Winter is Coming.. ?

Kansas has always had strange weather, never consistent. This winter is already turning out to be a miserable one. Its just dreary and cold, nothing else to it. No snow, not even ice to pretty things up, not a lot of sun. Just a dead listless cold.

I think its starting to drive both of us crazy. Our house is TOO small and at the end of the day it feels like your trapped in a box. Taricha and her roommie dogs spend most of their time finding toys, bringing them to me, tugging for a minute, then running off to find another toy. Lets say that gets old when the room to play is a 10ft by 10ft area and a hallway of two steps length. You want to run and chase it? Oh, you cant, no room!

The dog parks have been our only winter saving grace. Taricha and her roommies will go bonkers the moment we get there and in about 15min, theyre both panting and forgetting about the cold.

We need more activities to do elsewhere. Last winter we had a larger house (she's spend half the day just zooming around it), and she was still a puppy so it was easier to entertain her. This year she's bored of most simple games and there's no room to romp. What else is there to do in the middle of winter? 

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

On Size..

Our last vet visit over a month ago resulted in Taricha being called fat. I took this to heart and have been watching every little thing Taricha decides to stick in her fat mouth.

It was originally harder than I thought because every place we visit tends to have people who want to feed her. My mother's house has 5 people with table scraps and children who leave food sitting out, the pet store clerk and the coffee drive thru lady have biscuits, the back yard has sticks and most importantly, our doggiee roommates have food that sits out all the time (because their owner just does what he does.... First thing I did when I moved in was talk him out of feeding the dogs Ol Roy but thats as far as my advice was taken). I started to feed her about 5ft away from the other dog's bowls and with a little vigilance and a few 'no's' when I hear her starting to root in their bowls and she seemed to get the idea.

Aside from watching the 'extra' intake of food, I switched Taricha from an adult food to a large breed food. She has lost noticeable weight and is looking very good. Enough for other people to mention that her hips just arent quite as wide. We'll keep this diet up and see how things progress. Taricha's energy level hasnt changed, she's still an extremely lazy dog..  Especially on rainy days, she wont even go outside because it'll get her paws muddy. Ohe noes!

Taricha two springs ago as a fat puppy.

And yesterday.... ! 

Exploring the City

Taricha and I have been living in the big city for a while now. All things have been an adjustment but things are going swell. We try to get out and wander around as often as possible as there is always something to see, something to smell and something to eat.

Today called for wandering around the Plaza.. Most other times of day, this place is way too busy, bustling.. kids, dogs, horse drawn carriages, street performers, crowds of loud people. Today it was empty, guess everyone is using their daylight savings time hour to the most. It gave us great opportunities to sit and watch the geese playing in all the Plaza fountains.

I WANT THE BIRRRRRDDSSSS!

Bullies.... and Gurrrls

Clean is Good

Long overdue bath day.

Taricha is 5 shades whiter.

Lazy Days

Our new house is all hardwood floors. Its been an adjustment on many levels... I have to clean more, Taricha cant romp in circles without slipping around, barking carries... louder and most importantly comfort is an challenge. Ive purchased several beds, blankets, pillows and various things to make sure the dogs are comfy in every room of the house. The house is basically theirs afterall.

For whatever reason, Taricha still decides my bed is the most awesome place and she never ceases to amaze me with the variety of positions she deems comfortable. This one is rather new and I find it quite hilarious.

Wordless Wednesday

Car ride!

or nap time?

Im just big boned...

Taricha and I wandered into our vet the other day. We were a little overdue for vaccinations, Taricha took her shots with an easy stride. Infact the only thing she noticed going on was the lack of treats being fed to her. 

The exciting part of the vet's office is finagling Taricha onto the scale, holding her still and waiting for the big number to stop moving. She weighed in at a whopping 101lbs at one year and eight months old.

At which point the vet and two different techs decided to tell me that she's getting fat and should consider changing her food and lightning things up.  Whaaaaaat! No!

