Ooops .... Did I forget to mention?

I have a new sister.  Actually, she's not so new.  She arrived on the coldest week of January.  Her name is Isadora Duncan and she is now almost 7 months old.  She thinks she's coy and the best thing ever.  I think she's annoying, except when I want to play with her .... What do you think?  She looks kind of cute and mellow lying on the asphalt but don't be fooled for one minute!

My mom's starting a new business!

It's not running yet, but is being 'developed' as they say in "web-ese."  Of course, I am the STAR!  Major star.  The name is:  www.bumperpet.com.  Sadly, I have to share the limelight with my annoying little sister, Isadora Duncan (IzzyDunk).  Here's a little hint about what is to come .... (hint:  just look at the removable vinyl bumper stickers on the back of the car, created from photos my mom took of me ... and Izzy)

I Found My Voice - Again

No pictures, here, this time .... This is about "The Bark."  I know I was bred as a sentinel dog, but my owners didn't recognize that as I aged, I would find my voice.  Now that I am an almost adult TT, my bark reigns supreme.  My owners are still trying to figure out how to minimize it.  As if .... Let me tell you what I bark at: 


1)  The TV:  My owners are idiots.  Don't they know that the TV is a window to a world of danger out there?  It is my job to warn them, so I bark at other animals on the TV; I bark at dangerous looking people on TV; and I bark at dangerous looking objects.  Then I run into the room behind the TV to see if there is danger there to let them know about.  The room is always empty.  I get confused, but does that stop me from barking?  NO, absolutely NOT, not on MY watch!  This is called the "Crazy TT TV Bark." 


2)  Dusk:  It's a dangerous world out there.  It's my job to prevent bad things from happening to ME and to my owners.  So when I get taken out at dusk or at night, I either trot purposefully on my walk or I watch carefully for signs of danger.  That being said, I still announce going outside with a volley of barks to scare away anything or anyone who might hurt my family.  This is called the "It's my job to protect you Bark." 


3)  Un-neutered male dogs:  How dare they keep their 'parts' when mine have been eliminated?  I bark to let them know that even though they have testosterone, I am still one tough TT to contend with, especially the larger dogs.  They better not mess with me.  This is called "The Pre-emptive Bark." 


4)  Thunder:  I am NOT afraid of thunder, but it's important that I alert my owners that thunder is happening.  I bark loudly and fiercely.  My owners are now treating me during thunderstorms, waiting for a clap of thunder and timing it with a treat.  I'm not scared, but it's a win-win for me.  I must keep them engaged in this game.  This is called the "Let me scam you Bark." 


5)  Recycling bins and large garbage cans:  There may be something in there that could be dangerous so I used to avoid it like the devil.  But now, I'm finding that there may be good droppings around them, so I'm not so avoidant.  This is called the "Should I bark or not, so I may as well do so." 


6)  Finally, the bark at the door.  My owners are actually happy about that one because it means I really need to go out and do my business.  This is the only bark they REALLY like.  This one is called "The Do My Business Bark." 


In sum, my owners get annoyed, frustrated by my bark; however, they should TOTALLY appreciate the fact that rarely whine.  (Unless I want to be fed.) 


Wigglebutt Duncan (the master of the BARK)

The Stare ... (or am I a subtle TT?)

The stare .... especially the longing, but not disrespectful stare, is one of my best talents.  It sure beats getting scolded for jumping on the chairs or tables and I believe it garners me the respect due one of my breed.  After all, aren't we known for our independence.  Let the labs be the sloppy jumpers.  For me, it's just THE STARE with the correct amount of pathos delivered.  To be sure, I know what I am doing; I also know that my family (nuclear and extended) know what I am doing.  And even though I never will get fed from the table, if I am convincing enough, there is more than a slim possibility that I will be treated with some left-over scraps after the meal is done.  I have also learned that little morsels may be dropped onto the floor so I am now refining my scavenger skills so that my owners don't understand what I am doing and extinguish their behavior.  How many of you have mastered "The Stare?"

If you haven't, you must take a lesson from my playbook.  And as you can see, the type of the cuisine is irrelevant.  I especially love the edamame beans. 

I can look cute if I want!

Yes, can you believe it?  It's ME!  After the dreadful spa day.  Oh, I like the big tub with the non-slippery mat, and I truly enjoy the massage and rinse with warm water.  However, the blow dry?  Forget it!  I tolerate it and I absolutely hate the noise around my ears.  So what if I'm on a special grooming table?  I deserve it .... I'm a special boy even if I am neutered.  So what if I'm wet.  Why do I have to be subjected to the one thing that ruins my event.  Why can't they just STOP with the bath?  I don't think that they do that to humans at the Red Door Spa, do you?  The only think that makes the blow dry tolerable is the wonderful comb-out after.  I have a special comb ... one with rotating tines so that it glides through my double-coated fur and removes all the mats.  It feels like getting my whole body tickled.  Bring it on! 

