snow participation!

True Colors Thursday - Celestial Blue

2012-01-19T05:43:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge was celestial blue. I admit, I was a little nervous at first, but doing this really opened my eyes to some of the beautiful things we have around us.

So here are my three celestial blue items. The first is a bottle that Pops picked up at an antiques fair where one of our friends was working for the day. Now it sits on a shelf in the bathroom.

Look at that pretty blue in the soap dispenser. You are most welcome, Dawn. You can send a check to me at...

This is a pretty blue tray I bought when I went to Italy with my parents about five years ago. It's beautiful inlaid wood, and it sits on our coffee table in the living room.

The last part of this challenge was to find a picture of the celestial sky. Here's a picture that I think is just beautiful. I took this picture on our last vacation.

Toys

2012-01-17T06:25:00.009-05:00

Before we get started today, I would like to thank Stewey Unscene for my award! Thank you. We love seeing what Stewey is wearing and we are jealous of his very hip outfits.

We have gotten the award four times!! We are so honored that other doggie bloggies enjoy reading about our outings!

On to the post! One day, I was taking pictures of Finn playing with a new toy

And I realized that Finn only plays with her toys down on our first floor. I thought I would do a little experiment. I took one of Finn's favorite toys and brought it upstairs and made it known that I would be spending a little time up there...turned on some lights, turned on the upstairs tv, that kind of thing.

I waited to see what would happen....

She came up, got the toy, and brought it back downstairs.

Ever wonder what they are thinking???

It's not like I ever reprimanded her for playing upstairs...

Oh Finn...

Vineyards

2012-01-15T01:30:00.019-05:00

We took a nice ride yesterday out to the vineyards, which are very, very dog-friendly. Our first stop was Martha Clara Vineyard, in Riverhead, NY.

They are open year round and, they have dog walk programs once a month throughout the winter and then more frequently in the spring! Yesterday, when we parked the car, we were greeted by these guys -

Finn went over to investigate...

And then Finn went over and made friends with some of the goats. We think she really wanted to get inside that pen to play.

Time to head inside for what we came for. What'll it be, Finn? White or red?

The staff was so friendly and really didn't mind having Finn in there. Biscuits suddenly appeared from behind the bar and everyone was happy!

We sniffed around the gift shop too...

And then Finn found me in the tasting room enjoying my glass...

And helped me pick out a bottle to bring home.

You'd think one stop was enough, but no, no, Momma needed another glass. So, off we went to Macari Vineyards in Mattituck, NY.

Taking a little stroll outside before we head into the tasting...

Can I try some Momma, can I? Can I? Can I?

No, no, it was enjoyed by just Momma. The staff here was so friendly as well and they all came out from behind the bar to give Finn a nice hug or two.

A great outing indeed! Everyone went home very happy!

And Our Winner is....

2012-01-13T12:01:00.005-05:00

Thank you all for playing Where in the World is Finnie's Momma!

We received a lot of great guesses! Here is the building where my Momma spends all of her working days now...

And here is the map of where she is...she says she's in the Financial District of Manhattan.

80 Maiden Lane

Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the South Street Seaport, The World Trade Center, and the Stock Exchange!

And here is a little history of the street, care of Wiki.

Now, Momma wasn't sure if a cat or a doggie owner would win, since she has some followers of both! So, she is gonna go out and do her shopping for.... a dog because the winner is....

Lassie and Benji!!

Congrats! Congrats! And we had a lot of guesses from folks who were just so close! I mean, SO CLOSE...all within one or two blocks from the right answer! I hope everyone had a fun time playing! I sure had a fun time showing you the sites!

I'm Pawsome!

2012-01-13T05:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you Pupparoos and Basset Momma!

We have been getting a few awards lately, and I do appreciate them all!

Check back at noon today for our contest winner...

Kissing Booth

2012-01-11T05:50:00.001-05:00

We entered the Kissing Booth at the Valentine's Day Dance with this pic.

Go ahead, get your slobber pics in!

One Man's Junk

2012-01-09T07:04:00.002-05:00

Our community was chopping up all the Christmas trees this weekend.

So, a whole community's junk...

became Finn's Saturday morning treasure!

We didn't put a tree up last year for the basic fear that we didn't know how she would react to it. We're really looking forward to trying one out next year. I am sure she will remember the heaven that is this smell!

The Struggle

2012-01-07T07:56:00.004-05:00

We had honestly put the towel on top of her when she was snuggled in on the couch, we thought it would keep her warm. Then she hopped off the couch and the struggle ensued...

She was not happy about the whole incident.

Accessorizing

2012-01-05T07:40:00.006-05:00

Like my bracelet Cody?

Oh, we're just playing around! Ok, so don't forget, you have until 1/13 to play Where in the World is Finnie's Momma - see her post on 12/30 for all the details!

My Peep Is Totally a Flake

2012-01-03T02:20:00.008-05:00

Hewwwow, Finn here. I'm back. Sunday I just scratched the surface as to why my peeps were flakes, and I shall continue today!

Ok, this is mostly about why my Momma is an odd one, not just a flake. So, she takes pictures of food. Randomly.

For birthdays...

Uncle Lou's 75th birthday

Grandma's birthday cake

On holidays...

Shrimp Scampi at Grandma's

Christmas Eve pasta at Grandma's

Struffoli

Carving the bird

For parties...

Towel cake

On vacation...

Making honey in Vermont

Dinner in Ireland, that's a lot of potatoes!

Pops is eating pasta in Ireland

Cooking lesson on the cruise

Sushi and a beer at a Mariner's game

To remember the set-up

Long Island wineries sponsor a social at a museum conference

Someone please tell her to stop! She's a little odd. But she's my Momma!

Tell me that's flaky enough Sarge, they are getting embarrassed!
And, quite frankly, so am I...

My Peep Is a Flake, Isn't Yours?

2012-01-01T02:08:00.002-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hewwwow, Finn here. I almost died with laughter when Sarge asked me to post pictures of my peeps acting like flakes, because THEY TOP THE CAKE!

