Dog Humor from Rose and Kate

sliders slide down

2011-08-27T10:42:00.001-07:00

So like Dee was watching The Olympics with Kate on her lap. Kate likes to watch TV, not me, I don't see the point. Anyways, my other two legged Companion, Brian, was on the phone. They forgot about the yummy sliders on the stove. I didn't. I knew they were there. I waited until nobody was looking and ... no more sliders. I know why they're called sliders now. They slid down your tummy.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Bath Time Be Bad Time

2010-02-18T12:12:00.000-08:00

I love swimmin in the lake, splashing in mud puddles and dunkin my head in the pond in the backyard. I can see all the fishies swimming when I do that. I like to chase fishies. I chase them when we go to the lake. Dee doesn't like it when I try to chase them in the pond.

I like putting my head in my water bowl and then shaking my ears so everything gets wet.

I do NOT like baths. Soap and water do not mix.

Kate, the cute one.

Why I like roadkill

2010-02-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

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

Springers Spring that's what we do

2010-02-16T14:55:00.000-08:00

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.

An Interview with Patches P. Power

2010-01-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

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 dogs blog

2009-07-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-05-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

(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.

The bunny brought us bones!

2009-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny brought us bones. Big fat juicy bones, little bitty skinny bones, bones, bones, bones. We like to chase bunnies, they're like snacks on paws. Brian told us if we chased the Easter Bunny, he - well we don't know if the Easter Bunny is a he or she, I mean how do you tell? Anyways if we chased the Easter Bunny then we wouldn't get any bones in our Easter basket. So we didn't. And we did. Get bones.

Rose, the Irish Setter and Kate the English Springer Spaniel.

She likes me best

2009-04-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

I know she does I just know it, know it, know it. I mean she likes Rose. But our little two legged companion likes me best. I'm little and furry and don't knock her over and I have 3 colors. Rose has only one color, red. I have brown and black and white. 3 colors is better than 1 color.

I get so excited when she comes to visit I run around the house as fast as I can. And then I howl. Like really loud. I HHHHOOOOWWWLLL!

Cause that little one is my friend.

Kate, the cute one

Mud and me

2009-03-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

It rained and rained and rained. The backyard got muddy and me too. It's fun to run in the rain. The puddles make a big splash when I jump in them. SPLASH! And the water goes everywhere. The backyard has one place where the puddles are the biggest and that's where I like to splash the most.

Rose, she's my bestest Irish Setter friend, doesn't like the rain. She won't even leave the patio unless she really, really, really, has to go. I dunno why, she's missing a lot of fun.

Not me. My paws get muddy. My tail gets muddy. The fur on my belly gets muddy. And I forget that I'm all muddy and go in the house anyway. The carpet gets muddy, the floor gets muddy, and my favorite chair gets muddy.

And then guess what? I have to take a bath.

I like the mud. I don't like baths. Dee uses special dog products for me. There's a brush she uses and nail clippers, and a comb and other stuff. She clips my nails. She put cleaner in my ears and sloshes it around. It doesn't hurt but I don't like it. It's hard to hold still for that long. I'm a Springer spaniel and that means I spring around.

Getting my teeth brushed is a treat. Rose and me can't wait to go first. Rose tries to push me out of the way cause she's bigger. But see I'm littler so I can sneak in. They put stuff on the toothbrush that tastes really good. Yummy for the tummy. Brian likes to brush our teeth. He does a good job too and puts lots of the good stuff on the toothbrush and then we get a chewy bone.

Oh, I almost forgot. I like the dog shampoo, it doesn't sting when it gets in my eyes. Dee is very, very careful of course, but I'm glad she uses that special shampoo. Sometimes she uses a rinse so my fur doesn't mat. That's okay but it smells like flowers and I'm not a flower I'm an English Springer Spaniel with 3 colors. I have white and black and brown. Rose only has one color. Just red, plain old boring red.

Kate the cute one and clean one.

Every day is my day. Rose only gets one.

2009-03-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Rose, I don't need no special day cause every day is my day. I get the warm spot on the bed you sleep on the chair. I'm first out the door every time. I get just as much food as you do. Yup it's true. I run around and jump and stuff more than you do so I eat just as much. Except you're tall so you can reach the counter and steal food. I can't reach. But when Dee cooks I stay right by her and anytime anything drops (she's a pretty sloppy cook) I eat it up.

Kate, the cute one.

Kiss me, I'm Irish and then I'll bop you one.

2009-03-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

If you can't tell by looking I'm an Irish Setter. St. Patrick's day is my day. As the saying goes Kiss me I'm Irish. And of course I'll return the favor by bopping you on the head. I learned that from my two legged companions. They put their hand on my head when they tell me I'm a good girl, course I'm always good. So I do the same thing. I put my paw on their head when I want to tell them they're being good. Brian calls it bopping. I call it petting.

Kate, my sister the English Spring Spaniel, doesn't get her own day. They don't have a day for English people and pets. I'm lucky I'm Irish. Dee made Irish stew for us for dinner. That's beef and potatoes and green stuff and carrots. I didn't eat the green stuff. I prefer to eat the lantana outside to get my daily dose of chlorophyll or the grass. I love carrots. And tomatoes. There are tomato plants growing in pots on the deck as soon as they smell sweet I eat them up. Then Dee fusses at me.

It's good to be Irish.

2009-03-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our favorite little two legged companion is visiting us. Me and Kate like her a lot. She's just the right size to steal her food. I don't even have to knock her over to do it.

Sometimes she gives me some of her dinner and then Kate and then me again. She's my bestest little two legged companion.

We play ball in the backyard. She doesn't throw very far but that's okay. She claps her hands when I catch the ball or Kate. Kate doesn't catch the ball very much when I'm around 'cause I'm bigger.

Every dog should have a two legged little companion like this one.

Rose,the Irish Setter

I am FAMOUS

2009-02-25T14:24:00.001-08:00

Yep I was in the newspaper today. Oh the story was about my two legged companion, Brian Hill and his screenplay but the reason he wrote the screenplay was because of me.

See I'm a hunting dog and I don't like nasty critters around my pack. My two legged companions, Brian and Dee are part of my pack and so is the runt, Kate. Okay I really like Kate but she is a runt.

Anyways. We live in the desert and my companions took me for rattlesnake aversion training. That was not one of my favorite training experiences.

Later that summer I smelled the rattlesnake and it was close. Really close to Brian. It was making that funny noise they do but Brian wasn't paying any attention. Funny how two legged companions don't hear as good as us dogs. I told Brian to get away with my "get away" bark. You know that high pitched bark, but he still didn't listen. He kept working on the plants.

The rattlesnake was getting angry. I could tell this was not a good thing. I went over to push Brian out of the way. But Brian didn't want to move. He thought I was playing. So I told the snake to leave. And then it happened. I got tagged. Bit right on the nose. Major owie. Big Owie. HUGE OWIE.

But Brian didn't get bit. I saved him.

Brian and Dee took me to the emergency clinic and I had to spend the night but I'm okay now. And that's why Brian was in the newspaper today.

Here's the story:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/02/23/20090223sr-script0225.html

Oh the picture is me getting ready to go to Hollywood.

Rose, the Irish Setter

It ain't easy

2009-02-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

It ain't easy being littler than Rose. She's big and can reach the counters to get the left overs but she doesn't share. Sometimes she'll knock something off and then I get some too, but most of them time she just eats whatever is on the counter right there.

