Christmas Eve

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know I hosted my first, official HUGE family Christmas Eve. It didn't go as I had hoped.

Mommy and Daddy (and Auntie Brighit and Cousins Jzero and Vienna) set up these big tables and chairs, and I watched Mommy set them with fancy Christmas dishes and cups and pretties. It was so exciting. I could hardly wait to find out which seat was mine.

Well, guess what.

NONE were for me.

Smudgie and I got a LONG pre Christmas Eve walk and I was so happy....but it was a trap. Right after that we ate, peed, and got CRATED.

How unfair is that?

We heard all the people having fun but we were upstairs, and Mommy and Daddy put us in the middle bedroom instead of our usual room, and that made Smudgie really mad so he barked all night.

I was sooooo embarrassed.

At the end of the evening I got taken out for a pee and then brought back in to meet people. I tried so hard to be good, but no one remembered the Cesar rules. They all squealed and jumped around and paid all kinds of attention to me. So, what else could I do? I responded in kind. I jumped and made all kinds of noises, and then Mommy said I was being bad. Why can they do it and I can't?

I'm glad I peed first, because with all those people leaning over me I would have let her rip on the floor. Mommy and Daddy are pretty smart about some things.

Then I went back to my crate and it was Smudgie's turn. I hear he was worse than I was. Then we were back in our crates.

So we both barked.

Mommy kept shaking her head and apologizing to everyone. Finally Daddy came and put us both, loose, in the bedroom. So then we settled down. I don't know why they didn't just do that in the first place!

So, on behalf of Smudgie and me I would like to apologize to all for we did to make their Christmas Eve a little louder than it needed to be.

But we were both trying to be good hosts, that's all.

Anyway, I hope all my online friends had a peaceful and dog filled Christmas Eve, and now my brother and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all:

A SAFE AND DOG FILLED NEW YEAR!!!

Take care all,

Rudy, the Canine Baby New Year

Just sneaking on for a minute to say MERRY CHRISTMAS

I'm so sorry I don't get to blog very often anymore, but I did want to sneak in and wish all my friends all over the world a very Merry Christmas.

Take care all, and I'll blog just as soon as I can.

Ho Ho Ho.

Merry Christmas,

Rudy the Elf

Wow, it has been a long time.

I'm so sorry. It's all Mommy's fault.

I love her and all, but she has been really busy....which is tough on us, because even though we spend lots of time with Daddy, he just doesn't do it right.

I wish she'd stay home more often.

Lots has happened in the last while. The tree is up and presents are being wrapped. Mommy says I can't poke about in the presents, which seems unfair, as I'm sure there are some there that say Rudy on them.

Smudgie's naked. And cold...and that means GRUMPY. Now he thinks it's okay to sleep ON me at all times. And if I wiggle at all he growls at me. HOW RUDE is that?

I still have my beautiful fur, but Mommy says that this weekend it will all be gone. She says someone named Karla is coming here to the house to make my hair go away. I don't think I believe her, but Smudgie's already grumbling. He says that once my hair goes away I will be cold too, and that will make me useless to him.

Nice, friendly, Christmas sentiment there pal!

We had to pose by the tree again, but Smudgie and I won. They took almost a hundred thousand pictures of us, but none worked out. I really like this one:

I think Daddy looks great, fighting with us in his long red underwear. Mommy wanted to put it on the Christmas card, but Daddy said NO WAY.

I know that he'll forgive me for putting this up here (and he doesn't actually stop in and read my blog) so I thought I would share it.

This is the pose that we all wanted on our annual Christmas card.

Well, I have to go. Mommy is home today (she took her personal day to hang with us) and I hear things happening in the kitchen. She probably needs my help.

Take care all, and ho ho ho!

Rudy with the red underweared Daddy!

I don't have much time.

I better be quick.

Mommy's on a tear.

Right now she is putting up the Christmas Tree. Daddy is complaining and she's doing a lot of scolding.

Yikes.

Isn't it a tad early?

Mind you, I heard her say that she picked a special spot for the tree so that I would have something pretty to look at from my kennel during the day, so yay!

Oh oh, I see garland. Better run!

Take care all,

Rudy, the red nosed sheepdeer....

Hey there

Hi friends.

I have been so cut off from the computer lately, and I think of you all often. It's making me sad that Mommy is too busy to even turn on her computer these days, so I don't get any time to catch up with you.

She did tell me that when she gets home from work she likes to spend her time with me and with Smudgie and that the computer would keep her away from that, so I guess I understand...but it's hard.

I've had a few grand adventures lately. A while back I ate some bark. I know better, but I couldn't resist. It upset my tummy and Mommy and Daddy took me straight to the vet where I got yummy barium again and people kept rolling me over on my back and taking pictures of my belly.

I don't know why they needed four different ones...I guess I have a really great belly.

Anyway, the vet sent me home and told Mommy and Daddy to watch me. (Don't they always?) A day or so later out came the bark. It was the longest, loveliest poop I've ever made. It even surprised me. Of course Mommy ruined it by poking it with a stick to see what was inside (how nosey is THAT?) but I thought it was quite lovely.

The very next morning the same thing came out of Smudgie, and no one even knew he'd eaten some too. He's such a baby. He screeched and wailed and wanted Mommy to do something to make it stop and she just stood there and said, "Sorry Hudson. I didn't put it in there and I am NOT responsible for getting it out." Then she told him to remember this very moment next time something stupid looks like a good thing to eat.

He won't though.

Neither will I.

We had some company last week, and I was the good dog. They all liked me. Hudson was crazy and kept getting in trouble. Tee hee hee.

Smudgie also got shaved which was hilarious. Now Mommy's sleeping in the TV room again because a naked Smudgie means a very aggressive heat and blanket seeking dog at night. Mommy wants nothing to do with that.

Preparations are now starting to get underway for a big Christmas Eve extravaganza. Mommy told Daddy that the dogs would likely be crated most of the night and locked in the bedroom because Smudgie's so bad.

How on earth is that fair?

I AM NOT BAD. As long as no one brings their dog I will be just fine, thank you very much.

Sigh.

Take care all, and try to convince Mommy that I should not be imprisoned on Christmas Eve. That's a clear case of guilt by association.

Rudy, a prisoner of conscience

I am so sorry I've been away so long!

Hi everyone.

It's been so hard finding time to blog with Mommy's new jobs. She's been so busy that she NEVER leaves her laptop on, and so I just don't have the time to blog like I should.

Also, since she's so busy not much has been happening here.

I know that she shared on sheepiechat about my latest eating experience. I just want to state, for the record, that I KNOW I shouldn't have eaten that long strip of bark, but it was sooooo tasty. And let's face it DOGS and BARK just naturally go together.

It did NOT feel good coming out though. I should probably remember that.

And Mommy says that we will be eating bargain brand cookies from now until that four hundred dollar vet bill is made up. I hardly think that's fair. She is the one who insisted on all that yummy barium. I was just along for the ride.

We also had a Thanksgiving fondue this weekend. That was fun. I was the good dog, but Smudgie was completely out of his mind. He jumped on everyone, so Mommy made Daddy kennel us (well, Smudgie was kennelled because he kept jumping on the doors...I got the whole upstairs because I wasn't insane). Because of him we missed the really good and yummy stuff though. Poop.