Before I came into the picture, Mom had this collection of teddy bears...

that she and Pops took with them on vacations...

posed them doing silly things....

shared birthdays with them...

and just plain old fooled around with...

I mean, seriously!

Ok, who am I kidding, they do these weird things with them
even though I am around now too.

Oh wait, there's more...tune in on Tuesday...this is just the beginning...

Sorry Boys...

2011-12-31T03:32:00.010-05:00

Guess what happened to me yesterday?!?

My friend Cody asked me to go out with him!

And Momma said I could go! WHOOOOPIE!!

Dear Cody,

I like going for walks and runs on the beach...

Walking around at night to see all the lights....

And playing with bright squeaky things....

Tonight is New Year's Eve - where are you taking me??

Love, Finn

Where in the World is Finnie's Momma? And a Giveaway!

2011-12-30T03:45:00.019-05:00

I was truly touched by all of your kinds words when I shared my lay-off saga with you. I have been working at my new job now for a month, and I thought it would be fun to show you around the area where I am now working. I love this kind of thing because I just love maps. I can't explain it. So, I thought, whoever can guess the closest location to my new job will win a little care package from my gal Finn.

Ok, here we go....

To the west - rebuilding after 9/11

To the west, Zuccotti Park...where are my protestors? Where's Pip?!!

To the southwest, Trinity Church

To the south, Federal Hall

To the south, Stock Exchange

To the north - My subway stop in the morning. I get off here so I can get some fresh air and get a little walk in. On the way home I go in at a stop that is much closer.

To the east - see those buildings in the background - that would be Brooklyn! And just in front of it is the FDR Drive.

To the northeast, South Street Seaport and Brooklyn Bridge

Courtesy of South Street Seaport

Ok, so there you go - this is my new working neighborhood. Can you figure out a street name? An address? Give it a whirl. And, checking out a map is absolutely allowed! Send your guesses to me at marianne(dot)d(dot)howard@gmail(dot)com by next Friday, January 13th by noon EST and the closest address wins!

Christmas Eve Walk

2011-12-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

On Christmas Eve, we decided to take a walk here...

We saw a lot of this...

and this...

And did some of this...

And a lot of this!

Yes, tons of smiles!

My Christmas Morning

2011-12-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

First, Momma turned on a movie and it played allllllll dayyyyyyy longggg....

Then she brought out a gift baggie just for me!

A card from the Big Guy himself!!! On rawhide!! He does exist!

What's this?

A snowman? That squeaks?

To the pillow!!

There's more?!

To the pillow again!

Yes, I love them all!

More? Oh, those are for Momma and Pops...

I'll just nosh on my card...

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas filled with squeakie toys and extra treats!

Gotcha!

2011-12-24T01:39:00.003-05:00

Hewwwow! Finn here. One year ago today, Momma and Pops came into the place where I had been staying and picked me up out of my play crib and said "Yes, we'll take HER!"

Do you blame them? Look at how cute I am!

Momma said it was because when I was playing with another doggie, he had taken my ball from me and I went over and nipped his ear. I don't remember any of that though.

And, to be honest, although they came and picked me out a year ago today, THEY ACTUALLY LEFT ME THERE FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO! They said it was so I could get all my shots and they could get through the holidays, but I don't remember any of that either. Hurmph.

Tomorrow is Christmas! May you and your families have a merry and blessed one!

Thank you, thank you!

2011-12-20T00:57:00.006-05:00

We loved opening up every one of them!

And thank you to Lassiter Chase and Benjamin, the Shelties & Cybersibes for our Liebster Award! We have gotten three awards in one week, and we are just honored.

Feed Me

2011-12-18T06:46:00.003-05:00

I kid you not, this picture was taken yesterday at 12 noon, and we did give her breakfast!

Kreativ Blogger

2011-12-16T12:06:00.004-05:00

Thank you to my friends at Urban Hounds for my newest award! We are honored!

And now, we must tell you ten things about ourselves that you may not know! This is hard, but here we go...

1. We almost got a rottweiler instead of our girl!

2. I still don't really like other dogs in the fur, just my own! (Liking you all is much different). I try to smile at other dogs I see and pet one or two here or there, but Finn is by far the only dog I really really enjoy to be around.

3. Finn has picked up bad behavior at the dog park. She humps my husband's leg. It is the funniest thing to see and we are trying to stop that behavior, but it just makes us crack up when she does it.

4. Now that there is frost on the ground in the mornings, we spend a little extra time on our first walk of the day. Finn likes to crunch crunch crunch around in the frozen grass. I even make a crunch sound for her when she steps.

5. Anyone seeing us do this would think I am a little loco, but I don't care. She smiles up at me when I do it. Maybe she's thinking I am a little loco.

6. Sometimes Finn wakes me up in the middle of night - I can hear her walking across the floors. I wish she would sleep through the night sometimes!

7. Finn prefers my husband's socks to mine.

8. Finn gets "Oh, she's so adorable" comments wherever we go. And I always say, "thank you." Like I gave birth to her and she has my gene pool.

9. It's really Finn's world and I am just living in it.

10. And as you know, I started my new job earlier this month. I miss having my girl around me during the day! When I come home at night, she is so glad to see me and it makes me smile.

And now to pass the award along to six of my friends!
1. Westie Julep
2. While Walking Duncan
3. Two Scotties Livin' the Dream
4. Bad Blair
5. Homer the Golden Retriever
6. Jasper-isms

Pressie Exchange

2011-12-15T07:42:00.005-05:00

Earlier in the week, my gift box arrived from Jazzi & Addy! I was sooooooo excited!

A picture ornament, a rope toy, a frisbee, some treats, and a squeaky ball!

I instantly found my fave! A BALL - THAT SQUEAKS! JOY!

GIMME GIMME GIMME!

Oh wait, some treats!

Can't a gal have both? Notice I am protecting my ball while I munch, munch, munch!

