Springers Spring that's what we do

And run and run and run. We went to "Paws in the Park." It was so fun. There were big puppies and little puppies and one that I thought was going to eat me he was sooo big. I mean Big like in the Biggest Dog I ever saw. But ya know what? He just said hello. His two legged companion told my two legged companion, Brian, that the big dog was an Irish Wolfhound. Irish kinda like Rose, my bestest friend.

Anyways. They had this course at "Paws in the Park." Somebody said it was a lure course, I just call it a really-run-fast-jump-and-chase-the-fuzzy-thing course. Cause that's what I did. And ya know what? I won! I ran soooooo fast that people were clapping at the end. So I turned back and ran the course the other way.

Kate, the cute one.

If I were just 6 inches taller

It's not much to ask is it? I mean 6 inches isn't that much when you're already nearly 40 inches long. See there's this bird nest and it's up in the tree. The peach tree. If I stretch and stand on tip paw and reach up with my neck I can almost reach it.

There are yummy birdie eggs in the nest. If I were just 6 inches taller......

Rose the Irish Setter

An Interview with Patches P. Power

Do Dogs Like To Travel? An Interview

We interviewed a five-year-old Cocker Spaniel named Patches, who just returned from a wonderful family vacation that took him from Texas to California and back, to find out how he enjoyed the experience. Does Patches like dog friendly vacations?

So, how was your trip, compared to the times you stayed at the kennel?

Are you kidding, pal? No comparison. Sitting alone in a cage versus seeing the country with my family? Those kennels talk a big game about letting us out for exercise, but I spent most of the time sitting on a cement floor staring at a Bulldog in the next cage. And she wasn't even that pretty. Truth be told, she kind of drooled.

But you stayed at one of the expensive kennels that have a swimming pool and TV

Let me ask you, do you want to swim in a two foot deep wading pool that 50 dusty dogs have just been splashing through? Didn't think so. And having the TV on all the time became annoying after a while, and they didn't even put on my favorite show.

What is your favorite TV show?

Bones.

Did your Master pack everything you needed for the trip?

I never use the term Master. I call them my Two Legged Companions With Thumbs and Credit Cards. But, yes, they did a great job packing for the trip. They remembered my own food, my own bowls. The medications I take. Some toys to play with. Little things like this mean a lot to a Dog. I really look forward to playing with my own toys each day.

Did they forget anything that would have made you more comfortable?

My medicated shampoo and some towels from home would have been great. When we went to the beach, I got sand in my coat, which got itchy, so I had to shake the sand off when we got back to the hotel. Dogs really hate getting the hotel carpet dirty, you know. Think of the poor maid that has to come in and vacuum.

Having my own bed along would have been nice, too. I slept on the hotel bed with my Two Legged Companions and at one hotel, frankly, the bedspread smelled bad. A cat must have checked into that room recently. They really should think about having dogs-only rooms, especially considering we were paying $200 a night for that place.

Some dogs have trouble with car sickness? You traveled several hundred miles a day. Were you ever bothered with an upset stomach?

Just once. They shared a taco with me just outside of Blythe, California, and then we went up a steep mountain road. The taco ended up in one of their laps. I prefer to be fed before we get in the car, or after we arrive at the hotel for the night. Or they could have brought along my favorite dog biscuits, so I could have a snack. Just outside Flagstaff, they gave me some French fries that were way too salty and I didn't have any water to drink in the back seat. I was panting all the way to the Grand Canyon.

Anything else that made you uncomfortable?

Sometimes we had to walk across hot pavement that really hurt my paw pads. They forget they have shoes with thick soles. It's better for me if I can walk in the grass. Even a sidewalk is better than blacktop.

What was the highlight of your trip?

Swimming in the Pacific Ocean. An experience like that you never forget, even when you get to be an old dog.

So where do you want to go on your next trip?

Somewhere with snow. Then we can all sit by the fireplace at night and pretend we're still wolves.

