Saturday, February 27, 2016

Francesca's First Volksmarch of 2016 - Frenchman's Bar in Vancouver

Here I am wondering what the huge ship
was doing in the middle of the river.
And, would it do anything to scare me?
Hi. It's me, Francesca, terror of the volksmarch trail! Well, I don't think I was all that bad because I didn't have near as much fun as I wanted to!

This morning started out really good. I got my harness and leash on and Cinnamon just stayed on the couch all rolled up in a coonie ball. It had rained all night and she predicted more rain. But I didn't care. I was up for adventure, any adventure.

We got in the car and traveled all the way through Vancouver out to a huge park on the east side. Soon I saw signs to a Volksmarch! I'd been on some of those and they were fun. It meant walking and jumping on people and maybe barking at a dog or two. I could handle that.

So we parked and walked over to the registration. Brrr... it was cold. The volunteers were all wrapped up and looked absolutely miserable. But they were kind to us and registered us anyway. We got our start card and looked around. I was looking at a huge ship anchored in the Columbia River wondering what it was doing there. It looked a bit scary.

Then I spied the beach. Now, I've been to the Oregon Coast and had a great time on the beach. I pulled toward the beach and was hoping to do some wading when our friend Nancy came along. I tried jumping on her to greet her but that was quickly stopped. Drat! So we were off on the trail even if I didn't want to be on the trail.

There were all kinds of things to sniff. Garbage, goose poop, dirt and grass. But they made me keep walking straight ahead. All of a sudden I saw a dog ahead in a pink coat. Perhaps we could play? I pulled and barked and thought I should be let loose to go investigate the dog. But no.... we had to keep walking straight ahead. Then we saw our friend Walking Wendy and Lana. I wanted to jump up on Wendy but nooo, it wasn't allowed. I was getting rather bored by the time we got to the turnaround point. I was being subjected to TOO MANY RULES! No jumping, no pulling, no barking, no stopping to sniff. Grrrrr.

Despite my growing frustration with the rules, many people complimented me on my appearance. I guess I was pretty in my pink harness!

So we turned around and soon, thank goodness, we were back at the Start/Finish point. My owner got her book stamped and on the way to the parking lot, I got all wound up about a black and white dog. I barked and pulled and so did the dog. My owner was NOT PLEASED. After that I spied something on the beach. It was something I'd never seen before. I got all freaked out thinking some sort of animal was hiding inside it. But we walked on....

Once we got to the car, I was oh so good. I jumped right into my crate and slept all the way home. Volksmarches can be exhausting, especially if you don't follow the rules.

I told Cinnamon that I completed 6K and she was proud of me. I got this volksmarch listed in my "Francesca's Volksmarch Log." I didn't tell her about my behavior. And she didn't tell me what she had been doing while we were gone.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Perhaps we just should all move to Canada?

I know Canada. I've been there twice. And I am a political dog. What's going on now in the U.S. is not OK with me. I'll not go into details. Suffice to say, I'm scared.

Here's the border. If your papers are in order,
you can go right through. I'm going to see the Vet and make sure
I have all the right certificates so they let me in!


So I'm thinking of moving to Canada. It won't be hard for me. I've been there. I know how to get there and I have friends there! 

I know the way. Just follow me!
I have friends in Canada.
This was a forestry worker and his dog.
I met them at a motel. He had treats!
I think I need this scarf, so the Canadians
will be happy to see me.

I know where to shop in Canada.
Here I am in front of the Canadian SuperStore.
I know where to eat in Canada.
Everyone goes to Tim Horton's, especially for breakfast!
So just follow me, Cinnamon, and I'll get you there. I'll be watching the political situation closely in the next few months before I make my decision. Francesca doesn't know anything about Canada. She thought she had crossed the border when we brought her into Washington State!

Love, Cinnamon, eh?

Sunbathing Beauties

Francesca and I hit the deck for some sunbathing when the temperatures reach 60 degrees. It was a perfect day for that yesterday!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Francesca, the Permanent Dog

Hi everyone. It's me, Francesca. I've been laying low since recovering from pneumonia. Cinnamon gave me a little time off. But I'm back now, raring to go!