Thank you guys - I love it all!

Mud Bath

2011-12-13T07:20:00.001-05:00

This is the hole in the mud....

This is mud that wound up on the gal digging the hole...

She's all mine.

Our Visit with the Big Guy!

2011-12-11T01:33:00.006-05:00

One or two pics aren't too bad! When we were finished, the woman asked me,

"Are you the lady who called earlier and said her dog was crazy and we

might have to take more than one picture?"

Uh, no. Are you saying Finn is crazy?!

I Heart My Golden

2011-12-09T02:05:00.008-05:00

Yes, I do.

Thank you, All Things Dog Blog!

Card Count:

Finn 24

Momma & Pops 3

Thank you! Finn loves to sniff them!!

I, however, am feeling a little neglected by my family and friends!

Remember, Momma's a Yankees Fan...

2011-12-07T07:34:00.002-05:00

Yes, that would be Finn wimpering because she couldn't get the hat....

Munch, munch munch. Sometimes I gotta let her break the rules.

Winter Cleaning

2011-12-05T05:53:00.015-05:00

Christmas card count

Finn: 10

Momma and Pops: 2

No joke. Thank you to everyone sending the cards! We love them!!!

On to the post...

What happened Finn? Looks like you have just a couple of toys there...

"You said my toys were getting dirty...

So you took them away and put them in that loud thing...

There was nothing to do so I took a nappie...

When I woke up they were so nice and soft...

And put back in their place...

Everything is right again with the world..."

Dog Park Doins'

2011-12-03T09:42:00.001-05:00

Our dog park separates the dogs by size, so doggies under 30 pounds are separate from those over 30 pounds. Genius idea! Until there is only one doggie on one side...

who whines and whines until the doggies on the other side come over and play...

and chase each other back and forth up and down the fence.

This is Heidi...

She turned one today! There she is giving Dodger a run for his money.

C'mon Finn, catch up!

And here's Marmaduke. He's a no nonsense type of dog.

Here's our new friend, Durga. She's visiting down from Buffalo this week.

Just some pics of what we've been up to this weekend!

Thank you to everyone for your kind words about my new job. Once I am settled, I will be sharing some more about that.

How are you all doing out there?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

2011-12-01T05:24:00.009-05:00

Hewwwow! Finn here. Big doins around the house lately...

Momma got a new job! Well, let's rewind - - - three weeks ago, Momma and me were playing in her work-office-place when her boss and a lawyer's assistant came in and told her that she lost her job! And we needed to pack up and get out right away. Something about the endowment being down and she was one of several that were being asked to go.

So, Momma packed up her office, and then she did something GREAT - she let me jump all over the lawyer's assistant. Normally when I jump on people, she yells at me and tells me to GET DOWN, but that morning she stood back and smiled as I jumped all over this woman, who Momma said, was wearing a really nice suit.

So, home we went and we had been spending some nice time together for the past three weeks. She had been sending out her resume and went on some interviews, and then on Tuesday, three weeks to the day from being let go, she was offered a NEW JOB! She said YES!

But I don't get to go to work with her anymore. So now I am going to have to prove to Momma and Pops that I can be a big girl and stay home. Hahahahaha. I am sure that I will leave them some little surprises along the way, but I know I CAN DO IT!

Momma starts her job TODAY, and since she won't really have time to catch up with everyone the next couple of days, she says she will see you all over the weekend! Please keep her in your thoughts today because she is really nervous and wants to do well.

Talk to you soon!

Coffee (Hot Cocoa) with a Canine

2011-11-30T09:57:00.000-05:00

We're famous!

Please head on over to Coffee with a Canine today to see Finn and I in action!

That Wubba Had It Comin'....

2011-11-29T07:45:00.002-05:00

What? Don't look at me like that...I didn't do ANYTHING!

Lights!

2011-11-27T07:06:00.010-05:00

Hewwwow! Finn here. Yesterday Momma and Pops were up to something very fishy. They started taking down all the scarecrows and pumpkins and everything and started to put up some of these...

They wouldn't even let me help! I had to sit inside and watch, and it was a good thing, because Pops was saying a lot of bad words at some points...something about the bleepin' extension cords and all that...

They let me come back out again when they were all done.

Who's this guy?

I dunno, but I am gonna get a piece of that hat at some point real soon!

Anyway, I didn't know what Christmas was, because I wasn't in my home with them last year and so Momma sat down and told me all about it...

Can't wait to see what this is all about the next month!!

Greeting Pops

2011-11-25T01:23:00.001-05:00

Pops gets a full-on hug when he walks in through the door.

Momma just gets a tail wag greeting.

Something just seems wrong about that.

Observations

2011-11-22T04:35:00.002-05:00

To all of my new followers, welcome, welcome! Hope you're all enjoying my adventures with Finn.

I love taking pictures of my girl, but sometimes, the camera isn't ready, and I'd just like to enjoy the moment with her without trying to capture it. I've noticed some things about her, which just make me chuckle...

Finn is always looking at what's over her head. If she hears a plane, she'll look up at the sky, have a seat, and just watch it pass us by.

Finn's a scaredy-cat. The little-ist thing makes her jump. We live near the woods, and sometimes we hear shots, and Finn will jump and just run all the way back home. Once, she looked up and saw a portable basketball hoop. It scared her and she ran away form that too.

Finn loves little people. We wonder if it is because she thinks they are closer to her size. She will play with anyone who is in the three foot height range.

Since we have been home from our vacation in September, Finn has been a little angel when she's been left alone. She hasn't munched on our carpets at home and she is no longer the office terror. I used to have to time taking her out to do her business in between my meetings at work, and now I know she can hold it for long periods of time. We have been able to leave her alone in the house for 7 hours without any destruction! She's learning!

Finn hates when we eat at the table and she cannot survey our meals. She walks around the table and tries to get a good angle to see what we are eating. She also knows when the microwave goes off or I start cooking on the stove that there may be a chance she'll get a scrap, and she'll lay on the kitchen floor waiting for the moment that I drop or drip something.