But you have to admit it .... aren't I totally cute?

To Chew, Sleep and be in Prairie Heaven

It's been a long time since I've thought about my plight in life.  In fact, there's no need to do so, because I couldn't ask for more.  I have 3 favorite things:  1) an inexhaustible supply of bully sticks.  Do you all know what they are?  If you don't, I suggest you look them up on Wikipedia and gag, but they are heaven to me.  My mom gets me them at a specialty store where the bulls are fed corn or they are smoked.  I chew and I chew and I chew.  In fact, here's a picture of me.  Looks like my cigar, eh?  Not a great photo, but I'm sure you get the point. My second favorite activity is to be at the Prairie Dog Park.  It's totally fab, actually heaven.  And the mud baths are awesome.  Lest you think that I would be intimidated by mud, water, and dirt, just look at the pictures of me in my total element. 


Below are hopefully a series of pictures of my entry into the Elizabeth Arden special treatment spa mud baths.  Don't you think it's good for the skin?  I do ... In fact, I've been known as Crockodile Dunkie.



Ah, Sweet Mud!

 It IS a dog's world, isn't it?????  Don't you wish that YOU could do this with me????  (Almost worth the clean-up, but not too sure about that)  The best is after the park.  We have Doggy Spa Day in a big jacuzzi tub, with a shampoo massage followed by conditioning and a blow dry and comb out.  I should think about scheduling weekly appointments.  What do you think? 


Aren't I totally cute after a day in the park?

Finally, the skill that I am best at is SLEEP, sleep in many positions.  Lest you fail to believe me, just look below:

What do you all think?  Am I am the BEST sleeper?  Am I the BEST passed-out TT?  As my mom writes, I am passed out on her couch (being very dirty much to her dismay) on my back .... unmoving.

We shall soon adjourn to the bedroom for our night-time rest, with me on the bed, off the bed, on the bed off the bed, sometimes preferring to go into my special den (AKA my wonderful crate) where I scratch the bedding and settle down for the night.  Ta, ta, world. 













Maybe next time, I shall ponder on the usefulness of "The STARE."  It works miracles.  You should try it.

Camp Dogwood, Fall 2008, Redux .....

For all of you who may be following my short, but illustrious career as the notoriously mischief-filled TT, I want to share my experiences at Camp Dogwood in McHenry County, Illinois.  I'm not pitching for them, but the camp was total fun and their website is campdogwood.com.  My weekend there was exceptional and exciting for me, exhausting for my poor mom .... I did beach chasing (instead of dock diving), frisbee, Rally-O, beginning agility, where I again ran off with a cone (you can see it on YouTube if you like:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIlDfTU5sjk.  Again, please understand that I was a mere 8 months old and I had never experienced an agility course before, much less all the other stuff.  Lure course racing was FUN, total FUN!  I'm going to try to get my mom to upload some pictures from my experience doing all this stuff.

The Redux:  (only in terms of the retelling not the redoing, although we did attend a 2 day pre-camp in agility training in May, 2009, where I again ran off with the cone rather than go through the course).

Here goes ......

The Dunkie Diaries:  Camp Dogwood - October, 2008

October 17th .... mom and dad are getting ready for camp (or something is going on that's making me anxious).  Bad mommy has put me in my crate.  Strange people are coming in and out of my house with stuff (translation = new gas water heater) and I'm stuck in this awful crate.  I wanna see what's going on so I whine and whine, but no one listens to me.  How can they possibly ignore me?

October 17th at noon:  FINALLY, I'm out of one crate and into the car crate.  The care is stuffed with things and we're headed to someplace I've never been before.  I protest; I whine; I sniffle; I bite at my crate (plastic and try to chew it but I'm unsuccessful; stupid humans.  I''m feeling like a cat (lol).

October 17 at 1:30.  We're at this strange place with lots of dogs.  The energy level is off the charts and I'm so excited that all I can do is whine and bark.  I can actually go off leash until my parents put me on leash for the camp orientation.  Fun walk; I go through fields and more fields and someone human is talking to my pack leaders about what happens here and there.  It doesn't make sense to me; all I want to do is play.  Before dinner, I find a 14 month old miniature Schnauser whose energy level and intensity is equal to or greater than mine.  We tussle and wrestle.  I am exhausted.  After dinner (I'm in the car in crate, of course, while other dogs are barking while tied to a line outside), I finally get to see where our pack sleeps (at a Comfort Inn that is dog friendly).  OMG - so many smells, I can hardly contain myself although I didn't pee or poo in the room.  I had a hard time going to sleep because it was all so new, but I was happy that I had my familiar crate.  Ah, sleep, so sweet ....

October 18th, first real camp day.  My pack is talking to other people and I want to see what's going on .... I tried Rally Obedience and felt it wasn't really my thing - too many rules although I did my best because I really liked the treats.