So I got all excited yesterday when I, Francesca, received an envelope in the mail! I opened it and saw.... a round blue disc like the one Cinnamon has. Cinnamon has always teased me about having an inferior license... one from rural Yamhill County. She said I would be with the "in crowd" when I got a Clark County license like she has. So I waited and wondered if my license would ever come.

And there it was... my very own license. And it said, Perm. Dog License. So I guess now I am "permanent." I must have passed all the tests for residency because I have been dubbed a "permanent dog" in Clark County!
See... I am a Perm. Dog.
I can't wait to go to the dog park and show everyone my new license!

I was so happy to have my license, I decided to sleep with it on!
Here's Cinnamon when she got her license.
She was so proud.


Love, Francesca

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Couch Covers Save the Day for Shedding Dogs

It's that time of year when we dogs start shedding. Of course, Francesca sheds all year round. She has the longest white hairs I have ever seen for a so-called short-haired dog. I, of course, have nice short hair and don't shed all that much until.... Spring!
Here's how our new couch cover arrived. It even had a photo of a coonhound on it!
You can see to the left the throw we used to put on the couch. It always slipped off.
So we've been putting throws on the couch in the TV room. But they slip off easily. So our owner found something really good. It's a SureFit pet throw and IT DOESN'T SLIDE OFF! Francesca tries and tries to get it to move, but it doesn't.

 
We got ours in red because our leather couch is red. On the back are little grippers shaped like pet paw prints. And it washes in the washing machine. You just tumble dry low. 

Now we aren't allowed in the living room but you can buy chair sized covers and loveseat sized covers for your other furniture.

Last night I even slept in the TV room on the throw and DIDN'T GET INTO TROUBLE!
Here I am on the couch cover. It is before we washed it so it has Francesca's
hair all over it. Thank goodness it can be washed!

Friday, February 12, 2016

Cinnamon's Diet Success Story

See, aren't my paws delicate and pretty?
Remember last year when I had to go on a diet. I was weighing more than Francesca. She is bigger than I am. In fact she has such huge paws that I think they must weigh a pound each. I, on the other hand, am more fine-boned and petite.

Well, that is except for my stomach. So last year I went on a diet to try and get below the 52 pounds that I weighed. I cut out some of my treats and always ate less than Francesca. What happened? I GAINED WEIGHT! I gained weight and Francesca lost weight.

So every meal time I groaned. I just knew I would be shorted food. Francesca got the extra food that wasn't served to me and she didn't gain weight. Months went by and I had just about given up.

So today, we went to the Veterinarian for my check up and 3 year rabies shot. I don't like it there. Well, I like the Vet's assistant but I don't like him because he pokes, prods and sticks me with needles!

So of course the first thing that we did was head for the dreaded scales. Oh No! I got on the scales and obediently sat down. I grimaced. I didn't want to hear how much I weighed. And.... my weight was.... (drum roll, please) 50.8 pounds! I LOST WEIGHT! I lost over a pound!

So then it was time for the dreaded exam. I winced some more. But what the doctor said, was pretty encouraging. I had lost weight, yes... but my heart rate was that of an athlete. And I was very healthy. I, Cinnamon, wasn't looking like an old dog at all.

So now I don't complain about the diet and I don't complain about exercise. I'm a healthy coonhound and I'm a success!
Here I am sleeping all night on the cushy couch cover.
I was so happy with myself I decided to sleep on the new couch cover on the couch all night. What a treat! Francesca had to sleep alone!

Love, Svelte Cinnamon

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Super Bowl 2016 Budweiser Commercial: Too little Clydesdales and NO Puppies!

I protest!
I am so disappointed in this year's Budweiser commercial for Super Bowl 50. I was waiting for the puppies. I was waiting for MY Clydesdales. And what did they produce? A loud commercial without a story line and without more than glimpses of the Clydesdales and NO puppies.

Who the heck wants to see self-serving beer production vignettes glorifying Budweiser beer? Not me? And not Francesca. I protest!


Friday, February 5, 2016

Forget the Super Bowl! Watch Puppy Bowl XII on February 7th, 2016

I'm a fan of the puppy bowl... as long as I can watch it from my comfy rug in front of the TV!
Here I am watching the Puppy Bowl with my Puppy Bowl toy!
I'm not big on crowds and yelling so I'll watch from my house. There's a couple of hounds in the starting line-up so I'll be rooting for them!

Here's the Pre-Game Show: