Halloween

Halloween is very stressful for our security specialist, Grits. All night he sits looking out the front door window, ears perked up waiting for the next intruders to arrive or up in the office window barking at everyone walking down the street. As far as he's concerned we shouldn't be letting all these kids in their crazy costumes come bang on our door. It's just a bad idea! Thanks to Gritsy's efforts all the evil doers stayed away and today he is exhausted after being on guard well past his unofficial bedtime of 7 pm. I'm glad we only had 35 kids come round and we are safe... until next year that is!

Onyx is Grits' girlfriend...

Onyx is Grits' girlfriend... well in his dreams she is! About once a week or so we run in to our neighbour's walking their beautiful American Eskimo dog (Photo of Dog similar to Onyx). She always shows up perfectly groomed sporting her soft, bright white fur and a pink collar. Grits is a pretty good looking dog, but she makes him look scruffy by comparison. All Grits can do to try impress her is to run around in circles while tethered to his leash. He is fast, but this is literally getting him no where. She just moves out of the way, not even bothering to say hello, while she waits patiently for the humans have a quick chat. My husband suggested that if Grits could show her his big bone (beef bone that is), Gritsy might have a chance. If only he had pockets he could bring it along for the walk...

Be thankful for time with family and friends...

Grits most enjoys the days when we are all at home together! We sit by the fire, surf the web, go for walks, play, watch TV and of course nap. Even better is when his extended family comes to visit! This weekend Grandma (Bob's mom) came over for Thanksgiving brunch. We made waffles, sausages and Bob's special yummy potatoes while Grits enthusiastically enjoyed the same thing he eats everyday, his kibble and a carrot for dessert. Then we all sat around and enjoyed our coffee while Grits got a nice head/tummy rub squished between Bob and me on the couch. He really does have the best life and he reminds me that my life is pretty great too! And that we're lucky to be able to spend time with our family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Forgiveness

The other day, I got home from work and since it was starting to rain, I decided to take some beef barley soup out of the freezer to have for dinner. I went down to the furnace room, grabbed the container of frozen soup and then went back upstairs and started to watch Dr Phil or Oprah. About a half hour later, I began to wonder where Grits was. I looked in the office first, but no Grits, then in the bedroom, the closet and the guest room. Still no Grits. Then the living room, kitchen and laundry room. Your starting to get the idea now. Finally, I checked back in the furnace room again and that's where Grits was... alone in the dark furnace room. Poor Grits! Once free, he quickly followed me up the stairs. I tried to pet him and tell him I was sorry, but he just turned to face me and barked at me when I tried to touch him. I'm pretty sure he was trying to tell me he was really mad at me!

I worried that he thought I had done it on purpose, or that he was being punished. It really bothered me that I couldn't explain it to him. By dinner time all was forgiven, but of course I felt guilty for the rest of the night. I wonder if he knows that's why he got to sleep in my bed...

Sleep, Sleep and More Sleep...

The only one I know who enjoys sleeping as much as Grits is... well me. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time...

Here is how a typical day in Gritsy's world goes (when my husband and I are both working):

- Grits wakes up at about 6am, yawns, does a little yoga stretch (downward dog) or snarf (this is what we call rolling around with all four paws in the air) on the floor, shakes his head making noise with his floppy ears to be sure that everyone knows he's awake

- Once one of us gets up, he follows us (for some reason we have to go with him, or he'll come back in before he goes) out to the back yard for a pee, then breakfast (breakfast takes about 30 seconds)

- Next it's cuddles and naps on the couch while my husband watches sports highlights

- Once I'm dressed, by about 6:50, I stop by the TV room and give him a pat on the head on my way to the kitchen for my breakfast and to put my lunch together

- A few minutes later when he hears the crisper drawer open, he is down stairs like a shot, in hopes of getting his favorite snack, a baby carrot

- My husband and I both head off to work shortly after that so Grits sleeps for about 5 hours until I come home at noon.

- I wake him up at about 12:15 for another pee break in the back yard (our grass takes a beating) and a light lunch

- Two minutes later, I'm on my way back to the office

- I get home a about 4:15... so that's another 4 hours sleep, then or after dinner, weather permitting, we go for a walk (it's best when the whole pack goes)

- Gritsy usually hangs around watching us make dinner, hoping something will fall on the floor, or watches Oprah with me, or tries to get us to play with him

- Let's not to forget the stares, fussing, jumping up and down and sometimes whimpering that usually happens around dinner time which is at 6:30pm (we don't mean to be mean, but if we feed him earlier he'll wake us up earlier the following day)

- Then more doggin' it until about 7pm at which time he slips into a coma until about 9:30 or 10pm

- At this time one of us carries (yes carries) him downstairs for a drink and another piddle in the yard

- Then he gets a bit of a second wind and usually looks out the window or snoozes on the couch until husband is finished brushing his teeth and gets into bed

- Next thing we know, Grits is curled up on his designer Roots doggie bed at the foot of our bed for another 8 hours of sleep.

You can do the math yourself, but I count 20 hours of sleep per day.

So I guess what I've learned here is I need more sleep! I shouldn't feel guilty about napping! I should sleep as much as possible, for as long as possible, then when I'm awake I will have the energy to put 100% into whatever I'm doing! That's what Grits would do...

Don't Forget to Feed the Dog

For the first time in his short life, my dog Grits didn't fuss about his dinner. No, it's not that he's a fussy eater, far from it. He usually reminds us that it's his supper time by jumping up and down and whimpering or generally just staring at you until you remember to feed him.

For some strange reason last night he didn't and sure enough we forgot... until about eight in the evening. We finished our own dinner, then made some phone calls, then ran out to pick up a few things, then came back home. Grits was very happy to see us. No wonder, we are the ones with the thumbs after all. Then about half an hour later I was brushing my teeth after my snack of yummy cornbread with homemade cherry jam when I remembered. I asked my husband and he hadn't remembered either.

Poor Grits! We felt so guilty! I guess it'll be a while before we forget again!

How Many Words or Phrases Does Grits Know?

I just read an article on canada.com where University of British Columbia professor, Dr. Stanley Coren claimed that dogs can understand from 165-250 words. This is similar to the mental abilities of a 2.5 year old child. So I thought I'd see if I can think of all the words or phrases Grits knows and count them:

1. Grits

2. Mom

3. Dad

4. Breakfast

5. Dinner

6. Snack

7. Carrot

8. Wait

9. Sit

10. Stay

11. Let's Go

12. Hurry Up

13. Cheemo

14. Bone

15. Have a Drink

16. Turn Around

17. No

18. Leave it

20. Go See

21. No Bark

22. Magoo

23. Come On

24. Gritsy

25. Lay Down

26. Go to Sleep

27. Mr Squeaky

28. Ball

29. Toy

30. Down

31. Off

32. Go to Bed

33. Bud

34. Outside

35. Come

36. Good Boy

37. Hungry

38. Where's Mom?

39. Let's go see who it is

40. Your so smart

41. Who's the best puppy?

42. Marian

43. Patty

44. Len

45. Good Job

46. Get out of the kitchen!

47. Use the stairs

Okay, I give up. It was a struggle to come up with 47 phrases. I guess my dog is no genius... not even close.