Trick-for-Treat! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Halloween isn't scary at all, despite what Cobi thinks! It's FUN!!!!

Here are my Tricks-for-Treats!

Happy Halloween, friends!

Oh no

Oh no. Oh dear. It is that time again.

The time when witches pop out of the forest!
The time when skeletons appear in the dark!
The time when ghouls creep around the corner!

Oh no. Oh dear.

Halloween is fully of scary things. I will need to BARK BARK BARK all day and all night just to stay safe!

Oh no. Oh dear.

I hate Halloween.

Wait - what's that coming around the corner???

A Bad Thing (by Ojo)

Hi. Ojo here.

Something Bad happened today.

We were just finishing our Walk (which was pawesome up until then, with mud and rain and bunnies for chasing), when two Whippet-Dogs came running down the path. They were coming in very fast and so I froze, dropped my head, and looked away. 

But the whippets ran right up to me, and right away the female bit my neck, and then the male jumped on me, and next thing I knew they were attacking me! 

I tried to get away, but they kept following. They bit my ears and my neck and my tail and my back legs. I tried to cry for help, and I tried to cry for them to stop, but they did not. 

I tried to run into the bushes, but they followed. I threw myself onto my back and tried to be as flat as I could and show that I meant no harm, but they kept biting and grabbing.

It was terrible.

I could hear my person screaming for the Dogs' person to help, but she did not help. She just called back, "I can't call them!"

Finally the Dogs went away. I went right to my person and huddled with her leg. She checked me over with gentle hands, and while I feel a bit bruised we don't think I am bleeding anywhere, or that there are any holes in me. I am missing several tufts of fur, however.

We walked back to Car. I shook off eight times in a row, but I still felt unsettled. Our person gave me cheese. We hopped into the back of Car and I got a towel-off, and another check over, and more cheese.

Then we sat in Car. I'm not sure why. My person says it's because she was very shaky and not ready to drive yet, although I always thought that Car did the driving so I'm not sure about this.

About ten people-minutes later Car was turned on and defogging, getting ready to go, when the woman with the whippets came into the parking lot. Our person got out of Car and went to talk to her. I could only hear part of what was said, because I stayed inside Car where it was safe.

My person asked the woman if she knew that her Dogs had attacked me because she was far away when it happened. The woman said yes, she knew that. Then she said that her female Dog had been attacked a while ago and had a chunk taken out of her side, and now she is scared of Dogs, so she attacks any Dog that she sees. 

The woman said that she didn't think they would see anyone on their Walk (at nine-thirty in the morning on a main trail) because it was raining. The woman then said that she has brain damage and bad balance and so she cannot walk her Dogs on leash, they have to go off leash. And that she tries to avoid people, but we were there on a rainy day and so yes, her Dog attacked me and that's just how it is. 

She said that the male Dog is younger and does whatever the female tells him to do, so that's why he attacked me too. When my person said that this was not okay, the woman said that it's not her fault, she has brain damage and so she can't do anything about it. 

Their words went on for a while longer, but the woman was very clear that she didn't think it was her responsibility and she wasn't going to do anything about it in the future except for trying to avoid other Dogs. 

My person is still very upset. 

She is angry that this happened to me. It was not fair, and we've have done so much work to help me be less afraid of strange Dogs and she is worried about this setting me back. (I'm not sure yet whether this will stick or not. I will let you know next time I see another Whippet, or next time another Dog comes running at me very fast like that.)

My person is also angry on behalf of the Whippet-Dog who is so afraid that she attacks all other Dogs that she sees. This is not a happy way to live life. And also, my person is worried that one day the whippet will attack a big, also-unsure Dog and that she will get hurt very badly.

My person is angry that the woman took no responsibility for taking care of her Dogs, and seemed to think that it was okay for her Dog to attack other Dogs just because it had been attacked first.

My person called animal control and reported this, even though we know that without a name they probably cannot follow up. But maybe if it happens again, which we hope not but it sounds like it probably will, there will be a record of my encounter too.

When we finally got home I curled up into a very small ball. I think I will spent the rest of the day resting. I hope tomorrow will be better.