She says she's helping Dee keep the kitchen clean. I dunno. I think she just wants a snack.

Kate, the cute one.

If I were just 6 inches taller

2009-02-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

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

Spa Treatments? I don't think so.

2009-02-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

I went to visit Dr. Sara. She works with Dr. Brad. Anyway Dr. Sara said that my two legged companions should soak my owie elbow in warm water with epsom salts. See I got this infection right before Santy Claws day and it keeps coming back. So this time Dr. Sara gave me the anti biotics and said I needed the soaking. She called it a spa treatment.

I don't get it. I don't like having to hold still while my leg is in a bucket of water. I don't like baths why would Dr. Sara think I would like a spa treatment.

The only good thing is that I have to take the anti biotics three times a day with food. That means I get fed three times. Sounds about right to me.

Talent Attached!

2009-01-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

That's us. Me and Rose are talent attached. That's what you say when you have a screenplay and somebody like a famous actor has said yes they want to be in it. Well our two legged companion, Brian, has written a screenplay, that has a part for an Irish Setter, that'd be Rose, and an English Springer Spaniel, that'd be me, in it. He asked us if we wanted to be "talent attached." Of course we said yes ... but I'm thinking maybe we shoulda got an agent first?

Kate, the cute one.
We're ready for Hollywood

Harley Rules and we don't mean the motorcycle

2008-12-30T11:42:00.000-08:00

Me and Rose have a new friend! His name is Harley! He's littler than me! He's got black fur and pointy ears and long swishy tail. I like him. And so does Rose. She chased him around the backyard and then Harley chased me and then I chased Payton. Payton is a little two legged companion that belongs to CeCe who belongs to Dee. Payton likes to brush me. She does it really gentle.

Anyways. Harley was fun. Except he had an accident on the carpet. CeCe his two legged companion got upset but Dee said don't worry when puppies get excited sometimes they have accidents.

I haven't had an accident for a long long time cause I'm a big girl.

Kate, the cute one.

Hey Santa Baby!

2008-12-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

Me and Kate want bones. Big fat juicy ones. Long thin skinny ones. Itsy bitsy teeny weeny bones. Big bones. Small bones. Any kinda bones.

We've been good girls, at least for the last twenty minutes.

Rose the Irish Setter
Kate the English Springer Spaniel

I'm gong to see Dr. Brad today! Yeah!

2008-12-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

I like Dr. Brad, oh I'm supposed to call him Dr. Rosonke. He's my vet at Hillside Animal Hospital. Everybody there loves me. I can tell cause they come out and say hello and pet me and tell me how cute I am (I know that already) and I get treats. Many many many treats.

First thing they do is weigh me. It's hard to hold still on the scale. I try but I'm a wiggler. I don't know why they do that anyways I always weigh 35 pounds. That's kinda little for an English Springer Spaniel but that's okay. Like I told Rose, my bestest Irish Setter friend, "Little is Lovely."

The only thing I don't like about Hillside Animal Hospital is the butt thermometer. That feels really funny and I havta hold still. Oh well. I get another treat afterwards. Did I mention I like treats?

Kate, the cute one.

It's lovely to be little

2008-11-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

Little is so lovely. And being a petite size English Springer Spaniel is the best. See I'm big enough that people treat me like a real dog, not like a stuffed toy. Nobody's gonna carry me around in their purse like those whatchacallits, ummm the skinny itty bitty dogs that shiver when you look at them too hard, you know, the one that Paris Hilton person has?

Little means I fit on the bed, even under the covers if I want.

Little means I can hide under the chair in the living room and then when Rose, she's the Irish Setter, goes by, whooooosh I jump out and bite her ear. Irish Setters are supposed to have these long lovely ears but for some reason, Rose can't get hers to grow out.

Little means if I look really really sad, I practice in front of the mirror but don't tell anybody, I get more food in my bowl. Cause I'm skinny anyway.

Little is lovely and much better than bigger. Are ya listening Rose?

Kate, the English Springer Spaniel
Rose and Kate's website only it should be called Kate and Rose's.

It's Better to Be Bigger

2008-11-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

I'm an Irish Setter and I'm bigger than Kate. Kate is just a runty - no really she is a runt for a springer spaniel, they're supposed to weigh like 50 pounds and Kate only weight 35 pounds - Kate's just a runty English Springer Spaniel. She is cute and she knows it too. But I'm bigger. Irish Setters are bigger than Springer Spaniels and bigger is better.

I can reach the kitchen counters and get the left overs. Kate can't do that.

I can push open the back door. Kate can't do that.

I can eat out of the dirty pans in the kitchen sink. Kate can't do that.

I can knock over the pizza dude when he delivers. Kate can't do that. Kate can help eat the pizza when it's all over the floor but I guess that's okay for a little squint.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Rose and Kate's website

All of a sudden WHAM!!!!

2008-10-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Me and Rose were going for our morning walk with our two legged companions. I love our morning walks. I get to smell new smells and see stuff outside our backyard. Anyways. We were just walking and all of a sudden, WHAM, this big dog comes running out of his house as fast as his paws will carry him. And he's barking. Not a hello-how-are-you-doing bark. Oh no! This was a I'm-going-bite-you-in-the-butt bark.

And he almost did. Nobody bites me. I'm the cute one. I didn't know what to do. So I went behind Rose. She's my bestest Irish Setter friend. Rose stood up and looked at the big dog.

And then Dee yelled. She yelled really, REALLY, REALLY LOUD: NO, NO, NO. And you know what? The other dog stopped.

And then his two legged companion came out and grabbed him and told him he was a bad dog. But he wasn't a bad dog. He just needs some manners. And so does his two legged companion.

Whew.

Kate, the cute one.

Sandy the schnauzer

2008-10-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sandy the miniature schnauzer lives next door. She's little, like really little, littler than Kate. But I like her. She can jump high, almost to the top of the fence which is taller than me when I reach up. Of course her side is shorter because we live on a hill.

Miniature Schnauzers are fun. Every time Sandy goes for a walk with her two legged companion and I see them out the front window, I bark hello. Then Dee, she's my two legged companion, fusses at me. She tells me to be quiet. But if I'm quiet then Sandy won't know I'm saying hello and wouldn't that be rude?

Rose, the Irish Setter

2008-09-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

Dogs rule. From Puppies from New York to Pooches from Wisconsin to Canines from California. It's just that simple. Think about it. I don't have to worry about my breakfast cause Dee, my two legged companion, gets it for me and dinner? Well Brian, my other two legged companions gets it every evening. And it's not just dog food either. Nope. I get chicken and potatoes, or meatloaf and carrots and rice, or pork roast and sweet potatoes. If it sounds like people food that's because it is.

I have a comfy bed and I get to sleep on the chairs, sofa, and bed if I want. I don't have to work, but me and Rose, she's my bestest bestest friend, she's an Irish Setter, make sure the birds stay out of our yard. And of course we tell everybody when there's a rabbit out front or the Poufy dog is walking by. Rose does that mostly by barking.

Nothing to complain about with our pack. Except maybe, well I don't like getting my nails clipped. I saw this thing on TV. yeah I watch TV. I like the cooking shows the best and then NFL football. Anyways I saw this thingie on TV called pedipaw Anyways. It looked pretty cool. Not a clipper but it went round and round and filed the nails. The canine they were using the pedi paws looked like he was having fun. I bet he got treats afterward too.