After dinner I got to go hang with the people because I was calm. Smudgie was still shrieking and carrying on so Daddy made him sit a LOOOOOOONG time. I got all the attention. It was nice. And Grandpa kept patting me under the table even though Mommy kept telling him not to.

Well, I gotta go. Mommy will be home from work soon and I don't want to get caught. Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends! Gobble Gobble! Remember to be thankful for all you have. I am still very very thankful that I have a home and a family that will pay hundreds of dollars to make sure that the stupid things I eat come out of my body safely.

Take care all,

Rudy, a turkey who sure can tango

It's the weekend!

Yay.

Finally a day with Mommy and Daddy both home. It's been lonely around here. Mommy's new job seems to be keeping her really busy. She leaves bright and early and actually gets home AFTER Daddy.

He comes home and feeds us, which is good, but he never does it right. There are no songs or dances. We don't prance around and play games. I miss my Mommy.

There's not much to report here really. It's pretty boring. I heard Daddy tell Mommy we're going to Bird's Hill Park tomorrow but I'll believe that when I see it. We went roller blading last weekend. That was cool.

Smudgie didn't go blading though. Mommy and Daddy took him to something called a show and shine. He says he walked for HOURS (I think he really did this time) while Mommy and Daddy looked at pretty old cars. Smudgie said that the people liked him a lot, but it was too much exercise for him. He grumbled a lot.

Gulpy went too. (That's our special water bottle.) Smudgie says he was so hot and tired that he finished off a whole gulpy AND drank Mommy's Coke slurpee. I can't imagine why anyone would want to give Smudgie caffeine. Although, now that I think about it, he is pretty lazy. Maybe it would help give him a little energy.

Anyway, that's about it for now. Sorry I haven't been posting lately, but life here is just plain boring.

I wish my Mommy would stay home like she did this summer. I miss her. And I don't want to complain, but Daddy needs to learn the songs she uses with us. Why would I want to take a pill without the special song? I wouldn't.

And Daddy's always mad that I spit out my pill. I don't for Mommy, because SHE knows the song. (Just a spoonful of cookie helps the medicine go down, the medicine go do--own, the medicine go down....just a spoon full of cookie helps the medicine go do-own....in the most delightful dog.) How hard is that to sing?

Take care all, and spend time with your four footed furry loved ones. They need you.

Lone(ly) Wolf Rudy

Flooring

Hi there my friends. It's been a while.

I thought that I would let you know that the flooring in my house if almost, totally, completely done. (Apparently the insides of the closets still need to be done. I don't get it, but whatever.)

Smudgie continues to pout. He does not like the flooring one bit. He slips and slides. It's hilarious. I wish Mommy and Daddy had done this sooner. Seriously. I wish I had a video camera!

I like the flooring just fine. It's nice and cool and it sure works for me. Maybe I like it because I was such a good helper when it was being put in. I think it's that pride of ownership thing.

Anyway, I hear the squirrel mucking about, so I must go bark at him.

Take care all, and if you need a canine contractor I am your dude.

White Hat Rudy

Hi everyone.

I know I should be blogging more, but it's been really boring around here. Mommy's back at work (although I keep hearing it's a new work), and I've been in my crate a lot.

Hudson's been boycotting the new floor, but I think it looks nice. It's really cool and relaxing to sleep on. I like it. I also found these things called "tools" to be quite fascinating. I am thinking of starting my own collection.

Well, this is short I know, but I've got to go sniff Smudgie's bum now. He's sleeping, and it freaks him out when I sneak up from behind. I make sure my nose is extra cold and wet first.

Take care all,

Stealth Rudy

Mommy Came Back

I knew Smudgie was lying. Why oh why do I EVER listen to that little creep?

She came back last night and gave us pats and hugs and I was so tired by that point that Smudgie and I gave her some kisses and then headed up to bed. I hope we didn't hurt her feelings.

Today, something really interesting happened.

Cousin Jzero and Grandpa came over and they helped Daddy make the floor all fancy. They worked in my bedroom first, and almost got it finished. Daddy says they'll do three more rooms tomorrow. Mommy called Daddy something like "poptimistic" or maybe it was "schmopitimistic." Either way, I think that's a lot for one day...maybe they'll do some more next weekend.

Smudgie was terrified of the tools and noise and work (big surprise) and he spent most of the day hiding in his crate. But I wasn't scared.

I helped.

I inspected the pieces, gave licks of encouragement, and stood right beside the big noisy saw without running away. I even made sure the tools were being properly rotated by bringing some of them down to the livingroom every now and then. Just to keep things fresh. Mommy laughed every time she came to get them. Silly Mommy.

When everyone left Smudgie was still too scared to go in the bedroom but I wasn't. Mommy and Daddy and I all sat on the floor and I gave it another important test. I did the nap test on it, and it passed. It would have been nice to sleep a little longer but Mommy thought I looked cute with my paws all curled up under my head, and then she told Daddy, and he looked at me and he laughed and called me a goof and then I had to get up and move.

I'm very sensitive in that way you know.

So, they are coming back to see me tomorrow and they might even put down some more flooring. I'll miss the old carpet though. It smelled like pee, and I have always found that somewhat comforting.

Smudgie eventually did test out the floor, but he walked funny and kept his bum curled under. Apparently he's also afraid of floors. What a chicken poop.

Anyway, I should end this now. I'm hoping to get another round of napping in on my nice, cool floor.

Take care all. And have more floor naps.

ConstuctoRudy

MY MOMMY IS LEAVING US!

I saw the pink flowered suitcase thingie. I know what that means.

She's leaving us again.

Hudson says it's forever.

He says it's because I was so much trouble this week. He says it's also because I peed on the globe light and now Mommy doesn't want to be here anymore.

He says it's all my fault.

I'm sorry Mommy. I'm sorry. It just looks so pretty when I pee on your globe lights. I'll try to stop. Don't go. Don't go. Don't leave me.

(I just don't get why Smudgie finds her leaving so funny. He loves her too, and he'll miss her, and he knows that DADDY never fills the water bowls so we'll probably die within a few days anyhow...)

Don't go Mommy. Don't go.

Why is this happening again? We need you home. Daddy doesn't do it right. Ever.

Take care all, and don't leave your family behind. It's not fair.

Rudy "I Pack Really Light and Would Love to Come Too" Patootie

My Family Takes Really Good Care of Me

Why oh why do I doubt them?

Yesterday I wasn't feeling so well. Mommy immediately made an appointment for me to go to the vet. I was happy for the car ride, but I flipped out in the parking lot and behaved badly. Now they all think I'm a bad dog. Mommy says I need to learn to let this all go and try liking other dogs, and I know I should, but I just can't.

So I was rushed through the waiting room, and saw Dr. K. I don't know why I was so scared. He was so nice, but I dribbled pee when he first started checking me over. Why? Why did I do that? He was really nice. He petted me, and got down on the floor with me, and he really liked me. So what was I so afraid of?

He stuck a thermometer you know where, and even that wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I had a small owie on my tummy. He cleaned it up and put medicine on it and made it feel good. He checked me all over. He gave me some other medicine for my sore tummy and I enjoyed my dinner a few hours later, so that was a good thing.

Then these nice ladies held me in a wrestling hold and poked me with a needle. I didn't like it, but they patted me and kissed me and told me I was good, so it isn't like that was horrible.

Mommy says Dr. K is going to check my blood for illnesses you can get from woodticks, just to be safe. You may remember that Mommy and Daddy took one off my beautiful nose a while back. Dr. K wants to make sure that I was just limping because I overdid it when I went roller blading, and not that there is something bad that a tick put in my blood.

I feel a lot better this morning. I'm looking forward to Mommy putting more medicine on my tummy.

I have a great family. When I wasn't feeling well they took me straight to the vet, and they didn't even gripe that it cost three hundred dollars! Think of how many cheeseburgers that would buy.

Mommy always says that now that I have a family they will always take care of me and love me and make sure everything is okay for me. I've been here more than a year and a half and they still do all that for me.

It's awesome.

Take care all. Be good to your family.

Family Man Rudy

Mommy says Daddy is working late...

I miss him so much.

I have been sitting at the window, waiting, since dinner. Now it's after ten and he's still not home.

Mommy told us he was working late tonight, but Smudgie says she's lying. Smudgie says he's never coming home and that it's all because I peed on Mommy's fancy globe light last night. Smudgie says we'll never ever see him again and that it's all my fault.

I'm not sure why that would make Daddy run away. Last night he laughed and thought it was funny. It was only Mommy who was unhappy and she's still here and feeding us.

So Daddy, PLEASE come home. We miss you and cannot go to bed without you to snuggle.

My heart is breaking in two.

I'm sorry I peed on the globe. I'll never do it again....or if you really liked it, I'll do it from now on. Sorry Mommy.

Daddy......

Take care all....and always come home to your puppies.

Rudy, the Bereft

Hudson Keeps Locking Me Out of the TV Room

I don't know what to do about this. When Mommy and Daddy watch TV upstairs they go into the TV room, and they invite us. I stay for a bit, but then I usually like to go check out the bedroom. I look out the window, and sleep on the bed, and chew my ring. I feel safe knowing where my uprights are if I need them.

But then, after a brief nap, I wake up and I miss them.

So I head over the TV room to see them, and when Smudgie hears me coming he pushes the door closed.

That leaves me locked in the hallway.

Sigh.

I usually go to sleep outside the door, waiting for Mommy to take a bathroom break, or for Daddy to go for a snack, but it's so lonely.

Sometimes Mommy and Daddy notice that Smudgie does it, so they come, open the door, and invite me in. When they do that my heart sings. But sometimes they don't notice. And sometimes he does it while I'm still on the bed and so they check and I'm not there yet and then they don't check again when I am there.

Why is Smudgie so mean to me?

I kicked the door open a couple times and just walked in, and Mommy and Daddy praised me and said I was smart, but then Smudgie gave me "the look" and now I don't open it myself anymore.

So, I am spending way too much time in the hallway away from my family. Oh woe is me. Woe is Rudy!

Can someone please come by and make Hudson be NICER!?

Take care all, and always check your hallways for loved ones. It's not nice to feel left out.

Long Haul Rudy

I noticed I haven't posted any pictures lately, so here's one...

This is my friend Rack. He destroys our garbage every night. Smudgie and I bark at him sometimes, in the wee hours. I know Mommy and Daddy appreciate that.

I overheard Mommy and Daddy talking a while back. They said that locking garbage cans would keep Rack from making messes, but then they said, "The little dude's gotta eat."

I think my Mommy and Daddy are good people. They even take care of Rack. And I know Rack's not cuddly like we are.

Take care all, and always care for others.

Rudy, Interspecies Social Activist

I was part of a Pack Nap today.

Mommy always talks about Pack Naps, but this summer she hasn't been sleeping at all. I really admire her, though. Even on no sleep she's always pleasant and sweet. I wonder how she does that?

But today we laid down for a pack nap, and for the first time she slept.

She slept for four hours. It was cool.

So, a pack nap, as Mommy explained it, goes like this:

First, all dogs must get OFF the bed. That was my least favourite part.

Then the Mommy makes the bed all nice and smooth and pretty.

Then the Mommy gets in the bed while the dogs must wait. That part was hard.

Then, when you feel like the anticipation is going to make you explode, the Mommy invites the dogs to jump back up and find a really nice, comfy spot. Snuggling is strongly encouraged.

Finally, the Mommy wraps her arms around the dogs, and all three fall asleep together.

And that's just what happened, except Mommy never sleeps when we pack nap, but today she did, for four hours.

It was so nice sleeping all snuggled up in someone's arms. I was extra good. I ignored all the noises outside and didn't run to the window to bark even once.

When Mommy woke up I was still in her arms, but Smudgie had snuck down to the foot of the bed...he says he got hot. She forgave him though.

Then we celebrated by eating our dinner outside on the deck. It was like a picnic. Very very cool.

I hope we can pack nap more often! I think this might be something I am especially good at.

Take care all, and remember, naps are good.

Rudy, who wonders if he wore his special walking vest to bed....would it be a backpacknap? It might be good to bring snacks and water to the next one....hmmmm.

Mommy is my hero!

She is so brave,

And strong,

And observant,

And she saved me!

Well, Daddy helped a little but she made him.

I had something called a "woodtick" on my perfect little nose. She saw it (I didn't even know it was there) and she organized the the extraction, and she coached Daddy, and then she put some special goo on my nose where the "woodtick" had been, and then finally she kissed me right on the nose.

The kiss was the best part.

Daddy was in charge of removing the tick from the premises. Mommy's not a fan of killing anything so he had to relocate it away from us.

Mommy patted me and Smudgie all over after. She says it's to check for ticks, but I think it's because we're so awesome.

Take care all, and watch for blood sucking little fiends.

Rudy "Tick Magnet" Patootie (but to be clear there were no ticks found on my amazing bum)

I really am my own worst enemy.

Well, it happened again. Last night Mommy gave me and Smudgie each another cherry tomato, and I felt obligated to eat it, so I did, and guess what? Still yuck!

I decided to do less chewing and more "close your eyes and down it goes" so at least that helped a little. But I vowed no more. Never again. NO MORE TOMATOES.

So what did I do to myself today?

I went out for a pee, sniffed around the tomato plants and found a small green apple on the ground, or so I thought.

I brought it in and bit into it and it was HORRIBLE. It wasn't a little green apple at all. It was a little green TOMATO.

THE HORROR.

And Mommy laughed and laughed at me.

And since I bit into it I had green tomato juice in my mouth. I ran for a drink of water but even that really didn't help much. I can't believe I did this TO MYSELF. I went tomato hunting.

Later I tried to give it to Smudgie but he wasn't interested. He says the green ones are not for eating, and laughed and asked what I was thinking. He said even if I did think it was a little green apple, any little green apple that small would be too bitter to eat. How was I supposed to know any of this? He says he's older and wiser. Yeah, by what, nine months. Big whoop. I bet he doesn't know how to survive a gator attack.

So, the stinky little green tomato sits in the living room, on the floor, calling my name and giggling evilly. I know eventually I'll have to eat it. It would be rude to leave that mess for Mommy, but I must work my way up to it.

For now it just sits there, taunting, mocking, and laughing at me.

Can no one save me?

Take care all, and watch out for Killer Tomatoes!

Rudy, who would rather wrassle a gator right now

(Which, by the way, reminds me, my hero BILLY THE EXTERMINATOR is on TV tonight with a brand new season. I'll have to get past this tomato incident before I can relax and watch it. Maybe he'll have some tips for getting rid of tomatoes!)