Finn sighs. Finn sighs at moments when a human would sigh to show displeasure. Finn has sighed when she has learned we aren't going out to play, when she's been told to be quiet, when she understands that she isn't getting any of momma's and pop's dinner.

Finn loves cartoons. And seeing dogs on tv. Know that scene in Sex and the City when Charlotte shows her dog, Elizabeth Taylor, and wins the prize? She then takes the dog to the dog park and the poor thing gets pregnant there. Finn hopped down off the couch and stared at the tv screen when that whole scene was happening. Her tail was wagging and I think she thought she was at the dog park with them. We wonder what she thinks the tv is.

On days when we stay home, Finn will sit outside whatever room I am in to remind me that it is time to take her for her morning walk. And when I go to the door and get my shoes on and click that leash on her, she is ready for our next adventure together. She's a great friend.

Give Us the Bird

2011-11-21T02:58:00.002-05:00

Today we'll be posting pictures of birds for Sarge's Give Us the Bird contest.

Hope you enjoy them!

Bald Eagle while rafting down a river in Skagway, Alaska!

A swan boat ride in Boston, Massachusetts!

Some wild turkeys outside our casa!

A puffin in Bar Harbor, Maine!

And finally, Finn wants in on the action with some ducks!

Christmas Card Exchange - Deadline Tomorrow

2011-11-18T01:56:00.003-05:00

Okay, let's face it, in most parts of the country, it has already snowed by now. Your scarecrows in the front yard are probably looking weak and wilted, and thinking about preparing a turkey for Thanksgiving next week is making you panic slightly...especially if you have my mad cooking skillz.

So, let's jump ahead and think about December - Christmas! Hanukkah! Kwanzaa! Festivus! C'mon, you all know you secretly wished that you had feats of strength in your house. And don't you want your little buddy to get some serious mail this year?! Join in our Christmas Card Exchange - it doesn't matter what you celebrate or if you want to go green and send email cards - lets make this holiday season one of the merriest for our little friends!

If you live in a state A-L, send your full name, blog, snail mail address, and email address to Hound Dog's momma at hounddogmom(dot)jeakins(at)gmail(dot)com.

If you live in a state M-Z, send your full name, blog, snail mail address, and email address to me at marianne(dot)d(dot)howard(at)gmail(dot) com

If you live outside the USA, send your full name, blog, email address and snail mail address to Schnauzer Day's momma at schnauzerdays(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

Our deadline is TOMORROW! The master list will be sent to you by November 21st. And no worries, we will not be sharing your emails or home addresses for any other purposes.

Have fun!

Can You Just Move That Pillow Closer...Slightly....

2011-11-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

Home Improvement II

2011-11-14T06:06:00.007-05:00

You may recall when we put the railings up on our stairs and anticipated the arrival of our carpet. Well, it has arrived, and needless to say, Finn was very confused.

Sniffing.

Rolling.

Just kind of standing there.

Squeezing.

And then, finding the best possible way to enjoy it.

Getting a full on belly rub while laying on it.

Whatcha Lookin' At, Punk?

2011-11-12T09:02:00.006-05:00

The Leash and the Promise

2011-11-10T07:44:00.000-05:00

Finn doesn't fetch sticks, she chews them. Oh Finn.

Well, you may have noticed that I have reverted back to using this leash, which has a nice hand grip close to the clasp. About a month ago, I realized that Finn had no idea of what the heel command meant. I realized this when she dragged me about twenty feet to attempt to jump on a disabled child getting onto a bus. There is no excuse for that type of behavior.

I promised myself and Finn that we would become more controlled during our walks. And I promised myself I would blog a post about it too, because you have to take the bad with the good, right? So, for the past month, we have been working on being a better walker on the leash. I made certain of five simple rules, which I wrote down so that I could remember them every time we walk:

1. I will leave and come into the the house first, she will follow me.

2. I will call her to come to me when I put the leash on.

3. We will use our key phrase, "Do you want to go for a walkie?", to signal it's time to head out.

4. If I feel her pulling me, I will stop walking and command she stays and sits while I am stopped.

5. She will not walk ahead of me. I will reward her when she walks to my side.

I have to say, this past month has been an eye opener. It took about two weeks to get the command "heel" to work with any sort of regularity, and the only time she really pulls me now is when she sees another dog being walked or when she sniffs out a pile of poopsies left behind by another dog. Both behaviors I can completely understand, but I am working on getting those to stop too. We are at a point now where we can walk past people without any pulling, and in general, she isn't walking in front of me anymore. I feel so relieved and I am so glad we are at this point! It's taken us a while, but we needed to get there.

The Neighbor

2011-11-08T00:30:00.004-05:00

Our next door neighbor likes to provide a cat with some food and water.

Finn sniffs around waiting for that cat to show up...

Because when we go for a walk outside and we see this...

...it turns into a shoot-out showdown, and I have to say, Finn is a wimp. The cat hisses, Finn jumps away, and then she goes back inside looking for the cat through the fence again.

It's a vicious cycle. If she knows the cat is going to hiss at her, why does she jump? And then go back to looking for it? Oh Finn...

Other Goldens

2011-11-06T05:33:00.008-05:00

Here are Jasmine and Sam, other goldens we meet regularly at the park.

Finn loves them.

Sometimes, I wonder what she's thinking when she plays with them. We have given a voice to Finn, and my husband and I have full-on conversations of what we think Finn is thinking.

On this day, it went something like this...

"Mom? Dad? Is that you? Oh, you want to take me home with you? Okay..."

Nah, she came a running back.

But I always wonder what she's thinking when she sees them...

You Know What Drives Momma CRAZY?!?!

2011-11-04T06:19:00.005-04:00

The perfect lighting....

The perfect setting....

And ME, NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION.

Isn't it grand?

Don't forget - states M-Z send your info to my momma for the Christmas card exchange!!