Now if I could just dial the phone, I already know where the credit cards are.

Kate, the cute one

The fur flies

2008-09-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

and it gets on everything, the sofa, the floor, the bed, the tables, everything. But it's not mine. Nope. I know this because I just have red fur, beautiful soft red fur and the fur that's everywhere is black and white.

You know who is black and white (and brown, she has three colors, like she's always telling me, who needs three colors when you have red, anyways)? It's Kate, the English Springer Spaniel. I don't know what that puppy girl does to get her fur all over the place. Dee, my two legged companion has to use a neat dog hair vacuum to clean it all up.

Kate gets a bath and gets brushed and brushed, but she still gets her fur all over. I get brushed too, I like that but I don't like the bath. I have to be in this little tiny room and the floor is slippery and I can hardly turn around. Dee says it's called a bathtub. I don't care what you call it I don't like it.

Kate gets a bath more often because she's little and closer to the ground so she gets dirty faster. Not me. I'm a big girl. I don't get as dirty. But when Kate gets a bath it reminds Dee I should get one too. After I get finished with the bath I chase Kate around the house cause if she didn't get so dirty then I wouldn't have to get a bath.

Rose, the Irish Setter

NOT for Big Girls - just for me.

2008-08-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

Little is lovely. Small is spectacular, and tiny is terrific. I'm little and that means I can fit places big girls like Rose can't. Rose is my bestest Irish Setter friend but she's a big girl. I can fit under the chair. Rose can't. I can hide under the futon. Rose can't. I can slide behind the sofa. Rose can't even get her big butt behind the sofa.

It's cozy and safe under the futon. Nobody can bother me. It's warm and sometimes I find a cracker or pretzel that my two legged companion dropped, and then I have a snack. And I don't have to share. Sharing is not what Rose and me do.

Another advantage to being small is that there's more stuff for me. You don't see jewelry for big dogs or those cute little hats. I mean Rose looks silly with a hat on. Me? I look like I'm a fashionista. I don't think I spelled that right but it's hard to look words up in the dictionary when you just have paws to turn the pages.

Anyways. Another thing I like is my Cozy Cave dog bed. It's just the right size for me. I can curl up. I can stretch out. I can take a nap or just rest. YYYAAWWNN! Yanno I think it's time for my afternoon nap.

Kate, the cute one

I try I really do but......

2008-08-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm a good girl. I really am. I want to listen but it's hard when you're an English Springer Spaniel. There's so much stuff going on around me sometimes I don't pay attention. Like when I'm chasing butterflies. See, the only thing I think about when I'm chasing butterflies is catching one. So if Brian, my two legged companion, says "Come." I don't even hear him.

Dog training isn't easy for me or my two legged companions. Brian has lots of patience though and never yells at me. If I do the command right he tells me I'm a good girl and I get a treat. I love treats. If I forget he just tells me again in a nice voice.

I know Sit, Stay, Come, Wait, Let's Walk, and Paw. The really really really hardest command is Quiet. I just can't do Quiet. When a puppy has to howl a puppy has to howl. I don't do it all the time, just at breakfast time and I'm excited about breakfast, or dinner time and I want my dinner. I love breakfast and dinner and treats. Did I mention I love treats?

Rose, my bestest Irish Setter friend has a hard time with dog obedience too, but that's because sometimes she doesn't wanna listen. For example: If she's standing by the kitchen table and Dee, my other two legged companion, tells her to sit, Rose just looks out the window, around the floor and up at the ceiling. See what I mean? Dee has to come over and say Rose! SIT! and then finally Rose will sit.

Kate, the cute one and the better behaved one.

Not on my stuff

2008-08-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

I just can't help it. See there's this one dog that drives me nuts. I call it Original Pouffy Dog. There's also gray pouffy dog and big pouffy dog, but that's another blog post.

Anyways Original Pouffy Dog makes me bark. When he first started walking down my street with his two legged companion he'd pee on my mailbox. Well IT'S MY MAILBOX ! I don't want nobody peeing on my stuff. So I'd bark at him to stop.

And of course he wouldn't. He'd just lift his leg and pee. So I'd bark louder. And when that didn't work I'd bang on the glass window with my paws. Yanno to get his attention so he'd see I was mad and leave.

He finally stopped peeing on the mailbox. I think he still wanted to but his two legged companion started walking on the other side of the street.

So today when we were out walking, me, with Kate my English Springer Spaniel buddy, and Dee and Brian, I saw Original Pouffy Dog walking towards us on the same side of the street. That did it. I just know he was gonna pee on one of my pack members so I started barking, and howling, and yowling to make him go away.

It worked. They turned around and went the other way.

Dee was kinda mad at me though. I made a lot of noise. She kept telling me to be quiet and I wouldn't. I bet she would have been even madder if I was quiet and Original Pouffy Dog peed on her.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Keeping healthy

2008-08-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

Do you know when your puppy doesn't feel good? Sometimes we don't let on when something's wrong. So our two legged companions have to know what to look for. I'm a hunting dog and hunting dogs keep hunting even if they don't feel good. Dog Health is important for a happy dog.

Make sure that all inoculations are up to date. Of course you have to have rabies, but there are other inoculations that are important. Here in Arizona there's an anti rattlesnake venom shot we get twice a year.

A pudgy puppy pal has a shorter life than a trim and thin dog. You might think you're giving your dog extra love by giving them an extra treat but you're not. Of course I steal treats (and pizza and cookies and I even know how to open the bread drawer and I love bread) so I don't have to wait for my two legged companions to give me a treat.

So do you know what to look for to make sure your canine companion is in good shape? Here's a check list that can help.

Changes in drinking and eating.
Changes in going potty
Loss of energy
Acting shy or hiding
Excessive panting
Licking scratching or biting at an area
Shaking head

Take care of your four legged friend and you'll have him (or her- I'm a girl) for a long time.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Lots and lots of toys and stuff

2008-07-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get tired of playing with the same ole toys. I have my favorites like raccoon sack and sock rope. And me and Rose love to play football in the backyard. She catches the ball and then I tackle her and try to get it away. She's big but I'm fast and I don't give up.

I like new toys too. The ones that are soft and stuffed don't last long. I like to unstuff them and get the squeaky thingie out. The stuffing goes all over. All over the floor, under the chairs, on the sofa, the more stuffing the better. It doesn't taste good though.

When me and Rose going shopping on the Internet - why are you surprised? I mean if we can write this blog why couldn't we go shopping? Anyways. When we shop we look for cheap dog supplies and that way we can buy more toys.

We used to play frissbee and catch with a tennis ball but then Rose broke her tooth and had to have a root canal, so we only play catch with soft toys and rubbery toys like the football.

Kate, the cute one

Owies in the Paw

2008-07-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

And in my nose. On our morning walk I saw a rabbit. I love rabbits. I don't get to chase them because Brian won't let go of the leash. Anyways I saw a rabbit and held very still, so still I wasn't even hardly breathing. And then the rabbit ran and I tried to go after it and whoa! Right into a cholla cactus. That hurt!. I got an owie on my paw and when I tried to lick it I got the owie in my nose.

Brian saw what happened and tried to pull the owie from my paw. There were like 5 of the needles sticking in and he got one in his paw when he tried to pull it out. So he ran all the way home and got the car and came back with this owie puller outer thingie. That worked but it hurt.