How Do I Break the News To Mommy?

I hate tomatoes.

There. I've said it to you guys. But how do I let Mommy know?

She's been watering these plants all summer, and yesterday the first "cherry tomato" was ready. She talked to me and to Smudgie and said that the first one would be for her and her alone and that she was very sorry. Hudson pretended to beg for it, but I knew better. No thanks. No tomatoes for me.

Today two more were ready.

And she picked them.

And she squealed and made us sit nice.

And then.

Ewwwww.

She gave each of us one.

Smudgie jumped around and pounced on his and carried on like he liked it (I'm sure he was just being polite), and then he actually ATE it.

I tried so hard. Really I did. But that little sucker tasted yucky. And it kept shooting out of my mouth when I tried to bite into it. Then Smudgie came over and TRIED TO STEAL IT. 'Sup with that?

So, I had no choice. I ate it. But it took ten minutes of really working hard to get it down and I didn't enjoy it one bit.

I even made the face. You know, my ooooooooo, that's gross face. Mommy and Daddy watched and giggled and said they love that face. So now it's looking like I'll be getting more tomatoes.

It's nice to be thought of, of course, but how do I get this to stop? How do I tell Mommy that I don't want anymore without breaking her heart? I could just give mine to Smudgie, but there are certain rules in the dog world and that would just be wrong.

So, if anyone has any ideas on how to let Mommy down easily I am open to it. Right now we are just being forced to eat little tomatoes, but there are big ones, turning light orange on the plants, even as we speak. What if she makes me eat a big one?

Help!

Take care all, and don't ever plant tomatoes. Nothing good ever comes of it.

Rudy, TomatoHater

Smudgie and I had Company Last Night!

Last night was the best! We had company.

I loved seeing Aunt Brighit, and cousins Jzero and Vienna. I also got to see Leah too, and I'm thinking she'll be an honorary cousin too. Mommy never explained the details to us, but she was pretty nice. She didn't even get mad at me when I nosed her repeatedly during dinner.

Mostly I was a pretty good boy. Daddy makes us sit and be calm when people come in. I follow the rule and he releases me quickly. It's Smudgie who is kind of a jerk to company. He always wants to sit on their heads, and it turns out people don't like it.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank them all for coming last night. Smudgie and I LOVED having them here (so did Mommy and Daddy too). I'm sorry that Smudgie wasn't better, but he did seem to redeem himself a little later on when he showed everyone how cute he looks when he spins around in circles.

Mommy even put a video of him on youtube doing the spinning. You can find it here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-4qqoThpFs

I don't know if you can just click there or if you have to cut and paste. I know I should be more tech savvy, but I think I've learned a lot already...not bad for a young sheepie.

Take care all, and drop by any time. We sheepies LOVE company.

Happy Host Rudy

I think I should get an allowance.

Mommy was sorting money on the kitchen table. She has a spare change jar that it all goes into. She also puts in any paper money that Daddy leaves lying out (you'd be surprised how often he does that).

She left it unattended and went looking for something called "two nickels" to finish something else called a "roll."

While she was gone I checked out the money. I had to stand on the bench to see it, but I wanted to make sure she was counting it accurately. I always try to pitch in and be helpful around here. While I was there I started to think, "I could use a little mad money." That way, I could get my own McDonald's cheeseburgers from time to time, and not have to bother Mommy and Daddy.

So I thought I was being helpful. I carefully took a five dollar bill off the table (no sense in being greedy...I left the larger bills and rolls of coins alone).

She caught me. Red pawed (mouthed? teethed? lipped?)

She didn't get all that mad, but she did take it back and she told me that I would absolutely not be getting a weekly allowance. That seemed a bit harsh. She also said that now she knows who put all the shoes in the living room yesterday. Well, of course it was me! I never said it wasn't. Smudgie's been doing it for my whole life (since I got here) and it always looked like fun, so I decided to try it too, and you know what? It IS fun.

But Mommy isn't thrilled with my sense of initiative and entrepreneurial spirit.

So, here I am, completely tapped out and without an allowance. I think it's unfair. I'll have to spend some more time thinking this through, and coming up with my next strategy.

Take care all, and remember, dogs need cheeseburger money too! Or maybe just my own little doggiedebit card?

Rudy "Babyface" Patootie

I don't think Smudgie gets how lucky he is!

Mommy was working really hard today, doing that housecleaning/purging thing she's been doing all summer. Daddy was "helping." He did some good stuff, I'm sure, but he also complained a lot about how she shouldn't throw things out. I guess he's going to build an addition to house all the stuff then?

I had to laugh. They did all this "shredding" and in the process they burned out the shredder. Mommy said that the shredder could go in the garbage then. Daddy got all mad and said that they should keep it.

What exactly is a broken shredder good for anyway? I don't get it.

But that's really not the point of my post.

In the middle of all this work, they took a break and let me and Smudgie out for a pee. Mommy said that I should go look at the riverboat going past our backyard, but I was more interested in the squirrel on the fence so I kinda missed it. Oh well.

So I went for a romp to Poo Corner and checked things out, and Smudgie peed as close to the deck as is caninely possible so that Mommy couldn't actually be mad. She laughed at him of course, and thought it was neat that he was, technically, following the "NO PEEING ON THE DECK" rule.

But then he wandered off into the wilder, grassy, untamed areas of the general "going out to pee or poo" area. I don't understand exactly why he pees in deck adjacent fashion every single time and then goes out to forage in the area Mommy wants us to use for peeing. Silly Smudgie.

Anyway, after a few minutes we both came in and I wanted to play, but Smudgie was biting at his front footie.

Mommy noticed right away and came over to help him. She figured something was poking his toes, or stuck in his pad, or something like that.

Hudson immediately assumed that she had come to torture, kill, or maim him (as if anyone has ever done anything like that to a sheepdog in this house!) and he ran away.

She chased him and he hid under the table and then he dove around the table and ran for the safety of the upstairs, but she cut him off at the computer room door, and managed to grab his dollar.

He squirmed and tried to get free. He tried to back out of his collar. He started making gagging sounds but Mommy wouldn't let go. With her other hand she reached for his footie, but he pulled it away. She made him sit, and then lay down. He was shaking and carrying on.

She held his footie firmly (but gently, I could tell). He continued to try to pull it away, but she wouldn't let him go. I believe she called him a '"doofus" and a "drama queen." I think both were fair quite frankly.

She took her hand off his collar, and used that one to take a large burr out from between his toes. She laughed and said, "It wasn't even really stuck you silly dog. What was all THAT about?"

Smudgie did give her a thank you kiss, but as soon as she released his footie he quickly backed away and escaped, keeping a safe distance.

Doesn't he get how lucky he is?

He has a Mommy (and Daddy) who love him enough to put up with all his nonsense, ignore his horrid behaviour, and take good care of him. I mean seriously, how lucky is he to have a family that will chase him through the house to take a burr out from between his toes that is only causing him discomfort in the first place?

Maybe Smudgie just doesn't get it because he's always had a family, but I sure get it. A family loves you and takes care of you, even when you're cranky. And I know what it's like to NOT have a family, so I really know what I am talking about.

So, on behalf of Smudgie I'D like to say an official thank you to Mommy. I appreciate my family so very much and I know how lucky I am, even if Smudgie doesn't get it.