Second morning activity was my first experience with agility.  WOW!  So much stuff.  I'm kind of scared but can always be coaxed with food.  I did it all, even when they dropped the tunnel on me (stupid humans).  I've never ate so well.  I like this time, especially the food!!!!

October 18th:  Camp photo.  BORING .... but I did manage to pick up a lot of burrs in the process and my Puppia halter made some really neat matting that is maddening to my pack .... (sigh)

October 18th (late afternoon):  Frisbee catching.  What are these stupid people doing, but I love to play tug with it and I want that darn disk.  So I run around and around trying to catch it and I find that it's actually fun!!!!  I'm good at this, but need a softer disk for my very princely teeth.  It was fun and I'd like to do it again.

October 19th:  (morning):  My mom is again trying to teach me to have better recall.  Doesn't she know it's pointless?  I suck at this but she's apparently learned some tricks to confound me into not pulling on the leash.  If her extended TT pack is interested, maybe she'll share some secrets she's learned with them (hee, hee).

October 19th (late morning):  LURING .... OMG, I go up to this strange place and see all these retrievers, labs, and collies so unbelievably excited about this stupid plastic thing that runs on a ring all over a huge area.  I must patient await my turn, and my mom goes into the middle of the field to yell(?)/encourage me?  This plastic thing starts to to move and my mom is yelling in encouragement and running with me (lol) and then I think that she is more fun than that stupid plastic thing and run to her and decide that mowed grass is even better than my mom.  Eventually, I try it again, and I LOVE IT!  Even though I'm totally exhausted, I run the whole course chasing that darn thing with my mom and dad cheering.

October 19th:  Good Canine Citizen Prep (and unknowingly, test).  I am next two a hyper mixed dog and 3 Newfies who look like horses to me.  I'm nervous.  I can sit-stay better than anyone but being in a crowd makes me nervous, along with the shadows on the floors.  When I'm supposed to do all those stupid turns, I panic and stop.  My mom doesn't understand the danger there .... (I do).  Everyone except for my friend, Rudy, the Schnauser, who has already passed the GCCT passes; I have to do this stupid walk again, but daddy made me practice with mom and I got what I believe was  'pitty' pass, but hell, a pass is a pass even though I'm not a great citizen nor do I ever intend to be.

October 19th:  After lunch .... Mommy is exhausted.  She can do no more.  She sleeps in the car for 2 hours while daddy takes me to a targeting workshop.  Daddy gets the concept.  I try hard but I don't get it.  The treats are still good.

October 19th:  Mid afternoon .... Daddy makes mommy get out of the car (she doesn't want to; she wants to keep on sleeping) and we go to a massage class.  She massages me.  I like it!!!!  Want more.

October 19th:  Late afternoon. I am in puppy social hour.  I am the youngest - OK, the second youngest camper there- I'm a puppy, hey??? But apparently, I've intimidated a Daschhund in the small dog/puppy group and there are strong hints that I need to move on.  My mom heeds those hints and takes me to a larger dog group where I am a little intimated, but the energy level is manageable .... I don't want to get a bad rep(utation) at my first outting and have to wear an orange scarf that indicates that I have issues, so I guess I must behave.

Did I mention the beach (sand) and the water.  HEAVEN!  I almost swim even without the vest that mom bought but forgot to bring with her to the beach.  I want to learn dock diving; the labs are awesome and I'm sure that with my great looks I would be great, too, although not a record winner ... maybe next time.  At least I got to dig, wrestle with Rudy and chase other dogs and pee in the water.

October 20th (Monday morning):  I am entered in agility 1 and 11.  LOL.  If my idiot parents can learn to get an out of focus camcorder uploaded to youtube, you will laugh out loud just as my dad did as it was being filmed.  Just didn't know what to do with bending tunnel so decided to take matters into my own hands thinking that the cone that marked the station was so much more interesting than the stupid tunnel.  So I ran away with with all over with field with multiple humans chasing me.  This is a fun game. Must do it again!  Finally they caught me, and kept me from doing it again.   I got through the L-shaped tunnel although you would think if humans were really that smart that they would know that the straightest line between 2 points is a straight one.  Stupid humans.

It starts raining; camp is almost over; Mommy is exhausted; daddy is exhausted; I think I'm exhausted, but I'm so dirty and newly matted (that I squeal about when mommy tried to remove them) that she takes to me a groomer on the way home. 

I'm a superstar on the table, but hate to be left alone in the kennel.  They finally come and get me.  Damn!!! Do I look GOOD!

It's good to be home.  Mom has had a glass (or two) of wine and I'm dictating this diary to her because I wanted to tell you what  fun time I had.  She's my love slave ....

Love to all of you,
Dunkie, aka, Dunkster, aka Dunk-a-doodle, aka Crock-o-Dunke, aka Skunky Dunkie