Practising my Tricks for Treats! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Halloween is coming! I hear that on Halloween everyone gets to do Tricks-for-Treats!
I like the sound of this! Count me in! Yes please!

But first I need to practise, so that my Tricks will be awesome and will get lots of good Treats!

Right paw up in the air! (Nailed it!)

Left paw up in the air! (Got that one too!)

Both paws up in the air! (I am totally amazing!)

Ha hah! Take that, Halloween monsters! I will fight you off, and steal all your candy too! My tricks are the best ever!

Here is what Cobi did while I practised my Tricks.
She calls this "supervising". I call it "lazy".

Oh, and did you notice that I am wearing a Super Dog costume too?  I think I should get lots of Treats for sure!

Are you working on Tricks-for-Treats?

Foggy fog (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

This is what the people call a "Foggy Fog Day!"

Oh Fog!

Your wet heaviness carries
So many smells
For us to smell
With our noses.

And you are fun to play in!

Oh Fog!

Almost... (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

There is a raspberry up there! It smells ripe! Can you see it?

I've almost... reached... it...

(Shhhh, don't tell the people. I am not supposed to eat the raspberries!)

Wordless Wednesday 10/21/15 (by Ojo)

We are not friends. (Okay, that's a lie.)

I do not know why Ojo thinks we are friends.

It's not like we spend time together.
It's not like we lie in the sun and sniff the breeze together.
It's not like we play together.
It's not like we explore and walk and run together.
It's not like we nap together and dream together.
It's not like we think deep thoughts together.

In fact, I would not be caught within fifty feet of Ojo.

What?

We are lying in the sun together? We are sniffing the breeze together? We are thinking deep thoughts together?

Oh. You busted me. Okay. Yes. I admit it.
Sigh.

I like Ojo. In fact, I love Ojo. Very much.

Even when she tells silly jokes in ear!

Yes, we are friends! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Cobi always complains about me, but really she loves me. She would be lost without me!

We do almost everything together! We are best friends!

And she loves me! I know she does! Just look at how she smiles at me!

Oh Fall! (another fall poem)

Oh Fall!

You are lush and green, but also red and brown.
You are cold morning and warm sunshine.
You are rain and wind and sun and fog and everything in between.

Oh Fall, we love you!

Beach Day!

It was Beach Day!

The sky was doing crazy things. The wind was blowing.

But the Sunshine was amazing!

And our Balls were amazing!

And the smells were amazing!

Hurray for Beach Day!

Too. Much. Turkey. (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

We had turkey! Lots of turkey!

Turkey neck (with mashed pumpkin and broccoli and kale) for our dinner! Turkey bits from the people with their dinner! Turkey leftovers while the people were cleaning up!

And now we are very tired...
That was lots of turkey....

Too much turkey, you ask?

No way! There is no such thing as too much turkey! 

We just need a quick nap to rejuvenate. So we can eat more turkey.

A Sea Monster! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Look what I found! A SEA MONSTER!!!

This is where the little people play! We're going down to the Beach now which is where the Dogs get to play. Must play now, catch you later!

Fall is here

Oh Fall, you have arrived.
You are the foggy morning,
The leaves on the ground,
The wet puddles for drinking.

Oh Fall, you are here.
Welcome, Fall!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy!

I get you, Crow! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Whooooo, here I come! I get you, Crow!!!

Blu's Bath

This is Blu!

Handsome Boy Bunny Blu is staying with us for one year while his people are travelling. One year is practically forever.

Today Blu had a Bath! He agrees with us that Baths are terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad. BUT, when his Bath was done, he got cuddles from the people to get him warm and dry again! This is not fair! We do not get cuddles after Bath!

This is Blu's hairstyle after his Bath. He's a bit of a Bad Boy Bunny!

Oh Happy Day! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Today is a Happy Day!

Yesterday was a Happy Day! Tomorrow will be a Happy Day!

Every day is a Happy Day, you know! As long as you decide it, it will be so! Hurray for Happy Days!!!

Nature is Awesome

Fresh breeze. Warm sun. Fall air. Beach smells.

Awesome.