Take care all, and remember to love your families. Not everyone is lucky enough to have one.

Rudy, Grateful Family Man

I need to talk about tomatoes.

I'm a little confused, so please bear with me as I think through this.

It seems that Mommy has initiated something called "tomato" out on the deck. There were these six little plants at first, but as I was "noodling about" (as she puts it) on the deck I accidentally stepped on one and it broke. Frankly I think they should just make them stronger than that, but no one ever asks me about these things.

So then there were five.

Smudgie says that four of them are something called a "cherry tomato" which just plain sounds weird, and that I stepped on a real tomato plant so now there's only one of those left.

You can see why I'm so confused. I asked Smudgie why there were mixing cherries (a fruit) with tomatoes (a vegetable) and he said that they are both actually fruits, and then I just knew he was messing with me again. Sigh. How come I can never get a straight answer out of him?

So, twice a day (it's really insanely hot and sunny right now) Mommy goes out and gives these "tomato plants" a drink. What's up with that? I've never seen them use a straw, or open anything that even comes close to a mouth, but out she goes anyway. And then the mud in their pots smells REALLY good, but if I go over she says, "Leave it." And she uses that tone. You know the tone Mommies have that means, "the world will end if you don't listen to me." So I listen to her. Smudgie just snickers.

Now these giant plants (that I am to LEAVE alone) have these small green ball-y things growing on them. Hudson says those are tomatoes but I am not falling for that one. I know that tomatoes are red. I've seen Mommy carry a bag of them right out of Safeway (where tomatoes live) and they are always red. Nice try Smudgie. I wasn't born yesterday.

But my naughty little big brother says that when they start turning red Mommy will probably let us eat them. This makes no sense to me. First, how does something green just magically turn red? Secondly, these plants smell nothing like steak so why would Mommy think dogs want to eat them, and thirdly, why would she make us stay away from the plants and THEN offer us the opportunity to eat them later?

Sounds like some sort of elaborate undercover plot, and I will eventually get to the bottom of it. I just have no idea where to start.

Fear not loyal friends, I will investigate further and report back when I can.

Take care all, and keep a careful eye on the things that grow on your deck.

Rudy (in deep cover investigating Tomatogate)

Daddy has broken my heart

I never, ever, EVER thought my Daddy would let me down, but last night he did and I am devastated. If it weren't for my Mommy I'd be completely inconsolable today. Thank goodness for Mommy!

Daddy had some things he needed to do before bed. The evil euphorbia plant fell on Mommy yesterday and she had it. She said it was time to stop picking that plant up and cleaning up after it, and get it out of the house. Daddy loves that plant, and wanted to save it. Frankly, it freaks me out. Plants should not jump off shelves on their own and make messes. It's just not right...but I digress.

So, Daddy cut off nearly all of the plant's arms. I guess that's so it can't scratch up Mommy again. She was not happy. She wanted it out of here. It's only about two feet tall now, and before it was six or seven, so I think she can take it now that it's little, but time will tell.

Then he wandered around the house, looked at the leaky toilet in the bathroom upstairs, and pronounced it "broken." This did not impress Mommy. She said she already knew it was broken (the puddle on the floor told her that) what she wanted to know was how to make it NOT BROKEN anymore. He says he'll think about it this weekend. Mommy made that sighing sound and rolled her eyes.

Then he called me and Smudgie up to bed and Mommy stayed up late in the TV room. We thought we were going for a nap. We had no idea that Daddy was going to bed. No idea at all.

Did you notice what was missing?

HE FORGOT TO FEED US.

Oh the horror!

He went to bed without our third meal of the day, affectionately called "second dinner." I laid down, my heart breaking, I knew my life was over. That's it. Starvation.

I had loved living here. I LOVED my family (even Smudgie) and now to be left to starve to death overnight. Oh no. OH NO.

Smudgie is a little more, shall we say, assertive than I am. When he figured this out (a little after I did, but let's not judge), he took action. First he kicked at Daddy, but Daddy was already sleeping and woke up just enough to say, "Go away."

Then Smudgie decided desperate times called for desperate measures.

He started scratching and kicking at the bedroom door like a maddog. Then he started barking with all his might. This got Mommy's attention so she came and got us. I thought we were saved, but she didn't get it at first. She took us out for a pee.

Well thanks Mommy. We did need to pee. When Daddy forgot to feed us, he also forgot our post dinner pee, but really, we weren't all that worried about the peeing part.

She told us to come back upstairs and I sadly, and obediently, went. But Smudgie wanted nothing to do with that. He planted his enormous bum by his bowl and would not budge.

Mommy looked at him and said, "Are you trying to tell me something?"

And Smudgie said nothing. He just glared at her.

So Mommy ran upstairs and woke Daddy up. He was grouchy. I know, because I felt obligated to follow her upstairs. Only Smudgeman was brave enough to stay parked at the bowls.

She asked him if he'd fed the boys (I'm a boy! I'm a boy!) and he thought about it a minute and said, "Bad word, I didn't." Well, again my heart fell. He seemed so matter of fact about it, and he rolled over and went back to sleep.

Woe is me. Woe is Rudy.

Then something amazing happened. Mommy looked at me and said, "Well Rudy, I guess I'll have to save the day and feed you boys." My heart leaped. And so did my body, right up in the air. Mommy laughed at me and said, "Dude, it's only fifteen minutes late."

So we came back downstairs (Smudgie still hadn't moved a muscle) and Mommy fed us.

SHE FED US.

SHE FED US.

DID YOU GET THAT? SHE FED US.

Mommy saved the day. She sensed our pain as we were wasting away, and she saved us both!

It was the best kibble ever.

Thank you Mommy.

Then she took us back upstairs and locked us in the room with the evil Daddy. We both vowed to never forgive him, and we won't, but we did agree there was no sense in punishing ourselves by staying off the bed, so we did go up and snuggle him, but we didn't really mean it.

So there you have it. Mommy saved our very lives last night. She's pretty good that way. And this morning we really showed Daddy. We woke him up for breakfast early. So there.

So all is well now...for the moment. But we'll be watching that Daddy guy very carefully from now on.

Take care all, and pay attention to tummies. They need to be kept full.

Survivor Rudy, who almost starved to death last night

This is not fair.

My wonderful Daddy took me rollerblading again today. It was so much fun. I ran and ran and ran, faster than the wind. It was great. Just me and my Daddy and no rotten brothers.

I heard that Daddy doesn't want to take Smudgie blading anymore. All Smudgie does is bark like a maniac and bite at the leash...sometimes he even nips Daddy. So it seems fair to me that Smudgie shouldn't get to rollerblade then.

But...after my rollerblading he took Smudgie for his very own walk.

Did he stop to think that I like walks too?

Maybe I wanted to go for a walk.

Now, let's be clear, I'd never choose a walk instead of rollerblading but I'm saying a walk in addition to rollerblading. It's not like I ever get too tired to continue.

So, here I am, happy that I got to run, but sad that no one invited me on a walk. I think that this is just too unfair. All that, and a week of eating stinky blueberries. Sigh. Not good.

Take care all, and ever ever leave your favourite dog out of anything at all.

Rudy, the unwalked

Apparently it is Blueberry Season

Mommy keeps giving us blueberries and Smudgie says that it will be months before that stops, so I've been forced to eat blueberries. I've even given up on dropping them on the floor and making stains because although Mommy yells when I do it, she keeps giving them to me.

