Old Poodles Learn and Think

My mother has a an older mini, Dusty who we rescued many years ago.  She is almost 16 years old now with cataracts.  Dusty has lost her hearing over time.  She moves much more slowly now.  She sleeps soundly enough that she sometimes rolls off Mother's bed and keeps on sleeping.  Dusty does however still enjoy her food.

If Mother does not have her food or treats ready at the moment when Dusty feels they should be, she used to bark.  Since Mother has lost some hearing too, that was not working.  Mother keeps a clean kitchen with her dish towels hanging neatly on the stove handle.  Dusty learned that pulling them down and throwing them on the floor got action.  Mother moved the towels to the counter.

This morning Dusty's breakfast was late.  Dusty's water dish was dumped over when Mother came in the kitchen.  She cleaned up the mess and refilled it.    After many years of no spills Mother was however suspicious so she went around the corner, and watched.  Dusty walked up to her water dish next to where her food bowl should be, picked it up with her teeth, and deliberately turned it over.

Old dogs do learn new tricks and the towels are going back on the stove.

Ellie Shows Her Poodle Heritage

This past weekend was the weekend we were draining/refilling our Endless Pool.  I rolled back the cover and started the first siphon hose.  The poo pack including our foster girl, Ellie, were running around the top decking watching what I was doing.  I finished.  I went into the kitchen to get everything ready to can some dog food.

Splash!  Fearing for one of the dogs, I went out to the pool room.  Ellie was on the deck shaking herself.  I called her over, dried her off, and went back to the kitchen.

Splash!  What a klutz!  Did she fall in again?  Back to the pool.  Quick dry of Ellie again.  Hm.  I do not see her ball here.  I wonder why she fell in the pool.  Back to the kitchen.

Splash!  OK.  This is not an accident now.  This time I picked up the waterproof camera as I got to the pool room.  I turned it on video.  I watched Ellie who has found her poodle roots. 

A quick dip
http://youtu.be/e5LSvH4vWPE

Notice in the longer video she has two swimming styles.  One which is smooth with no splashed water when she wants to move and one where she deliberately splashes so she can catch the bubbles by snapping at them.  What a clown!

A longer swim
http://youtu.be/RLANYTvhsfk

Poodles you have to love them!

Poodles are Real Dogs

It's early morning.  We are rushing to get into work for an early meeting.  I am in the shower.  I start to shampoo my hair.  "What is that smell?" I ask as I peer nearsightedly at the shower floor.

Jeff walks in.  "What?"
"Do you smell that?"
"What?" (I told you it was early.)
"Do you smell something awful?"
"Did you step in poop?" he asks. 

How, I wonder, can I have stepped in poop halfway through my shower?  It is not like I smelled this when I first got in the shower.  I know I did not do this myself, so how would I have gotten poop in the shower.  Regardless, I dutifully peer at the floor again.

"How would poop get in the shower?  There's no poop in here.  Don't you smell that?"
"All I smell are flowers." (My shampoo I hope.)
"Close the door!  One of the dogs must have a cling-on."
"Huh?"
"Close the door!  Don't let Chester out!  Close the door!" I begin to shriek.

Jeff walks out of the bathroom preceded by both Chester and Marvin.  Argh!  Now I will have to chase them down when I finish my shower.  Gidgett as befits a princess has not moved from her spot on the bathroom rug.  Gidgett never gets cling-ons.

"Do they have cling-ons?"
"I didn't look." Jeff replies.
Husbands are useless I think as I shout "Look at them.  Smell their butts.  It stinks in here."
No answer.
"Did you figure out which one it is?"
"I didn't look at them."
"Smell them."
"I am getting dressed."

Wonderful, I think.  They are running all over with heaven only knows what on them and I am going to have to clean them and it up.  I grab a towel.  I dry off.  The bathroom still reeks.

As start out past Gidgett I glance down at her.  My perfect princess has poop down the side of her face, in her long flowing ears, and ground into her shoulders.  I gag as I pick her up, toss on a robe, and stumble out to the dog wash sink.

All I can think as I scrub Gidgett down is how people people think poodles are fou-fou dogs.  Nope!  Even poodle princesses like to roll in poop.

Ice Cream Disaster

How many people know that two quarts of strawberry ice cream when dropped straight down from about a four foot height will not only make a large mess on the floor, but will also cover the ceiling, walls, etc. with pink goo?  It is truly impressive! 

Jeff will never again attempt to transfer the chilled ice cream from the refrigerator to the ice cream churn.

Border Collies

Only a border collie could be this obsessed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8DiOthAKek

Teleporting Poodles

This weekend Gidgett and Marvin showed off their skills at teleporting.  We went to a friend's house.  She happens to have a dog which out weighs me.  When she let him in, two of the poos disappeared.  If they had not a trail of a leashes leading to them, I would not have know where they had gone.  It was amazing.  I did not know they could fit under the couch, let alone scoot backywards to get there so fast that no one saw them move.  :-)

Gidgett

Gidgett made the paper! While it is not for a good thing, hopefully the article helps some else and Gidgett is fine now.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110316/ARTICLES/110319539