I admit that over this summer she's put on a lot of thickness.... a lot of meat if you will. She's.... solid. But I guess I chocked a lot of it up to her breed... American bulldogs tend to be very WIDE dogs...

Infact all her thickness makes for a great pillow...

For now we're not changing anything drastic but I have cut out a minute amount of daily kibble and watched her more closely to be sure she isnt ninja'ing the other dogs' food. (Which is left out all day every day per roommates request.) 

Taricha and I celebrated our first year together recently. Happy Gotchya Day and all!. The spoiled dog she is got a brand new leather collar decorated with metal pin studs and a shiny new ID tag. Taricha is the envy of all the girls on the block. 

Arrrrr

Halloween time, Fall time.... the heat breaks.. ! My favorite season and Ren Faire is in town. 

..

Everyone at Ren Faire loved the 'pirate dog' and Taricha got so many head-pats that I think she wont need anymore for months to come.

Taricha with her new roommates, Kara the 2 year old boxer/beagle and Kanji the 13 year old Shiba Inu. 

Taricha has adjusted to city living fairly well over the past month or so. Having our own back yard is a saving grace when living in such a compact house. (Though they turned the yard into a mud pit over the last week of rain.) Kara and Taricha have become best friends, constantly wrestling, constantly shredding toys together, they've even snuggled a few times.

I'd like boxer/beagles more if  they didnt have endless... endless energy.

But she's still super cute.

ZzzzZzzz.

Gettin hot in hurrrr

Its been getting really hot in my room at night, ill wake up sweating and roll over and complain and fall back asleep. Tonight I find out why.. .Taricha is sleeping sprawled completely flat out over the floor vent.

Thank you... Ill sweat over here while you enjoy that frigid air flow...

Wordless Wednesday (mostly)

Taricha and I officially moved from the quiet suburbs.... to the loud downtown of Kansas City. 

Lots of adjustment going on, Taricha has new doggie roommates.

Their pics later.

For they are adorable.

Weeeeee!

I'm big on taking Taricha everywhere possible with me. The coffee shop, the cigarette shop, friends houses, whatever. She LOVES car rides and with the single phrase "car ride?", she's an ecstatic disaster, ready to go go go go. I dont even need a leash  from the door to the car, she bolts straight for it, go go go!

And then enjoys the ride... as uncomfortable as it looks.

Of course, wherever we go people point, smile and stare at her window-hanging antics. Every stop light, someone is rolling down their window to say hello and every parking lot, someone asks what kind of dog she is. (or offers, is that a pitbull?...)

Wordless Wednesday

hugs!

Invasion

What am I... 

supposed to do... 

with this...

THING?

Wordless Wednesday

From out of this world

Thanks Bill <3

Puppyface

It doesnt seem so long ago that you were so tiny. I could almost lift you!

 

Now you're packing on the beef and you can knock me over with a tail wag...

 but you still have that awesome puppyface.

Nearly Wordless Wenesday

What happens to neighbors balls that find their way into my yard.

lol Webcam

Playing with our webcam in the lap of luxury.... my bed. We so lazy!

 

Wordless Wednesday

BUsy buSy

I havent meant to skip writing for the past few weeks but it seems like we're caught up in our own little world lately. My health is failing and with many trips to the Doctor, they dont know exactly whats wrong. They keep sending me away with lots of fun pills while saying, try this one! Taricha has had to put up with a lack of activity during all this.... no long walks, no parks no nothing... It's been boring and Taricha likes to let me know that by barking IN MY FACE.

Thankfully the kids try to entertain her a little. Like soaking her with the hose. She loves it.

Wordless Wednesday

New Kid?

My younger sister popped out another child the other day. Taricha has been awfully curious of every noise but thankfully she gets 'it' and has been ever so gentle and quiet when the baby is around.

I dont like kids. I'd much rather dogs. Dogs dont suck your soul away. So here's some more bulldog vs bulldog from the other day.

Mah wrinkles are sexy!