I was a brave girl and didn't cry once. Not once. Irish Setters are hunting dogs and hunting dogs don't cry.

I think I'm going to watch where I put my paws from now on.

Rose, the Irish Setter

What we did on vacation

2008-07-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

That's me, Kate swimming in the lake. Well it's right after I went swimming. I'm standing on a big rock and watching a bird.

I'm Rose over there on the right.

This is me, Rose, hunting in the field next to our cabin. Okay I'm not really hunting. I can't because I'm on a long tether. It's the national forest and dogs aren't supposed to be off leash. But it's fun to pretend. Rose, the Irish Setter.

And that's me, Kate running in the field, I run very very fast. Faster than Rose. I'm on a long leash too, It's in the grass you can't see it here.

Boy did we have fun!

Kate, the cute one
Rose the Irish Setter

We're going today. YEA!

2008-07-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

We're going to the lake! We're going to the lake! We're going to the lake! And it's today!

The car is all packed. Wow there's a lot of stuff. Dee packed food, and clothes, and blankets and of course the bag for me and Rose. That bag has some interesting things in it. I saw her put in our food. And treats, and chewie bones, and ear cleaner. EAR CLEANER? This is vacation why do we need EAR CLEANER?

Oh. Dee said we need ear cleaner because lake water isn't good for our ears and the ear cleaner gets rid of it so our ears won't hurt. Okay I guess.

I can't wait to get to the lake.

Kate, the cute one

Practice makes perfect

2008-07-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

That's what we have to do now to get ready for our trip. Practice "stay." Practice "sit." Practice "wait." Practice "come."

I hope we get to practice run, and jump, and play, and chase, and swim.

Oh well.

Kate, the Cute One

Why do we need a bath?

2008-07-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

We're just going to get dirty again. I mean we're going up to the lake and the mountains and staying in a cabin. Why do we have to get clean to do that? I don't like baths. I don't like the water from the sprayer. I don't like the shampoo. I don't like the towel. Okay so I like the hair dryer but only a little bit.

Dee, my two legged companion says that we have to be clean because we're staying in a cabin and it's polite to start out clean. Okay so I get that, but why can't we just go up to the lake and rinse off if we get dirty?

Kate, the Irish Setter

Traveling Dogs - that's us

2008-07-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Me and Rose are going on a trip with our two legged companions. It will be fun. We hav ta stay on a leash all the time, 'cept when we're in the cabin of course. We're going to go "bye bye inna car" to get there. It will be a long trip, almost two hours. I dunno exactly how long that is. Maybe like from our nap after breakfast until lunch time?

Dee packed our food, blankets, toys, brush, first aid kit just for us, and sheets. Lots of sheets to put on the cabin's furniture so it doesn't get dirty.

I am so0000000000 excited I could howl. I don't do that very often. Howl I mean. Only when I'm really really really excited like no000000000W!

Kate the cute one.

Ya gotta help!

2008-07-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

Why anybody would give up an Irish Setter is something I can't understand. Yeah we're big, ain't no little pouffy dog here. And we have long red hair which sheds, and sometimes Brian, my two legged companion, says we're stubborn. I prefer the term focused. But those aren't reasons to give away your Irish Setter is it?

Brian and Dee would never give me away. NEVER, never, never. And as much as I sometimes call Kate, my English Springer Spaniel sister a squint, they wouldn't give her away either.

But I guess some people do. Maybe they get too sick and can't take care of their setters. I do need lots of exercise, a long walk every day and play time in the afternoon. Or maybe they get too old, or maybe.... I dunno.

I found this place online while I was cruising for dog forums to post on - why are you surprised? If I can use the tappy thing to write a blog, I can use the tappy thing to write on forums. I found this place called saveoursetters.org

Me and Kate decided to donate some of the money we earn from this blog and our website to them so they can take care of the setters until they find a forever home. You should too. So go do it right now!

We sponsored Angel and Buddy and Ennis and one other setter, I forget her name, or maybe it was a him.

Rose, the Irish Setter

I don't get it

2008-07-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last night we sat up on the deck. I like that. I like watching the people walk by and barking hello. Brian and Dee said that it would be a special night because it was Fourth of July and there would be fireworks.

I didn't see nothing. Kate and me looked and looked but it was just the same old black sky. Every once in a while there would be a noise and Dee would say it was pretty. But I couldn't figure out what was pretty.

So I took a nap.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Sprinklers in the Sky

2008-07-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

I love playing in the sprinklers. Dee, my two legged companion, says it cools me off, I just do it 'cause it's fun. I chase the water as it sprays out. Rose my bestest Irish Setter friend doesn't understand. She doesn't like to get wet. When the sprinklers are on she goes back in the house. Not me!

Today the water was coming down all over from the sky not just from the sprinklers. I looked and looked but couldn't see any sprinklers up there. There were flashes of light and then a big noise BOOM!

Dee said it was called rain and we were having a thunderstorm.

Kate, the cute one.

Me too!

2008-06-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

I like BellyRubz too. I love to play catch with a tennis ball and Nikki did that a lot with me. She's fun to play with and a nice two legged companion. There were two dogs that were extra special fun Knucksie is a yellow lab and Joesie is a chocolate lab. They like baseball. I dunno much about baseball. I know about golf and football, the Green Bay Packers kinda football. Of course now that Brett Favre isn't playing any more I don't think it will be as much fun.

Knucksie and Joesie and I played tag and chase and other games that two legged companions don't understand too much. We played with the other dogs too. Even Kate, but I get to play with Kate every day cause she's one of my pack at home.

I get really tired after a day at BellyRubz but it's a good kinda tired.

Rose, the Irish Setter

BellyRubz rubs me the right way

2008-06-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

Me and my bestest friend Rose went to BellyRubz!. They call themselves a Doggy Playclub and Spa but I call it just plain fun. Sometimes I get a little scared so Michael, he's the two legged companion who is the top dog, put me and Rose in the little dog area. I'm not a little dog I weigh 34 pounds and eat as much as Rose. After a few minutes I wasn't worried any more and Rose really really really wanted to go in the big dog area, so we did.

There were big dogs, like humongous dogs, huge dogs, but they were all nice and polite and after we got to know each other the fun started. Oh, wait a minute there were 3 Bernese Mountain Dogs and 2 Great Pyrenees, and English Mastiff. See what I mean about BIG dogs? I could walk under the Great Pyrenees dogs and not touch their belly. There were lots of other dogs too.

I like BellyRubz. We got treats and chased kibble on the floor. Ya know, kibble? like dry dog food? Anyways. I'm good at chasing kibble cause we do that at home. Sometimes I catch the kibble before it even hits the ground. I'm fast too. Sometimes big dogs are kinda slow so I beat them to the kibble.

Whew it was a busy day. I can't wait to go back, but now I think I'll take a nap. a realllllyyyy long nap.

Kate, the cute one.

Four Paws Up for Four Paws General Store

2008-06-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Four Paws G eneral Store is my favorite store. I like it better than Petco. Petco you only get one treat from the lady who puts the stuff we buy in bags. Four Paws has treats where I can get them myself. They have chewie treats in baskets and bones on the counters where I can reach. Of course I can reach just about any counter cause I'm a big girl. Fast too, really fast.

