Bad dog, Bad dog, Bad dog!

Our family is very animal oriented. We have given refuge to many a critter looking for a new place to call home. I sure miss JD (john doe) the ferret but in his place we now have Terran an African Grey parrot. What a charmer he is. His favorite person is Scott and he will go through impressive displays of sounds like the microwave, smoke detector, telephone, wolf whistle, water down the drain and sounds from War Craft the game.

Well the dogs are not off limits :) Schipperkes, as other owners can attest to like to scrap with each other. Catch Hobo trying to get into into the kitchen garbage and you yell HEY! It is quickly followed by a little voice from across the room... STOP IT! Dog scrabble over a toy and you start to yell at them to get their attention and break it up ... help comes from across the room again.. BAD DOG! BAD DOG! BAD DOG! The ultimate.... someone (Bear) had an accident and Scott was cleaning up when he hears "What ya doing?" he plays along and answers: "Cleaning dog S#!T that's what I'm doing!" and Terran says "Ohhhh" All you can do is laugh :) and wonder what will be next.

Who decided dogs are vegan???

Simple fact, it's in all the books. Dogs are carnivores. Given the chance they delight in consuming stuff that is rotten. Now I see all of these commercials .... "what your dog thinks about" a dog food hawking vegetables. I have friends that with no effort can get their dogs to eat broccoli and like it or at least consume it like they need veggies. Well I have offered my rug rats (Schipperkes) veggies and let me say, have you ever seen a dog spit? Mine do and boy can the offending item make ground. I have even mixed mashed potatoes, gravy with green peas together. When all the plate is licked clean the only thing left in a lonely pile are very shiny peas. I tip my hat to those that have convinced their dogs to eat health foods :) In their book kibble is just because and getting real meat is the trophy prize in the scrap competition.

Just this evening I am happily eating a cookie when I notice out of the corner of my eye world class silent begging happening. Liza was laying in her bed with her head perched between her paws on the edge of her bed with the look. Eyes tracking each bite, nope I did not share :)

Guard dog'n

It seems just last month Hobo just didn't understand why he was staying with us and not integrating to the family. I am happy to say those days are gone. This past week he has tried very hard to convince the cat (old cranky) that she really does want to play :) he is busy barking, jumping and trying to encourage her to join the fun. Never did take him up on it but it was fun to see he is trying to engage the cat and the other dogs into playing. Liza who looks tiny next to Hobo loves to rock and roll so she will take him up on sparring/chasing. Somewhere along the way he has also staked his territory and he is guard dog'n. In true Ship tradition they don't miss a beat.

Fact: Dogs smile

Hobo just blossoms more everyday. I get home from work and there he is at the gate making enough noise to break an eardrum he is so excited. Already perfecting the "your home" move. As I walk to the back door he spins around and makes for the doggy door and meets me as I come in. Spinning and skipping along telling me about his day. Quite the talker. Just grinning while I give him his hello pat. Of course when you have Schipps you gotta pet everybody so Bear and Liza get in on all the fun.

This evening he laid down and got a belly rub via foot from Scott... the look on his face was bliss with a capital B and a great doggy grin :) Hobo is really coming into his own in the pack and will get Liza to play with him so they chase each other and play Nascar. You just have to stay out of their way LOL!

Talk to the paw...

Hobo manged to get into the yard behind the house today by scooting out the back door while I was talking to my son's friend. It's where the cars get parked. His world since moving in to be fostered has been limited to the fenced dog yard and the house. We sit on 3 acres so there is a lot a dog could explore given the opportunity.

There I am talking to him, making eye contact, keeping right behind him and it was like .. talk to the paw... When he stopped along the fence to check out the dogs next door that were barking like mad I picked him up. What a grump! You would have thought I interuped him or something ;) grumbled at me with a small growl and I shook him under my arm and told him what I thought of the escapade. If you live with Schipps, you know what I mean LOL! It is good to see his personality staring to come out.

Animal House.. Schipps live here

Yep, we're owned by Schipps... Meet the dog members of the family.

• Bear
• Liza
• Hobo

Top dog is Bear, cow dog smart, he knows "his" toys and just loves to play. You can name a toy like ring or ball and he gets that look of "Oh, where is that?" and he will look around the bed and if not seen will take off on a hunt most often come back with the one asked for. Then the game is on...

Queen Bee is Liza, she always has that soft suck up dog look on her face that says "I'm the good dog" just pet me. Head of the list in pot licking department she let the other dogs know she is in charge. Most days Bear let's her think that too :)

Hobo is the new dog in town. A relative is no longer able to keep him so he is fostering here. A teenager in years. Hobo has been here two weeks now and his personality is really starting to bloom. Playful, talkative, starting to guard the house.

So, got Schipps at your house? I think my favorite thing about Schipperkes is you have a big dog in a little package :)