For all the details, check out her blog post here! Deadline is on November 19th.

One Word Wednesday - Speed!

2011-11-02T06:18:00.010-04:00

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T02:38:00.009-04:00

This is so humiliating...

Well, our Halloween costume parade got rained out over the weekend, and I have been summonsed for jury duty today, so luckily for Finn, she will not have to wear her costume too long today. Pops certainly isn't going to make her wear it! But, I think she looks so cute, don't you?

Show Us Your Treat Jar & Christmas Card Exchange

2011-10-29T05:22:00.009-04:00

After I made my rant about the Kong ball,

I did finally go out and buy the treats that would fit.

And Finn loves it.

Sorry about that Kong, can we still be friends?

So, we don't have a treat jar, we keep all of Finn's treats in their baggies on top of the fridge. Sometimes when we are in the kitchen, poor Finn will glance up to the fridge...and then to us....and then to fridge...

Today we will be dropping off a bag of the treats to our local shelter, in support of Cybersibes' show us your treat day! Even though Finn just found these treats two weeks ago, she jumps around when she sees the ball coming up and tries to gobble up those treats as quickly as possible!

And, don't forget about our Christmas Card Exchange! If you LOVE mail and you want to get involved in the action, see the directions here!

Christmas Card Exchange!

2011-10-28T02:49:00.003-04:00

Who's ready to get into the holiday spirit?? I'm helping out Jazzi's Momma this year in organizing a Christmas Card Exchange. If you'd like to be a a part of it, please sit your human down and have them send us an email.

If you live in a state A-L, send your full name, blog, snail mail address, and email address to Hound Dog's momma at hounddogmom(dot)jeakins(at)gmail(dot)com.

If you live in a state M-Z, send your full name, blog, snail mail address, and email address to my momma at marianne(dot)d(dot)howard(at)gmail(dot) com

If you live outside the USA, send your full name, blog, email address and snail mail address to Schnauzer Day's momma at schnauzerdays(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

We're including email addresses in case you'd like to keep it green this year! Also, we are welcoming all types of holiday cards in the exchange, so if your peeps celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus, you can participate!

Our deadline is November 19th! Make sure to send us your info by then. The master list will be sent to you by November 21st. And no worries, we will not be sharing your emails or home addresses for any other purposes.

Have fun!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T05:13:00.005-04:00

To My Hubby

2011-10-24T00:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary to my hubby, who checks on Finn's blog regularly. I love you.

Here we are on our wedding day...

... and at a stop on the Ring of Kerry on our honeymoon.

Just wonderful memories of this time...two years ago...sharing this special day with family and friends and then traveling around Ireland together for a couple of weeks.

All pre-Finn. :)

Home Improvement

2011-10-22T06:40:00.000-04:00

Last week we mounted railings for our staircase. Finn did not approve! Look at that face!

We're guessing she'll be a lot happier when we get the stairs carpeted -

a change she can actually munch on!

The Underbite

2011-10-20T14:46:00.000-04:00

When we first went to pick up Finn, we were told that we would never be able to show her because of her severe underbite. Not that we had any intention of ever showing her, but I always remember the point the woman made about showing us her teeth. We can see her underbite when she's relaxing sometimes, and it just makes us giggle.

Nothing like Finn being Finn. Love you girl!

Momma's FAIL

2011-10-19T06:24:00.030-04:00

I was so busy buying pressies and making cakes for a certain dog's birthday

last week, that in the midst of it, I made an epic FAIL.

One of the gifts I bought for Finn was this

The folks who bought it raved about it! Their dogs begged them to fill it up and

let them play with it. So, I went for it. When it came, I stuffed it with our usual treats, but since we're still using puppy sized treats, they fell out too easily,

as in - fell out before I even put the ball on the floor.

FAIL on Momma's part for buying a toy before looking for the matching treats!!!

I went to the pet store and tried to size up bone-shaped treats that would fit into the little slot and found these:

Look, perfect bone size, seemed like a healthy natural product. And all the Kong treats I looked at in the pet store weren't bone shaped. And therefore, I incorrectly surmised, would not fit into the bone shaped holes in the ball.

These treats I bought in the store are just small enough that they fall out a little too easily too. Like one push with the paw and one roll of the ball and the treat is out.

Then I went back and looked at the picture online and saw that I'm just supposed to

buy the Kong-shaped Kong treats and stuff them sideways into the

bone-shaped holes in the ball.

Ughghghhggg. Ever notice that what seems like a good idea at that instant moment in time never really turns out to be a good idea?

I'm making three trips to the pet store for this stupid ball! FAIL! And, when I bought the proper treats, and tried them out in the ball, it took Finn all of about five minutes to get them out. FAIL FAIL FAIL.

Momma's rant is over now. We'll go back to our regularly scheduled programming of cute Finn pictures and stories next time. She just had to let that all out. Thank you.

The IQube

2011-10-17T08:55:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share our experiences with Finn's new toy. I bought this IQube after some of you fine folks suggested Finn's brain needed a little stimulating while we were at work. My one concern about buying it was that some of the reviewers said it was too easy for their dogs, but I figured we'd give it a try...

We introduced Finn to the game, showed her each ball, that they all squeaked and that we were putting them in the cube. We did this about three times.

So, at first, Finn just brought it around from room to room.

Then she gnawed at the openings where she was supposed to be

digging for the squeaky balls.

Then she tried to push the balls out of the slots instead of trying to pull them out.

Then she almost gave up.

Then at last, a small victory! One of the balls is out. I can't really foresee Finn ever trying to get the other balls free while she can squeak and play with one. I even started to hide the one ball she got out so she would go dig for the others, but she caught on to me. She loves the munching and the digging in something new though and she hasn't destroyed it yet, so everyone is pleased!