Petco has the live snacks in the cages. Yanno the rabbits and birds and stuff? But I haven't figured out how to get them out of the cages and into my tummy.

Four Paws has Yappy Hour, it's kinda like happy hour but for dogs and their companions. I love Yappy Hour I get treats from everybody. And Cheese. I wag my tail and sit very close to the cheese. When nobody's looking, I snag a piece of cheese.

Sometimes Four Paws has signs on the window to help find a puppy a new home. Why would someone take a puppy home and then not want it? I don't get it.

Four Paws has toys, and collars and leashes. I don't much care for leashes but Dee, my two legged companion says I have to wear one. Four Paws General Store in Fountain Hills, AZ gets four paws up from me.

Rose, the Irish Setter

I wish they wouldn't do that

2008-06-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Me and my bestest friend Rose were at the dog park. They're fixing up the dog park so they've got a lot of it fenced off. When it's finished it's gonna be be-u-ti-ful. One of the things I like to do at the dog park is jump in the swimming pools, those plastic ones that the really little two legged creatures play in? Anyways. I was jumping in and out of one and putting my head under water to blow bubbles through my nose. I like to do that. Put my head underwater and then come and stand right next to Dee and shake. That way she gets to cool off too.

So I was doing that and this big black dog comes up and jumps on me in the pool. SPLATT! I wish he wouldn't do that. And then every time I put my head underwater he put his big paw on my head. Rose said he just wanted to play but I dunno. His two legged companion tried to call him back but the black dog wouldn't leave me alone. His companion said he was just a puppy and would get him some Labrador Training. I think he needed to have some manners.

Kate, the cute one

Where puppies come from?

2008-06-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm just curious about it. Where do puppies come from? Kate, she's my English Springer Spaniel buddy just came home one day with Dee and Brian. She was really really little, like tiny. I could have fit her in my mouth if I wanted to. She should have been scared of me, I'm a big girl, but she wasn't. She wanted to play. So we played tug of war. And she pulled on my ears. And then she took a nap.

Brian said there are dogs for sale on the Internet. He searched for English Springer Spaniel breeders and found one he liked in Tombstone. So that's where Kate came from. But I still dunno where puppies come from.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Almost caught a butterfly

2008-06-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

I love to chase butterflies. Big butterflies, little butterflies, dragon flies, if it flies I have to chase it.
Most of the time that's just fine. Brian likes to watch me chase butterflies and stuff. But today he got mad. I was chasing this new thing that flies. I hadn't seen one before. It looked kind of like a bee but bigger and it was pinched in at the middle, instead of fat like a bee. I chased it and chased it, but as soon as Brian saw me he yelled at me. Brian never yells at me. So I stopped. Brian said it wasn't a butterfly but a wasp and I would get a big owie in the mouth if I caught it.

Kate, the cute one.

I have a new talent

2008-06-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

I figured out how to open the kitchen drawer!!!!! It's a whole new world of snacks, like pretzels, and granola, and bread, lots of bread. And I ate it all, well almost all. Kate helped me rip open the plastic baggies so I let her eat some.

When Brian and Dee, their our two legged companions, came home, they didn't appreciate my new skill.

Oh. We did make a mess with all the wrappings and there was some pasta thingies that I didn't like and dried soup mix. Those got all over the floor.

Rose, the Irish Setter, who is very full now.

Peachy

2008-06-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

I love peaches. Little green peaches, big fat juicy peaches, but mostly the peaches I pick off the tree in the backyard. Those are yummy. I have to stand up on my back legs and reach reaaaalllyyy way up to get them. There's this stringy looking stuff put over the tree to keep the birds away but that doesn't bother me. I just watched Brian, he's one of my two legged buddies, pick peaches and saw where the opening is underneath. No problemo.

There are only a couple of peaches left on the tree now, but that's okay. Because I love strawberries too and there's lots of them left. And tomatoes.

Rose, the Irish Setter

And I helped!

2008-06-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Brian and Dee were digging in the backyard to put in the rain birdy thingies. Yanno so the grass gets wet and I can have fun playing in all the water. Anyways. They were digging so I decided to help. I am a helpful girl after all. While they were digging I went in the garden and dug and dug and dug, so they wouldn't have to do all the work.

I dug up flowers. I dug up grass. I dug up around one of the Rises, those purple flowers that Dee likes so much, wait they're called Irises. I tried to dig up the roses but they have stickery prickly stuff on them so I left them alone. I dug up the herbs and I almost dug up a tomato plant, but then Dee saw me.

She said thank you very much and put me in the house. And then she did a really funny thing. She put back all the stuff I dug up.

Oh well, just more fun for tomorrow.

Kate, the cute one.

2008-05-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

It wasn't my fault. It really wasn't. See there was this rabbit across the street. Rabbits are fun to chase, so I was getting ready to chase. I had one paw up in the setter position ready to go. And then Brian called me. It's not that I ignored him, I heard him. But that rabbit was going to get away, so I didn't listen. Brian said "come" but I went GO! So now I have to go to dog training.

I guess it will be okay. We're getting ready to go on vacation and Brian said I have to. HAVE TO listen.

He said I have to always, no matter what, always "come" when I'm called. And I have to "stay," and "wait." Oh, and "sit" and "lay." I know all those words. I just don't always listen.

Irish Setters are pretty focused. Brian says I'm stubborn, but I think focused is a better word.

Rose, the Irish Setter

First light

2008-05-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

We have to get up at first light. That means when the sky over the mountains is just starting to get brighter. I dunno exactly what time that is but I do know it's time to get up. In the summer my two legged companions say we get them up at 5:00 AM. They're kinda grumpy.

I mean shouldn't they be happy it's a bright shiny new day just starting? But they're not.

Sometimes Dee lets us out in the backyard to go potty and then puts us in the kitchen. She goes back to sleep.

We don't let Brian go back to sleep. I put my paw on him until he gets up. And then Kate, she's the English Spring Spaniel, runs back and forth and jumps on and off the bed until he gets up. If he still doesn't get up, Kate barks. Then he gets up and we get breakfast.

It's a lot of responsibility being a dog. First light is first light, and you gotta get up. That's the pack rule.

Of course after breakfast our job is done and we can take a snooze on the couch.

Rose, the Irish Setter

leftovers

2008-05-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

I like leftovers, even before they're leftovers. Does that mean they're called rightunders if you eat them before they become leftovers. I dunno. I guess dogs shouldn't worry about stuff like that.

The leftovers I like best are the ones that are left on the counter and I get over them. I'm an Irish Setter and I'm pretty tall. Dee, my two legged companion forgets that I can reach the corners of the back counters. She tries to hide stuff behind a bowl. But it doesn't work. I just hook my claws into the bowl and pull it to me.

I learned how to open the drawers in the kitchen. I like the drawer with the bread in it the best. It takes a while to choose which kind of bread I'd like for a snack. I think my favorite are bagels.

I share with Kate. Sort of. She gets the leftovers.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Baby Birds are Best for Breakfast

2008-05-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

Or anytime at all for that matter. I caught one and oh boy it fluttered and fluttered and tried to get away but I'm fast. English Springer Spaniels, that's me, are faster than a baby bird. See I practice chasing birds all the time. I chase shadows and butterflies too. When we go to the dog park I chase birds, so I get a lot of practice.