So as I always say, "There's no such thing as bad people food." (Although blueberries come close...and I have to make the blueberry face when I eat them, which just makes Mommy laugh and give them to me more.)

There are so many indignities involved in being a sheepdog...but I guess having a family that loves me and snuggles and cuddles me makes up for those.

Well, I gotta go. There's this squirrel who runs across our deck every twelve seconds or so...I've been stalking him for weeks. I think today might be my lucky day, but I can't possibly get him if I'm on the computer, so I must sign off now.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Take care all, and watch for squirrels,

Rudy the Exterminator

Now this is AGAIN unfair.

Woe is me. Woe is Rudy.

I love sitting on my Daddy's lap and usually Smudgie hogs it so I don't get a regular turn very often.

There I was, finally lounging on my Daddy and my mean little big brother with his enormous tushie climbs up, pushes me out of the way, and SLEEPS ON ME.

This does not count as a turn for me. No way. No how. Not fair.

And look how happy Daddy looks. Doesn't he SEE Hudson's big old head all the way across my neck? Yep, that beautiful bum you see is MINE, not his, so he's laying right across me.

The audacity!

Woe is Rudy.

Take care all,

Rudy, the ubersquished

Today I ate a blueberry.

Yuck.

It was gross. I didn't want it but Smudgie sure did so I HAD to eat it.

Blech.

The only fun part was squishing it up really well and dropping it on the carpet repeatedly.

Mommy made the best screaming sounds.

Take care all,

The Rudyberry

Daddy says that in two sleeps....

In two sleeps Smudgie and I will wake up to the longest weekend of the year.

Apparently Mommy will be on summer holidays and will be home with us for many sleeps. We are both very excited.

Yay Summer!

Take care all.

Rudy, who is also on holidays.

One more thing, and I've no idea if this will work or not...

Check this out...

My first attempt at uploading something to Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W9QbG_OnPs

Take care all!

TechnoRudy

RollerRudy

Hi guys.

I just got back from rollerblading, and boy are my legs tired. No wait, they're not tired at all. They feel great. They want to run. Yes, that's it. My legs were made for running and that's what they want...so Daddy, let's go again, right now. Daddy? Daddy? DADDYYYYYY!!!

Oh wait, Mommy said he's sleeping. We've been back less than three minutes and he's already snoring in bed. I don't get it. I do all the work and he does all the hanging on. Why oh why is HE so tired?

Sigh.

I guess that's it for today. I hope that there's a tomorrow that includes roller blading too.

There are some things going on here that concern me. The biggest is that we are DROWNING in these things called Rubbermaid tubs. They are everywhere. Thousands have invaded our dining room, and frankly there's not much dining going on in that room anymore.

Sigh again.

You may also notice that I've tucked in my Kong here. I figure if this is really just a funny way of packing and moving out and not letting me know I should be prepared. I love my Kong, and would definitely not be moving without it!

There's also a small issue with Mommy's plants on the deck. Apparently it's not okay to pee on them and kill them. How can that be? We pee on the weeds in Poo Corner and they are HIGH. But yet these delicate little flowers on the deck are apparently so dangerous that we don't dare pee on them. Well I, Rudy the Brave, do not fear them, and I will prevail.

I just wish Mommy would stop yelling things like, "Get off the step," and "Rudy, No!" and something about how much money the plants cost. Uprights, eh?

Did you notice the "eh?" I am truly a Canadian dog now. This Friday I will celebrate my second Canada Day AND I've even tasted poutine. Now that is something for a country to be proud of!

Well, I need to go friends. Take care all and remember, rollerblade whenever you can.

RolloRudy!

I am still here...

Smudgie has recovered fully from his back injury and Daddy hid Mommy's laptop and I cannot hold that Xoompad thingie in my paws so I have been unable to post.

I will be back online just as soon as I can.

I miss you all.

Take care all and don't forget me.

Rudy, the disconnected

Just a quick observation...

Hudson and I have been listening to the uprights whine all week that there is no food in the house.

We are tired of hearing about it, and would like to offer the following two suggestions:

1. You have legs, opposable thumbs, and cars. Go to a grocery store already!

2. If you can't bring yourself to shop, quit whining and eat kibble. We have a big bin of it, and can share. If it's good enough for us it MUST be good enough for you.

Whichever option you guys choose....just please, for the love of dog, QUIT WHINING ABOUT IT!!!!

With much love and respect,

Rudy, the Problem Solver

Oh the horror!

It all started with a really long car ride. Mommy and Daddy had "errands" to do so we all got to spend HOURS in the big ugly truck. It was nice. I don't know why Mommy found the Princess Auto parking lot that bad. It was an interesting hour sitting and looking out the windows. Hudson even found a McDonald's wrapper under the seat and had a snack, but Old Greedyguts wouldn't share with me.

Then, we had a car picnic. I didn't get to go into Burger Factory, but it looks like a great place. And the food that came out of it was delicious! I got a piece of bun and three fries. Yum yum yummy!

Next we went to a place called Part Source, and that was the start of the trouble....Daddy put some boxes in the back seat with us.

Mommy went to Staples, which made her happy. She said that finally one of the errands amused her. Then we went to buy a gigantic hanging plant. I really liked it, but there was no room in the truck, so Mommy kept it on her lap all the way home, which sure didn't look comfy to me.

So what could go horribly wrong?

Daddy went horribly wrong.

He decided to cheat and blast through a light that was in the process of changing from yellow to red, to make a left turn. And that caused the boxes in the back to fall.

On innocent little ole me.

And I did the only thing I could...

I squealed and jumped into the front seat, landing with one front paw in the plant (sorry about all the flowers that came off) while the other paw was desperately grabbing at Mommy's ear. Then she started screaming.

I couldn't get my bum all the way over, so I was kicking Smudgie with my back legs and he was biting me back. Things did not go well at all. Jumping into the front seat seemed like the thing to do at the time, but when I reflect upon it now I'm thinking that I should have explored other options instead.

Then Daddy pulled over, and Mommy was holding her ear, and Daddy shoved me right back into the backseat and I was forced to sit ON the boxes that had assaulted me. And I heard Mommy start to tell Daddy it was all his fault for running the light and making the boxes fall which caused me to jump over the seat and wreck the plant and try to tear off her ear....and then a stranger walked up from out of nowhere and asked for directions.

Strange.

But he was very nice, and apparently from a place called "Victoria."

So Daddy gave him directions, and Mommy sulked, and he said that he thought we were nice pooches (what's a pooches?) and off we went. And then Mommy forgot to lecture Daddy about running the light after all, which is good, because it just makes them both really cranky.

And although the hanging plant is a little lopsided now, all is well. I've even decided to forgive the nasty box that fell on me.

Whew. What a day. When I got home I took a nice long nap to recover, and so did Daddy....which almost got him another lecture from Mommy.

Yawn, I'm getting tired just thinking about it.

Take care all, and always secure your cargo if you want to keep your sheepies in the back seat!

Back seat driver Rudy

Congrats to Mommy on her new job!

I am not sure what a Vice Principal is, but she sure seems happy that she's going to be one in the fall.

Good stuff Mommy!

Take care all...

Rudy, who hopes to stay out of the office

Just for the record...