Thank you Patches, what a cuddly canine you are

Rose and Kate

Why I like roadkill

One of the reasons I like roadkill is you don't waste energy chasing it down and killing it. It's ready for you to munch and crunch. People eat aged beef. Why shouldn't I eat aged rabbits? So they've been out in the sun a couple of days that just adds to the flavor.

My favorite roadkill is quail. Juicy fat quail. I can catch them, but Dee doesn't like me to. She's my two legged companion and she just starts screaming at me to "give it." Of course I don't. Let her catch her own quail.

Rose, the Irish Setter
Rose and Kate

Why dogs blog

Cause we get bored. And our two legged companion said we should to earn extra treat money. Besides it's fun. No pressure or nothin. We can blog about anything we want. Well almost anything.

Blogging can be tricky when you have paws instead of fingers. Rose keeps hitting the wrong keys cause she's got big paws. Not me I have little paws. Rose drools on the keyboard sometimes when she blogs about food.

Anybody want to hire us to blog?

Kate, the cute one.

Me and Kate, and the little one

Our bestest little two legged companion spent the night with us. She slept right by us. I had to get up and check on her during the night. Then I got everybody up at first light. Yanno first light before the sun comes up? It's the best part of the day during the summer.

We had breakfast and then the little one gave us some of her bacon. And she gave me a strawberry. I love strawberries. Kate doesn't so much. We all went to the dog park. That was kinda funny in the car because Kate and I have harnesses that get attached to the seat belts and the little one has a special seat for the car. It got put in the middle of Kate and me. She has a harness in the seat too. So we were all strapped in.

When we got to the dog park it was still cool. So we ran and ran and ran. The little one, me, and Kate.

Me and Kate have decided to keep the little one. She can come back anytime.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Do Dogs like TV sports?

(As told to Brian Hill by a cocker spaniel from Phoenix named Patches.) At our house, we watch a lot of sports on TV. When I was a puppy, I thought this was a big waste of a nice sunny day. After all, it meant less time available for playing outside in the yard or going to the dog park. But as I've matured (the other day I saw my reflection in the window and was shocked to see I have gray in my muzzle), I've begun to see the wisdom of spending the afternoon on the comfy sofa watching a game. Some people think dogs can't see TV or understand what's going on. That's nonsense. The only thing we can't do is call and purchase the products we see on infomercials, but a lot of that stuff seems like junk anyway. Myself, I even figured out how to order pay-per-view using the remote.

The great thing about TV sports is the variety. If I feel like a nap, there are quiet sports like golf, where after about an hour or so, both I and my master are taking a nice snooze. Football on the other hand, is really exciting for a dog. When we have people over and it's the fourth quarter of a game and they begin concentrating on the TV screen, it's a piece cake for me to sneak around and steal their snack foods. They don't even notice the food is gone most of the time. To you canines who may be novices at this, the key is to steal foods that are soft or those that can be eaten in a couple of gulps, before anyone sees you. Avoid cruchy chips. Cheese and cold cuts make great candidates for theft. On the other paw, one time during a playoff game I was able to take a whole pizza off the table and eat it. I still remember that pizza. Pepperoni. Yum.

When their team makes a touchdown, they all jump up and yell at the screen. This is the one time I don't get scolded for running around hysterically and barking. Yep, I'd have to say football is my favorite sport. The only thing I object to is something called the "Dawg Pound" at the Cleveland Browns games. This is a section of the stadium where fat guys dress up in costumes that are rude caricatures of the nobility and grace of real dogs. I find that to be a species-insensitive stereotype.

But I love following the flight of the ball on TV, no matter what the sport. Tennis is confusing because lately so many of the players make this barking sound when the smack the ball. I've tried to decipher what the barks mean in canine language, but it seems like it's just gibberish.

I've only watched hockey once but didn't like it much. The little rock thing they smack around goes too fast to keep an eye on and I don't like ice because it reminds me of the time we went up the snow for the holidays and my paws got too cold. I much prefer a trip to a warm beach. The next best thing is watching beach volleyball. Big ball, easy for me to follow on the screen. I've even seen spectators bring their dogs to tournaments at the beach. Now that's a civilized sport.