They taste different then I thought. One peep and then I crunched and swallowed. The feathers tickled on the way down. Dee, my two legged companion, got upset. She thinks I should have given it to her when she asked. But I swallowed instead. I mean we get chicken for dinner and those are just birds. So I caught my own, big deal.

That's me right where I caught the baby bird, Rose, she's my bestest Irish Setter friend, said I did good.

Kate, the cute one.

MONSTERS!

2008-04-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Me and my bestest friend, Rose, were out on our walk with our two legged companions and we saw a MONSTER! Yup a Gila monster. They're big lizards, like really big, and they have a funny skin that kinds looks like pebbles. They don't run very fast at all, not like the little lizards in the back yard we chase those lizards, me and Rose, not Brian and Dee. Anyways.

This MONSTER walked up the rock and got to the top and looked at us. He, well I don't know if it was a he, it coulda been a she, I don't know how you tell the difference in lizards. He looked at us and Rose decided that she would eat him.

It's a good thing Brian is strong and didn't let go of Rose's leash because Gila Monsters bite back and they have stuff in their bite that makes you sick like poison. Brian held on to Rose and then the lizard left.

WOW that was exciting.

Kate, the cute one

Cruising the Internet

2008-04-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

I was cruising the Internet this morning looking for healthy dog treats. See Dee, she's one of my two legged companions, threw out all the doggy treats because she said they had bad stuff in them. She's been reading all these labels lately. No salt, no sugars, no meat or bone meal, no by products, no corn. You see what I mean? She wouldn't even tell me what by products were. She just said we're not getting that stuff anymore.

Okay. While I was looking around for treats, I found a really neat site that does puppy websites.

I like our website a lot. It looks like me and Kate did it. And we did. Most of it anyway.

We're thinking of branching out and offering "Rose and Kate" Tee shirts. And "Rose and Kate" coffee cups. If we do that we're going to need a professionally designed website and I know just where to go to get neat pet websites.

Why couldn't we sell stuff? That golden retriever on the Bush Beans TV commercial has a good thing going because he knows the recipe for the baked beans. I don't like baked beans. They give me a tummy ache and well . . . other problems.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Nobody knows you're a dog

2008-03-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

There was this cartoon in the New Yorker before I was born that had a dog sitting in front of the tappy thing and the screen that has pictures on it, yanno the thing I'm using right now to write my blog? Anyways. The dog was telling one of his buddies, "On the Internet nobody knows you're a dog."

Well why not?

I like being a dog. Being a dog is better than being a two legged companion. I don't have to worry about hardly nothing. I get to eat really good food. Take naps whenever I want and play. Play, and run and jump and play. Oh, and give Brian and Dee lots of kisses to get them up when the sun rises in the morning. If that doesn't work I jump on and off the bed. Then they get up.

Me and Rose, my bestest friend, are dogs and proud of it.

Kate, the cute one.

Toast Snatcher Par Excellance

2008-03-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

That's me. I figured out a new way to snatch the toast. I used to wait until the toast was put on the plate and then sneak around an grab it. Or wait until Brian, that's my two legged companion, wasn't looking and then take it. But I figured out a new way!!!!!

Just snatch it right from the toaster after it pops up. Course I have to be careful and not burn my mouth but if you snag it with just your front teeth you don't have to worry.

Rose, the Irish Setter

I help keep the kitchen clean

2008-03-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's my job to clean off the counters, so it's not really stealing food. Dee said she wanted to keep the kitchen tidy and not leave dishes in the sink. So if I see a dish there I'll reach up and clean up the plate for her. I make sure the counters are free from food, that way she doesn't have to work as hard to put the food away.

If there's a pot on the stove with some extra soup or stew or something in it I empty it out for her.

I'm a very helpful girl around the kitchen.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Going to the Vet

2008-03-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

I like Dr. Brad. I like his office and the two legged girls in the office. They know my name and give me lots of lovies. I give lovies right back. One of the girls sits behind a counter and has one of those things that clicks when you put your paw on it. Yanno, one of those things that you tap on to write a blog like now. I have to reach up and put both of my paws on the counter to say hello to her.

Dr. Brad looked in my ears and saw yeastie thingies, so I got pills. I like the pills because Brian puts peanut butter on them so they taste good. He doesn't really have to do that cause I eat just about anything, but don't tell him that.

I got shots too. I don't understand why I have to get shots, I'm not sick. Dr. Brad says that the shots are so I don't get sick. One of the shots was in case I get bit by a rattlesnake again. I don't like rattlesnakes. I know they're one of God's creatures but I still don't like them. I wasn't doing anything to that snake and pow! Bit right on the nose.

I got three shots. Kate my English Springer pal only got one shot. Kate peed on the floor in Dr. Brad's office. When she gets excited she just pees. Not me.

Oh, and I got my, well, those glands, let's just say my butt is a little sore.

I like Dr. Brad and he likes me I can tell. I like everybody at Hillside Animal Hospital

Rose, the Irish Setter

No more packers, the Green Bay Kind

2008-03-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

Brett Favre has retired. I dunno why. He still plays good. He can run fast, like me. He can jump, like me. He throws the ball hard and just where he wants it. That's not like me. It's hard to throw a football when all you have is paws and teeth.

What will Dee do on Sundays? How will the house get clean? Dee always cleans house on Sundays during the Green Bay Packers games because she gets so intense watching the games. And then she and Brian sit on the couch and watch all the game highlights, and press conferences over and over again.

What will Brian do on Sundays? He watches the game and talks to the broadcasters and walks up and down and around.

What will Kate, she's my friend the English Spring Spaniel, do on Sundays? Kate barks whenever the game comes on and runs up the stairs and then jumps off the stairs and runs around the living room. She does that a lot on Sundays. Sometimes she jumps and runs so much Brian has to put her leash on to calm her down.

What will I do on Sundays? Every time there's a touchdown Brian yells and cheers and Dee throws my ball to me and yells "Go Pack Go." I catch the ball, and run outside once around the yard.

I want Brett Favre. I want my Packers.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Picking a Puppy

2008-03-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

When my two legged pals, Brian and Dee, decided to get a new friend for Rose, their Irish Setter, they picked me! They like hunting dogs and that's what I am. I'm an English Springer Spaniel and that's a hunting dog. I hunt butterflies, lights and shadows, and oh yeah, birds.

There are lots of birds in our backyard. Big ones like crows and little ones like hummingbirds. Once we even had an eagle sit on the corner of the roof. Yup, an eagle. Wow those birds have big claws.

Anyways. Brian said he picked me at the breeders down in Tombstone Arizona because he thought I could keep up with Rose. He found the breeders and puppies by going online. he looked at breeders all over the country and found mine.

I don't remember much about the ride home from Tucson to Fountain Hills, except Dee got lost and we drove next to a copper mine. And then I met Rose. She was sooooo big, but nice.

Kate, the cute one.

Spring has Sprung

2008-02-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

Wow. Bow wow. WOW! The air is soft and the breeze smells like grass and flowers and bacon because the two legged creatures that live next door are cooking breakfast. That's okay I already had breakfast. I love breakfast except for dinner. And snacks.

Spring is here. It's only February but in Arizona that's when Spring starts to spring.

The bees are coming back. That's important because Rose, my bestest friend, likes to chase the bees. And eat them. She says they taste sweet. I dunno.

I don't chase bees. I did that once and caught one. Big owie in the mouth. Rose doesn't seem to mind.

Spring. It makes me want to jump and play and run and dive in the pond and chase the goldfish.