Immediately after Mommy took yesterday's picture I twitched one little muscle and Smudgie bit me!

What a grouch!

Take care all and be careful where you fall asleep.

Rip van Rudle

How can this possibly be fair?

That dirty faced rotten little big brother of mine fell asleep on me again

Hudson's been put on notice

When my Grandma and Grandpa came over on Saturday night, I was pretty well behaved. I needed a little direction (they are really fun people after all) but I did okay.

My Mommy says that Hudson was an absolute jerk.

He jumped on our company, and cried, and climbed on their laps. Mommy and Daddy were really embarrassed.

So now we are living in the era known as "Operation Attitude Adjustment." The uprights have been pretty clear. I may have my issues, but I am respectful in the house, so this tune up is for Smudgie.

And he does NOT like it.

They have banned him from the couch, and they make him sit and wait for permission to do everything. He says he's looking into some sort of underground sheepie railroad to get him to safety.

I heard Mommy say that last night he was already being more respectful and that she's happy it's going so well. Now Daddy just needs to follow through she says.

It's kind of confusing for me. When I want to come up on the couch I always stand patiently beside Mommy or Daddy and wait for them to say either "okay" or "go lay down." And then I always do what I'm told. The rules for me haven't changed, but life is very different for Smudgie.

Take care all, and remember to be consistent.

Respectful Rudy

Just one question....about my uprights.

How come when Mommy's sick she still takes good care of us, keeps the house clean, and carries on bravely?

And when Daddy's sick he curls up in bed and pretends no one else exists?

It's good for naps and all, but there's a definite difference.

I'm just sayin'

Take care all, and stay well.

Dr. Rudy

Now THAT was completely uncalled for!

Mommy always insists we pee before we eat. She says it keeps us from "noodling around" out there, since we're in a hurry to get back to our food. Whatever. I just "noodle around" AFTER we eat, when we get sent out for a poo, but I digress...

So there I was, on the deck, good boy that I am, peeing on the tiniest little patch of leftover snow, right into a flower pot (I don't get why that bothers Mommy so much), when I heard her arguing with Hudson.

He always fusses and wants to eat first and pee later, but Mommy always wins. She just blocks the door, won't let him in, and repeats, "I said, go make a pee" over and over again until he does.

My medication makes me drink more and pee more so I was enjoying a rather long pee, while I watched the battle of wills. Finally, Smudgie gave in (he always loses, but never stops trying) and he stomped over to the very same flower pot/snow spot I was enjoying.

That rat.

He stood on the other side, lifted his leg, and PEED ON ME.

The horror.

And what could I do? I had to finish what I was doing so I just had to take it. Mommy yelled at Smudgie, but he just angled in so he could get me more wet. He was mad at Mommy, so why did I get peed on?

Sigh.

Well, Mommy cleaned me up, and gave me some extra kibble (pee on that Smudgie!) so I guess it ended up okay, but sheesh, do I LOOK LIKE A FIRE HYDRANT?

Take care all, and watch where you pee.

Rudy, who is still peed off

Snow...glorious snow !!!

I just don't see why everyone is so down about snow on the first of May. I think it's swell. Yahoo!

Take care all and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Rudy the snowdog

I got a phone call! My very first.

I went to the vet today, and I would love to tell you it went well, but I got snarky and snarled at three different dogs in the waiting room. Mommy and Daddy were not happy.

Then Dr. Moffatt was bending my back legs back and forth and I didn't like it. Daddy thinks I was thinking of snapping. I really wasn't, but I was so stressed at the vet that who knows what was going on. Mommy noticed my ears going straight back so she grabbed them and massaged them. That sure confused me, and so I stopped to think about it and suddenly it was all over. He gave me a cookie and told me I was a good boy. Huh?

The vet said that my knee pops sometimes and that it's totally okay and that Mommy should stop worrying.

So I never even got an X ray. So I don't know if you can order one with cheese or not.

He told Mommy and Daddy that this special medicine to make me calmer would be cheaper from the pharmacy than the vet clinic and left to make a call. Daddy took me to the car and I snarled at another dog when we left. It turns out that Mommy knows the uprights who live with that dog. She says she taught the little boy AND worked with his mom.

Boy, is my face red.

Anyway, when we got home the phone rang, and a lady said, "Hi, this is Safeway Pharmacy calling. We were just wondering if this is the house where Rudy the dog lives."

My Mommy laughed and said, "Why yes it is, did you want me to see if he can come to the phone?"

Then she and the lady laughed, but NO ONE PUT ME ON THE PHONE!

What is up with that? Harumpf.

Apparently there are two people with the same name as Mommy and they were calling to find out which one I lived with. But still...the call was for me. Why wasn't I put on the phone?

I've been here for a year and three months, and this is my first call. There's no telling how long I'll have to wait for the next one. It's so unfair.

Take care all, and be sure to put through calls and take careful messages.

Rudy, left hanging on the line

And my second post of the day....go figure

So I overheard Mommy and Daddy saying that I'll be starting ADHD meds tomorrow. I'm a little worried about this. I don't know what ADHD is, and I think I'm pretty awesome already, so I don't know why they would want me on meds anyway.

Hudson says it's because the meds will make me shrink. He says I'll shrink and shrink and shrink until I'm the size of a hamster and then he'll step on me and squish me.

He says it'll make up for all the times I've sat on him and all the times I've swatted him with my happy little tail.

I hope he's kidding.

Mommy and Daddy say that once the meds kick in I'll be happier and the world will be relieved. I don't know exactly how I feel about that either, but I think I'm being besmirched.

They also said that Dr. Moffatt will be checking out my hips. I think they are just fine. Does anyone else know a sheepie who can jump vertically more than six feet in the air? That's right...none.

I'll be getting something called an X ray. I hope you can eat them. I'd probably like mine with cheese. I don't know if you can order them like that, but I'll try.

When I asked Smudgie about it, he said that they shouldn't worry so much about my hips, but should be X raying my skull. I'm not sure it's really necessary to be quite so snarky about all this.

I'll have to be sure to sleep right on top of him tonight. That'll teach him!

Wish me luck at the vet tomorrow.

Take care all,

Rudy, looking forward to this X ray vision

Do you guys know about the Easter Puppy?

Apparently he comes on Easter morning and hides kibble all over your house. Then, good dogs (and Hudson) do a kibble hunt and get to EAT all the treats they find.

It seemed like hours and hours, but Daddy says it was only about half of one. We found kibbles on the chairs and on the coffee table, and behind the flower pots, and on the shelves (just the low ones) and even on the piano bench.

I sniffed and sniffed and sniffed so hard that I almost passed out. Mommy says half the carpet it still stuck up my nose. Ha. Ha. Very funny Mommy.

The sad thing is that apparently this only happens once a year. That's all. Just once. And I think that I'm a little nervous that some dog got in when we weren't looking, but since he left things instead of taking them I guess it's okay after all.

Take care all, and hoppy Easter!

Love, Rudy Patootie who didn't have to wear any stupid ears this year. Hmmmm...

Happy Birthday Auntie Brighit!

A little birdie told me it's your birthday. Have a very happy birthday! Be sure to save me some cake, or steak, or anything else that rhymes.

Take care!

Rudy, with party hat in hand

The Return of Evil Puppy

This really isn't my fault. It cannot be.