Birthday Cake Recipe

2011-10-15T07:17:00.003-04:00

Now, I'm not one for cooking. I honestly can't believe that I searched for, found, shopped for and baked a birthday cake for my Finn. But, it was so unbelievably easy and she loved it. I mean LOVED it. After we gave her a piece, she climbed back on top of the stove to eat the rest out of the pan.

Here it is...Doggie Birthday Cake

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup shredded carrots
1 egg

Mix flour and baking soda together. Separately mix the honey, peanut butter, carrots and egg and then combine with the dry ingredients. Pour into a round 8 inch pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

I'm ONE!

2011-10-14T00:00:00.002-04:00

Here's the cake Momma made!

Here I am about to tackle my new toy!

Here's the ridiculous birthday princess head band they made me wear!

I have a feeling it's going to be a great weekend!

Rock-A-Bye Baby...

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Yep, she falls asleep in Pop's lap...

It's World SMILE Day

2011-10-07T01:27:00.000-04:00

Assessing the Situation

2011-10-06T07:00:00.006-04:00

As most of you know, I am privileged to be able to bring Finn with to work everyday. It's wonderful therapy for not only me, but the rest of the office. We go for some exercise in the morning, I bring squeaky toys and puzzle toys and treats in with me, we go for some shorter walks throughout the day. Thing is, at some point throughout the day, she can be seen looking like this:

BORED.

Don't get me wrong, every day she can also be seen at some point like this:

NOT BORED.

But I get a little worried that she needs a little more stimulation throughout the week. Any ideas? I've been reading some articles on doggie boredom and activities you can do with them to keep them entertained, but they don't keep these things in mind: we're essentially indoors and in an old house, and you know, I'm at work, so I actually have to get work done during the day. I'm just looking to switch it up a little...

This Video Is Called...

2011-10-05T07:48:00.002-04:00

"No, actually, I'm not ready."

Let me watch tv, lady...

Finn Discovers a First Sign of Autumn

2011-10-03T11:17:00.000-04:00

I'm looking forward to letting her run through piles of leaves, hopefully real soon...

A Blessing

2011-10-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

Wow, today was an awesome day! I knew this week would bring the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, so I was looking around for a church which would provide a service to bless all animals. (St Francis is our patron saint of animals and ecology.) Luckily we found a local church providing this service in a neighborhood not too far away, and we were happy to receive the blessing. There were so many other dogs, some cats, some bunnies and some little ferrets there too! And, in usual Finn fashion, she made a new friend, Reilly.

I think she was slightly confused about why we were in a yard with other dogs and we weren't letting her run free, but we did calm down after a little while. That is, until the priest came over for the blessing itself, and Finn just wanted to play with him. Sorry about that, Father. He seemed to understand.

A great way to start morning, it made us feel great the rest of the day.

She's A Faker!

2011-09-29T13:15:00.006-04:00

This is almost too funny to share! Sometimes, with great urgency, Finn will jump at our back door, and I had always thought that it was because she really, really needed to go out. Alas, I have found out that I have been duped! Many, many times! It seems as though Finn has been fake-squatting! She jumps at the door, not because she needs to go out, but because she just wants to go out. And sometimes I am just thinking she needs to go out, and so I say over and over "wee wee" and she squats. Well, I have been checking the area of said squats, and it seems that she HAS BEEN FAKING IT for at least a week! And I know there has been no wee wee because I am feeling the earth!

Crazy dog! Anyone else encounter a faker from time to time? There haven't been any accidents in the house, so it's not like she's been neglected, she just really wants to go out! and I don't give her treats for going wee wee outside anymore, so she isn't looking for a treat. I guess to just be outside and sniff the air or something? To look at the birds and squirrels?

Oh, Finn!

Sagamore Hill

2011-09-28T06:36:00.003-04:00

As promised, I took Finn on a walk to a new place this week. I decided on Sagamore Hill, the summer residence of our fine President Theodore Roosevelt. Now a National Historical Park, the building is closed for a two-year renovation, and we can't wait to see what it will be like when it re-opens!

On to our walk! I packed extra treats, but we didn't even need them! When we got out of the car, Finn just jumped right out and was ready for anything. Good thing, because we ran into these - three wild turkeys! Finn definitely wanted a piece of the action!

Here is the summer house, and proof that Finn was there!

And finally Teddy Jr's house which he built there in 1938. Finn was definitely curious about that big truck. We watched it pull into the main parking lot and drive all the way around to this little building. Wonder what they're doing!

I'd say she had a good time!

Separation, Part II

2011-09-26T11:40:00.000-04:00

I wanted to let you know how Finn was doing with her separation anxiety. I had posted about some several failed attempts here. She was munching on our poor little carpet, and throughout the summer, the state of our carpet had gotten worse and worse. Several people had told us to crate her, since she hadn't really been punished in her crate, and from time to time she wanders in there. But leaving her home alone in the crate for upwards of 8 hours a day just didn't seem fair, in our eyes. Throughout the summer, Finn would have some good days, where she didn't touch anything, and then some bad days, where she actually starting munching on our molding! We went and bought some sour apple spray to deter her from this and it was just diluted rubbing alcohol. I could smell it when I even just sprayed it. No wonder why Finn stopped munching on it.

Then, we went away for a couple of weeks and left her with the dog sitter. Before we brought her home, I bought this pink bin to keep all of her toys in. Either at night or first thing in the morning, I pick up all of her toys and put them back in there. I told myself it was because I wanted her to know where everything was, but really I was tired of stepping on the random pig's foot while I was barefoot!

It's been a couple of weeks now, and I thought for sure she would have taken a crack at the plastic bin, since it's new and colorful and crunchy, but she hasn't.

I can't separate her behavior from my imagination, but I think she kind of grew up while we were away. We've left her for a nice chunk of time several times now since we've been back, and she seems to be doing fine! When we return, she's been sleeping or playing.

We still use that spider web toy, I put it down before we leave and I pick it up the instant I walk through the door. The funny thing is that she never ever ever plays with it, even though it's awesome and rubbery and sqeaky! It's always in the same spot where I put it down. So I think she knows it's not really a toy but just something that signals this "we're coming back" idea.