Kate, the cute one.

Training Tips for Humans

2008-02-26T09:39:00.001-08:00

Hi, this is Rose, the Irish Setter. Obedience training is very important for the safety of your human. Every two legged companion should know basic commands such as 'Sit', 'Stay', Wait, and the all important 'Come'. Oh. The really, really important commands are 'Dinner,' 'Bye bye in the car,' and 'Nite nite'.

Every canine companion should be well mannered and that means house broken. For the most part we don't like to go in our own den (house). Humans are pretty well potty trained except for the short ones that run around in those funny paper pants.

A Few Tips on Obedience Training

Training should be a fun activity for you and your favorite two legged companion. Pick a time of day when you both are alert. Right before meal time is a good time. If you're not in a happy relaxed state of mind your human won't be either.

Keep the sessions short, no more than 10 minutes to begin with. Human attention spans are short.

Train in an area where there are few distractions. The back yard isn't the best place to train. Stay away from other dogs and kids.

Stay positive. Training is a fun time. If your human doesn't get the commands right away that's okay, he or she will eventually. Always praise and try not to scold. And never, never, never bite.

Use big sloppy kisses as a reward when your human starts to get the command. If she starts to sit reward that effort. Wag your tail and bark to show her she's on the right track.

End the session with a command your human buddy already knows well. Then give him or her lots and lots of praise.

Rose, the Irish Setter

A nap is a dog's best friend

2008-02-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

I love to nap. I love to nap in the morning right after breakfast. My belly is full and I'm a happy girl.

I love to nap after our walk. I get a big drink of water and then take a loooong snooze.

I love to nap on the grass outside in the warm sunshine.

Best of all I love to nap on the sofa with my best friend Kate, she's the black and white and brown English Springer Spaniel in this picture. Sometimes I use her for a pillow.

Rose, the Irish Setter

2008-02-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

When me and Rose went on our walk this morning we went by a dog who didn't look very good. She's one of the dogs I like to say hello to, that means bark, when we see each other. She barks back and then we sniff each other.

Her two legged companion started talking to my two legged companies, Dee and Brian. I was right my dog pal doesn't feel good. Her dog doctor put her on something called pretisome or Prednisone, or something like that. She had allergies and was itchy and scratchy. Anyways the pretisome or prednisone sometimes causes cushings disease in dogs.

It's funny how a medicine will cause other problems. I'm glad I'm a healthy girl. No problems for me. Well. Okay. I do have one small problem, but it's nothing really. Sometimes I used to pee in my sleep. But I don't anymore cause Brian puts a little pill in my dinner. It was so embarrassing. I'm very careful where I go potty.

Kate, the cute one.

If dogs could talk

2008-02-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

We would tell you when we don't feel good. We can't talk, well okay we can blog, like I'm doing now but you know what I mean.

When I don't feel good I try to pretend nothing is wrong. I'm a hunting dog and that's what we do. If we get an owie or get hurt or feel sick, it's better not to let any of the other pack members know. If you have a canine buddy keep on eye on them and know how they usually act, then you'll know when something is wrong.

When I was a puppy I had a scary thing happen. I had to pee every two minutes, or at least that seems how often it was. So my two legged companions took me to the dog doctor. After some tests she said I had canine kidney disease. A lot of dogs get that but not when they're puppies. I wasn't even a year old yet. It turned out the tests must have been wrong, or an angel was watching over me, because the next time I was tested I was fine. No kidney problems at all. I'm a lucky girl or blessed or maybe both.

Rose the Irish Setter

Mighty Dog

2008-02-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

They're little but they're still dogs. When I was at the dog park last time I saw one and it wasn't very big. For a minute I thought it was a snack on four paws but then it got closer and I knew for sure it was a dog.

I like most all dogs. Big dogs. Little dogs. Really, really, really little dogs like Chihuahuas.

As an upstanding member of the canine community I have noticed that some two legged companions of Chihuahuas need to teach their little dogs some manners. Some Chihuahua Training Tips would be in order. Even little dogs need to know a few commands to keep them safe.

As an Irish Setter I know I have a few minor behavior problems. On rare occasions I may not come when called. But that's only because there is something I need to investigate first. It's not that I'm being stubborn. Nope not me.

If you've ever thought about how to buy a chihuahua make sure you understand they're dogs not playthings. The blond girl who's going to be in that movie Not a Hottie, or Hotties and Notties or something like that, carries her chihuahua in her purse. That's silly. Chihuahuas may be a toy breed but they're not toys. Although they are fun to play with in the dog park.

Rose the Irish Setter

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue

2008-02-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

I love my Kate and of course Rose too.

They're cuddly and soft, with kisses so sweet.
Except when Rose barks, she can't be beat

Kate is the dog who fills life with zest
And jumping on furniture she's just the best.

Stealing food on the counter Rose is a pro
the pizza is gone, don't you just know.

Kate is a bed hog and takes the best spot
Her head on my pillow, she snores quite a lot.

Better friends than these two, there just couldn't be
And I hope they feel the same, about Brian and me.

Dee,
the two legged companion to Rose the Irish Setter, and Kate the Springer Spaniel

2008-02-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

We're getting ready to go on vacation. Rose has the sunglasses on. She looks soooo Hollywood. Me? I'm the one in the hat. I'm Kate.

Most of the time we go with our two legged friends but every once in awhile they go someplace we can't. Dunno why, but they do. Dee said that sometimes they have to get on that thing that looks like a big bird in the sky and makes a lot of noise? Anyways.

So we go to a dog and pet care place where they take good care of us. We get extra treats, extra playtime, and extra training. That's okay because they make the training fun. They have a bunch of classes: Puppy Kindergarden, Basic Manners 1, Basic Manners 2, and Canine Good Citizen. I bet I would get in the Canine Good Citizen cause I'm a good girl all the time. Rose not so much.

Rose and I stay in the same sweet. It has a bed and stuff. We don't spend much time in the sweet because there's so much to do. They have cat condos too, but I'm not sure what a cat is. Or why it needs a condo.

My favorite time is dinner time, but I like nap time too. I don't like bath time. Dogs are supposed to be dirty. Ya know if you ever think about your canine companion and dog kennels make sure you visit first. Find out how the place looks and smells. Well gotta go. It's dinner time. Yippee.

Kate, the cute one in the hat.

Dog Training

eharmoney - matchdotcom - and now for dogs...

2008-02-12T11:20:00.001-08:00

If you and your two legged companion are looking for a partner to add to your pack where do you go? I mean there's eharmony.com where you have to answer fiftybillionquestions, and maybe you find somebody. But dogs don't have the patience to answer questions and some of them don't make sense. Am I happy on a scale of 1 to 10? Well if I've had dinner then it's a 10 and if I haven't then it's a 1.

Matchdotcom members don't have to answer as many questions but I don't see no puppies there either. Don't even get me started about themillionaires club. Patty the matchmaker would probably make me take a bath.

So what's a pooch to do? Just in time for Valentine's Day, I mean is this romantic or what? A service that helps dogs and their two legged companions get matched up with other dogs and their two legged companions. It's dog dating for dog lovers.

There's other stuff there too. You can find out about all the different breeds - I can already tell you though that Irish Setters are the best. That's what I am.

Dog dating for dog lovers has other stuff too. You can find a new puppy or the name for a new puppy. Buy stuff. It's a fun place.