A few weeks ago I was joyfully running and bounding down the hallway and my delicate little paw got tangled in an extension cord that lead to a fan in our attic. I didn't mean to do it.

I kept running and this made the fan come flying out of the little attic door, and it hit the hallway wall, bounced, and hit the stairway wall. It took chunks out of both...right in the same places that Smudgie used to eat the walls when he was little. Daddy was mad, but he loves me and he forgave me. So it should all be good, right?

Nope. Yesterday Hudson decided that since he could see and smell the drywall he should start EATING it again. Daddy is sooooooo mad, and Mommy keeps giggling, which doesn't help. So now Daddy says that I, sweet Rudy Patootie, started it all.

Huh? I do not see how an innocent faux paw on my part could possible cause all this trouble. It's Smudgie. All the way.

Sigh.

Take care all, and remember drywall is NOT a nice light snack.

Rudy, the Demolition Dog

Just a quick shaving update...

I am now totally naked. It's not too bad, but my ears are cold!

Daddy has now started on Smudgie, and it is NOT going well. I don't think I'm helping. When he works on Smudgie I get all upset that I'm not getting the attention so I push my way in and bat at Daddy and then Hudson uses that opportunity to run away and jump on Mommy and then Daddy yells at me, which is, let's face it, attention.

Right now he has one naked leg, a drafty bum, and a really bad attitude.

Take care all, and be thankful you are not named Hudson!

Rudy, who just really wants another day at the Daddyspa

I Really Have Been Slacking on my Blog

I really feel badly about not writing more in my blog. I'm not sure why it's been so hard to keep up. I promise to try harder from now on.

Things here have been crazy. My Daddy just accepted a new job, but he doesn't have to start there until May 2nd. He gets to stay at his old job until then. He says he feels he should get some time off in between, but Mommy keeps rolling her eyes and saying, "Get over it."


It's late Sunday afternoon, and all this past week Mommy's been home on something called Spring Break. I thought it would be more fun, but all she's been doing is stuff for her work, and running errands and going to appointments. I even overheard her say that it was a rotten break. And now, it's snowing and they're expecting two to five centimetres (I'll never understand the metric system...sigh) of snow.

Some SPRING break, huh?

There were a few bright spots.

The piano is back together but Mommy is still mad because the pedal squeaks. Apparently that was the one thing that mattered to her, and she makes sure to remind Daddy seven or eight times a day. He says the piano fixing dude (AKA PianoAndrew) is planning to come back for some fine tuning. We'll see who wins the great pedal debate.

And on Thursday, Grandma and Grandpa came over for dinner. Smudgie jumped all over them so I didn't and I came off looking like a good dog. I liked that. And Grandpa really, really likes me. It always makes me so happy to see him! When they came over I still had fur on my head and shoulders but nowhere else, so there were some inappropriate jokes about me being king of the jungle. Unnecessary to say the least. But now I'm totally naked, which really isn't better.

So that's about it for Spring Break. I did hear that it's all downhill to Summer Holidays now. Not sure what that means, but Smudgie did say the snow will go. I doubt it. There's still a bunch now, and this is Winnipeg after all.

Take care all...I'm heading out to eat some snow through the openings in my muzzle. Yum. Yum.

Rudy, naked but snow loving nonetheless

Again I don't get it!

This man keeps coming over and taking apart Mommy's piano. She hasn't played it in weeks. Now it's in pieces, and clamped, and in the middle of the living room.

It's actually hilarious. Smudgie's afraid to even go in the living room. Tee hee.

The little part with the little hammers and brand new felt is on the floor, and it smells yummy and looks chewy, and every single time I get my teeth around it someone yells, "Leave it!"

If it's not for me to chew why is it on the floor?

Hmmmmmm?

Upright logic makes no sense to me at all.

Take care all, and remember, apparently pianos are not food. Harumpf!

Rudy, the piano tuna

She came back!

Will wonders never cease?

Mommy came back yesterday, around lunch time. She came back with Uncle Garth and lots of bags of stuff. She went shopping in Grand Forks, but didn't bring back any new cutlery.

I'm confused, but I don't care....SHE CAME HOME TO ME!

When I told Hudson how happy I was he laughed and called me a doofus. He says he knew all along. Could he just have been messing with me? I'm not sure. Why would a sheepie be mean like that?

Take care all, and kiss your Mommy today.

Rudy, no longer semi orphaned.

My Mommy Ran Away!

She's gone.

Forever I'm sure.

I knew that things were too good to be true.

Yesterday she left with Uncle Garth, and her pink flowery suitcase. (Mental note: If I EVER see that pink flowery suitcase again I will PEE ON IT!) She got into Uncle Garth's car and I never saw her again.

Sometimes she goes places with him and comes right back, so I wasn't worried at first, but when it was time for bed and she STILL wasn't home, and Smudgie and me had to spend a whole day with just Daddy taking care of us (the horror)...I KNEW something was horribly wrong.

Smudgie says I am such a bad boy that I made her leave. He says it's all my fault because yesterday when she cut our toenails I didn't fuss and kick like he did. He says she likes that challenge, and if I make things too easy for her she'll leave. And he says that's exactly what happened.

Oh woe is me! Woe is Rudy!

I woke up this morning, hoping she'd be there. But she wasn't. Smudgie was right. She's gone.

I'm pretty sure that it's been weeks now...maybe even a month. I think I may have been so sad that I slept an entire month.

Oh Mommy, why did you go? Daddy said something about Grand Forks, but I KNOW we have all kinds of really nice cutlery here already so there's no way you went looking for special forks for us. That would just be silly.

It was nice knowing you Mommy. I'll remember you always.

Take care all, and don't let your Mommies out the door, just in case.

Rudy, the abandoned.

My Brother is Mad at Me

Everyone kept saying, "Beware the Ides of March." So, I did. I laid low, kept my head down, and waited for it to all be firmly behind me.

Turns out the "Ides of March" was Smudgie's birthday.

And I didn't blog about it.

So he's mad and he thinks I don't love him, and he's been grouchy and mean to me. Mommy says it's not so much that he's grouchy and mean about that. She says he's just bugging me because he loves me. I think he's grouchy and mean because he's a grouchy old fart now. Even Mommy and Daddy sometimes call him the CurSmudgeon.

So Happy Belated Third Birthday to you Hudson, and now could you please stop chasing me around with that green spray paint? I know you're just messing with me. There is NO RULE that says I must be tinted green today. I thought the "Ides of March" were on the fifteenth. There is NOTHING SPECIAL about the seventeenth of March. Just leave me alone.

Take care all, and beware of those wearing green today.

Rudy O'Patootie

If Daddy really doesn't want me to eat my fur, why does he stuff it under the couch?

I'm just saying that anything on the floor is fair game, and I do have a habit of eating tufts of fur that fall on the floor, so why would he put it under the couch when he cleans out my brush? It MUST be a treat for me.

And then, when it makes my tummy all upset and I throw up on the new rug, doesn't that make it all HIS fault?

Someone please explain this to my Mommy. I never eat hair out of the garbage can (although to be honest, it's only because she got one with a secure lid so I can't)...but hair on the floor, in my book, is called a "snack." Why else would Daddy stuff it under the couch instead of putting it in the garbage? I'm so confused.

Take care all, and remember, under the couch equals treat for puppies

Ralphing Rudy