So...maybe she just learned we are coming back. And I try my hardest not to make a big deal for a few minutes before and a few minutes after I leave and come back. Could it be...she's *gulp* maturing??? Could it be...that I am getting less anxious about leaving her and she senses that it's ok to be alone?

Either way, that molding by the door is getting replaced this weekend, and we're hoping to put down the new carpet within a month!

We'll either be going a walk somewhere new this morning or taking Finn back to the very beautiful Prosser Pines, and we'll let you know how that goes!

More? In the Orphanage, You Want More?!

2011-09-25T12:17:00.001-04:00

It's like we never feed her! They are for you silly! Oh Finn, it's a rough life you have there.

Thank you for your comments on our last walking post. The next time we go for a walk in a new place, I'll try to pause more and have some different treats available so it's a little more fun! And, we'll obviously let you know how it all goes!

Noteworthy Archive Award

2011-09-24T04:37:00.000-04:00

We've been dusted off! Thank you to Chancy the Gardner for going back through our archives and finding some of them entertaining! We're passing on the award to Yuki & Rocket, who I've been following for just a short time now, and when I saw the post of the some of the grooming challenges there, I couldn't help but chuckle.

Hope you enjoy it too!

PS - This is our 100th blog post!

Thank you to our loyal followers who enjoy Finn just as much as we do.

Friday! And Some Advice Please...

2011-09-23T10:16:00.000-04:00

Well, I decided this morning to take Finn for a walk in Prosser Pines, the largest collection of white pine trees in the area. It's raining, it's woodsy and I just thought it would be a good time for both of us.

What does the largest collection of white pines in the area look like? Well, I'm glad you asked...

Pretty!

I tried to get Finn to sit for some nice pics, but this was the best we could do.

Somedog wasn't paying attention.

And then she did what she pulled on me once before. She walked in with me and after a few minutes of sniffing and walking, she turned around and just brought me back to the car. I don't get it.

That would be the open area parking lot behind her. Any thoughts on why she gets in these moods - I thought she would love exploring new places, but now I'm not too sure. Should I just be sticking to our usual walks around the neighborhood? That doesn't seem too exciting at all, right?

Give Me A Slice...Please

2011-09-22T08:34:00.000-04:00

Alone Time with Pops

2011-09-19T16:12:00.002-04:00

Finn was concerned.

She noticed that my suitcase was out and she thought she was being left behind again.

I told her that just I had to go - I was leading a tour through New England for my job and that it was for peeps only.

She gets to spend a few days with Pops - belly rubs, socks to munch and extra treats for a few days - Finn's fine with that!

We'll be back in a couple of days!

What, She's A Retriever, Right?

2011-09-18T13:49:00.000-04:00

This would be an entire ensemble in her mouth - shirt, two socks and shorts.

Nice work, Finn.

PBU Featured Blogger

2011-09-17T07:06:00.000-04:00

It's a very exciting weekend for Finn - she is the featured blogger for the week through Pet Blogs United! I hope you'll head over there to read a little bit about why I started this blog and why Finn is so special to our little family. I'd like to welcome any new readers to our blog - I hope you enjoy reading about Finn's antics and hope you'll stop by again real soon.

Thank you for stopping by!

Train Station Pick-Up

2011-09-15T12:01:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my first official day back at work, but instead of heading into the office, I did some research at the very awesome Brooklyn Museum.

But this meant I had to take the dreaded train and subway! Luckily, I managed a drop-off and pick-up at the train station and I could spot the golden fur from the train before we stopped. Is there a better way to be greeted?

I think I am forgiven for leaving her behind for a little bit. What a cutie.

PS - anyone else having a problem with their dashboard? I am posting, but it takes blogger up to 12 hours to put it on the dashboard thingermabobber. I have no idea why.

Momma & Pop's Trip

2011-09-14T06:59:00.029-04:00

Hewwwow! Finn here. Well, after I gave Momma and Pops a huge guilt trip yesterday for leaving me behind for two weeks, they took me for a nice long run in the dog park. Then Momma sat down to show me some of her pictures from their trip.

First she said they got on a big plane and went to Seattle. Momma said she went to this Space Needle place and had a cup of coffee at the original Starbucks. And, they went to a baseball game!

Then she said they got on a big boat and went to Alaska. They went hiking and rafting, saw some glaciers and then hung out with some of the guys from The Deadliest Catch! Look, they are even making fun of Pops for being a Red Sox fan! They got to see how they go crab fishing too.

Then they landed in Vancouver. Momma said it's a real dog-friendly place and she started to miss me there when she saw everyone out with their doggies. She said they went to a lot of parks and even hung out in Chinatown!

Then they got back on a big plane and came home. Momma said at the airport she saw Anthony Bourdain, and she went up to him to say hello! She loves the Travel Channel. I'm just glad they're home. I think they are too. And they even brought me back a little pressie! Momma said it's the only dog toy she saw while they were away! I LOVE things that go SQUEAK!! And it's rubber! How long do you think it will take me to destroy it??!

Little Monsters

2011-09-13T16:20:00.000-04:00

Hewwwow! Finn here! Did you notice that for the past few weeks we haven't been around too much to comment on your blogs? Momma and Pops went away for a little bit and instead of putting me in one of those jail cells that you all talk about, they dropped me off at Little Monsters. I had a fabulous time! Lynne and Brumbey took care of me, and every day they sent pics and texts to my humans to let them know I was ok. Here I am playing with Brumbey while Momma was dropping off my food and special instructions.

They have a huge fenced-in yard and plenty of toys, water and snacks for me. There's a path through the woods where I was able to run. Lynne didn't even mind cleaning up after my dribble! She walked me, let me run around, let me zonk out and Momma and Pops were thrilled with it all!

Momma says she'll post some pictures of where she and Pops went, but first she needs to spend some quality time with me. I am sure I will lay on the guilt after not seeing her for a little while...what should I make her do first - belly rub? Long walk? Dog park? Too many choices! And we're looking forward to catching up with you all too!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

2011-09-10T07:24:00.000-04:00

Finn has multiple personalities. There's sweet,

fun,

loving Finn.

And then there's rough-housing,

up-to-no-good,

I'm-going-to-jump-on-you-til-you-play-with-me Finn.

Who is going to tell you quite frankly how annoyed she is with you.

You never know what you're gonna get!

Toy Aerial

2011-09-07T08:36:00.000-04:00

I spy...with my little eye...

Dad's sock, the best toy of all!

One squeaky toy, two rings, two bones, a kong, the pig's foot, a ball....

What the heck goes on down here while we're sleeping upstairs?!?

Doggie Park in the Rain

2011-09-05T08:41:00.000-04:00

I thought it would be a good idea to take Finn for some running with the dogs. It started to drizzle, but I thought it would be okay. Little did I know that in twenty minutes it would start to pour!

I'm glad we weren't the only ones there! Actually, one of these folks admitted that they didn't even have a pooch pass and that they were outlaws. Who let them in?!?!

Even though they are soaked, they still manage to make their way over to the pool...

Time to go! So cute when wet!

Flower Show

2011-09-03T04:34:00.001-04:00

***Horns blasting***

Welcome, welcome to our flower show! Thank you to all of my friends for sending in their pictures. We are looking sharp in and amongst these pretty things, so let's get started...

Here's our friend Bert. Those are some very pretty purple flowers there Bert! You look very handsome sitting in them. Bert's Momma took the pink flower picture too.

Here are Frankie's pics...he's getting ready for the Paw-litical science lecture later! He says these are hibiscus next to HIS four-wheeler that he just lets his Mom and Dad drive sometimes. Uh oh, that means some trouble I think! And check out that pretty sunflower. Ooo lala.

Look at these lavender pics from Tessa - can you spot the bee? Those are some beautiful bushes - I can almost smell the lavender from here!

These are from my dear friend Sarge! The first one is a super pretty bouquet from his mom's boss when she got promoted! Nice work Momma! The second is a lilac bush and bleeding heart in their yard. Very pretty!

Here is a beautiful delilah flower taken at the Shrewsbury Flower Show by our friend George. Such vibrant colors!

This is a passion flower from my new friend Roo. These flowers are just so beautiful! I would definitely be dangerous stomping around in those!

Look at these beauties from Alasandra, The Cats & A Dog I love Arty Mouse with the Bougainvillea and the Butterfly Bush!

Here are some gorgeous pictures from Finley. All I can say is WOW! They grow some beautiful flowers in Dallas!

Here's the brand new firechief of Blogville, Bucky, courtesy of K-9 Katastrophie sporting that lovely flower! Look at that close-up - how gorgeous!

Look at Dex and Lou having fun in their garden too! This is what I like to see, a lot of getting right in there and sniffing, Dex! Love that pose Lou!

Here's our friend Bowie making good use of the flower bed! Love it!

Here's our friend Wyatt - that is one great photo of you in front of those foxgloves! I love the background too - so beautiful!

Here are some great photographs from our favorite 2 Brown Dawgs!

Love that Purple Curtain!

Here's a beautiful one of Rose Bud at The Love Shack Pack!

Here's our friend from Denver, Duncan, and some photos he took while walking his human this summer!

Here's our friend Sweet William The Scot, hiding in the Black Eyed Susans, waiting on the birds to feed on the seeds! He jumps out and scares them, such a little devil!

Here are our friends Bilbo & Dory running through blue bonnets! Looking good guys!

Here's a beautiful orchid from our friend Oskar, whose Momma took the photo in the greenhouses at the Biltmore Mansion in North Carolina. Very nice!

And, last but not least, me...The Finn! I have no idea what kinds of flowers these are, but I was happy to sit in the shade right in front of them and to run right through them!

And here are some flower pics that Momma just thought you might like...

Christmas lights on flowers!!

Pops picked Momma some flowers!

Flowers that float with Chihuly glass!

Hope you enjoyed our flower show! Thank you again to everyone who sent in pics! See you over at French class later!

And make sure to check out everything else happening this weekend with Sugar, Sarge, and Frankie!

Finn v Boot

2011-09-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

Finn 1, Boot 0

SLURP

2011-08-29T09:13:00.000-04:00

Head on over and go get one!

Wow, so many slurps to choose from! Go get yourself one or two!

Thank you for all of your concern this weekend. We are enjoying the sunshine today!

Irene

2011-08-28T07:51:00.006-04:00

Well, it's a weak one, but she's definitely here!

5:30 - Finn needs to go out! Momma's thinking, "Are you kidding me?!?!"

If you look closely, you can see her, the big golden blur in the middle of the lawn.

7:30 - just tons of rain, tons and tons of rain...

And at 8am, we're still wet from our walk two hours ago
and we're heading back to bed for some more snuggling.

9am - Who was I kidding? She knows it's raining and she loves it out there.
Hope everyone else is weathering through okay!

Storm is Coming!

2011-08-27T06:53:00.006-04:00

...or is it the early morning haze? 7am here...

8am and all the lawn furniture is secure. Finn takes a sniff around...

10am - where is everyone?!? I want to play! It's just a little rain...

No sign of the froggie in the backyard, thank goodness!

3pm: After an afternoon of napping and waiting, the rain is here! See you on the other side!

Dahlias, Camellias, and Rhodies, Oh My!

2011-08-25T11:46:00.001-04:00

Last call for flower pics! Get them in to Momma at

marianne(dot)d(dot)howard(at)gmail(dot)com before Sunday!

And this is what we call hurricane prep:

What, There Was An Earthquake?

2011-08-23T19:02:00.003-04:00

We were too busy to notice! A visit from Grandma at lunchtime kept us occupied! Look who is becoming a Finn fan!

We did feel a little shakin' at 1:55pm but it was smooth sailing afterwards!