Oh, me and Kate are just playing in the photo. We like to play wolves and chase each other.

Rose, the Irish Setter

"a mentally challenged Irish setter?" I don't think so.

2008-02-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

There is this perception out in the two legged world that certain dog breeds have certain inherent qualities. I must object to a review of "Fool's Gold" written by John Anderson and published in the Washington Post today.

It may be his attempt at humor to say "Fool's Gold" is like a mentally challenged Irish setter -- good-natured but a little dulled by inbreeding, but that humor falls on its face, much like he says the movie does. Grrrrr! No, make that a double grrrrr!

First of all Irish Setters haven't been inbred since the early 1920's. Today we are one of the rarest and I might add, most intelligent breeds around. Just try adopting an Irish Setter puppy. Dee and Brian, my two legged friends, had to wait over a year for me. The first time there were only five puppies and they were number six on the waiting list. Dee had to fly all the way to Bakersfield, CA, because there weren't any breeders closer than that.

And mentally challenged? Mr. Anderson has to work for a living. I just have to wag my tail, bark occasionally, okay I bark more than occasionally, and play with Dee and Brian. For that I get a big house, a big yard, a soft bed, two meals a day, more if I can steal them, and a friend called Kate. I also get top of the line medical care. Dee and Brian take care of me, brush my coat and my teeth and give me lots and lots of treats and lovies. Top that Mr. Anderson. You have to sit in an overheated, or ice cold, dark movie theater watching movies you're probably not going to like anyway.

The part you got right Mr. Anderson, is that I am good-natured, nearly all dogs are. At least they start out that way.

Rose, the Irish Setter who is really, really smart.

Training Tips

2008-02-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Okay I admit it, sometimes it's hard to train your puppy. There's so many other things going on that distract us. So that's the first tip in dog training. Find a place that's quiet and doesn't have other people or dogs.

For me I like to chase lights and shadows and birds and stuff, so I do much better with dog training when I'm inside.

I also do a lot better if Rose isn't around. I love Rose. She's my bestest Irish Setter friend. But see, if she's around then I want to make sure I get as many treats as she does. So I'm not paying attention to the training. I can "sit," "wait," "walk," "stay," well sometimes, not always. I know "come," "paw," and "lay." I don't like to lay. That means I have to stay down and stay still. It's really, really, hard to stay still.

My two legged friend, Dee, said she might have to take Rose to a dog training school because she barks. Dogs are supposed to bark so I don't see the problem. Rose does bark very loud, but not all the time.

At dog training school do they get treats? Do they have to sit at a desk? How do they know which dog is the teacher?

I found this website that has tips on dog training so maybe Dee should check that out first. She's the one that does the training in our pack because Brian is too easy. Dee isn't mean, but when she says "sit" you better sit. Brian doesn't make you sit and you still get the treat if you wag your tail.

Kate, the cute one.
Rose and Kate

Just relaxing

2008-02-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Brian, my two legged friend, calls this my bunny lair because Rose is too big to fit. Rose is my Irish Setter bestest friend. She's my bestest friend but sometimes I have to hide. She's big. I chase her and bite her ears and then run fast as I can and dive under the chair. Or at least I did when I was a puppy. Now I'm grown up. I still chase Rose, but I have to hide behind the sofa cause I don't fit under the chair anymore.

Dee and Brian are writers. I like to sit on the top of the papers when they work. They spread them out and then I put them in the order I think they should be. I put my head on some of the papers and my tail on others. I don't know why, but the ones I put my tail on have to be printed over again.

They like to read too. They read about dogs in dog magazines. Once they brought home a dog magazine that had hints on how to train your dog. It was silly. So Rose and me, tore it up. Rose pulled very hard on the front of the magazine, and I pulled really, really hard on the back of the magazine. Pages all over! And then we carried pages out to the garden.

I guess they'll just have to buy more dog magazines.

Kate the cute one
Rose and Kate

How to find a new dog.

2008-02-02T10:54:00.001-08:00

Kate: Okay so Patches picked out an Irish Setter. That's cool Rose. But how did I get chosen?

Rose: They looked in the garbage can and there you were...... Just kidding.

That's not funny Rose. That almost hurt my feelings, but I know you didn't mean it. Anyways, how would you find out where to go to get a new puppy?

Rose: There's lots of different places. You can go to the Internet and put in "dogs," "kennels," or "dog breeders." There's one place I like where you can find new dogs that can be your buddy. They have older dogs and puppies. Lots and lots of puppies.

You can see photos of the puppies and the dogs that are their parents. Some have won awards. There are lots of different kinds of dogs, like German Shepherds, Pit bulls, you remember what a pit bull is, don't you Kate? We met one at the dog park he was sooooo friendly. Came up to everybody to say hi.

This dogs site is fun because you can see dogs from all over. And all kinds of dogs from very, very little ones to great big ones. Bigger than me even. If you want to buy a dog or a puppy this is a good place to go. The people who run the site say that health, happiness and welfare of the dogs and puppies is most important.

Kate: I agree with that!

Patches and Heaven

2008-02-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Hi. This is Rose. I was just thinking about a dog I used to know. His name was Patches. He was a cocker spaniel, a party color, which means black and white. I don't remember him very well because he went to Puppy Heaven when I was only six months old. My two legged buddies tell me they decided to get another dog and Patches had a friend at the dog park who was an Irish Setter. So they got me.

What I do remember about Patches is that he let me sleep by him when I got scared. He got so happy when my two legged buddies would come home. I didn't understand why he didn't want to play with me. Puppies like to play. But I guess he was too sick.

A friend sent me this website. It's called Pet Memorials. I think it's a good idea. They have lots of ways to remember a good friend. Some you can put in the garden or under a tree. Dogs like to be outside and roll in the grass and jump up to chase butterflies and dig in the dirt. So the yard would be a good place.

The memorial isn't just for dogs. You can have one for a cat too. I only met a cat once. Well it was two cats but I only met them once. I'm not sure what they are. But if a cat was your friend and went to Heaven then a pet memorial would help you not be sad anymore. Do cats go to Cat Heaven or is there just one Heaven for everybody?

I know Patches is waiting for us in Heaven.

Rose, the Irish Setter
Rose and Kate

TV

2008-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

I like watching the box that has the moving pictures on it. The one downstairs where we go after dinner and sit and snooze.

Rose doesn't seem to be interested. But I am. I love the box with moving pictures. My favorite time is when we look at food. Little food, big food, the fat guy who stirs the food around. The contest food with the fussy judges - it's food. Just eat and eat and eat. Why are you judging? What's to judge? It's food. F O O D.

I like the guy who wears his hair pulled back and has those funny red shoes. He uses lots and lots of cheese. C H E E S E! Is that like the Packers, ya know the Green Bay Packers and football? Cheese heads. Shouldn't it be cheese bellies, like cheese in the belly?

Oh wait. No more Cheese heads or cheese bellies, this year. But next year! Whoo Hoo.

Kate, the cute one.

How to get Brian's attention

2008-01-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

I love Brian. I do, I do, I do. He's Dee's bestest buddy just like Rose is my bestest buddy. When Brian works too much in his room, he forgets sometimes to have fun and play. Just cause he only has two legs and not four legs like me, doesn't mean he shouldn't have fun. So I have to remind him.

When he doesn't listen to me when I ask him so nice to play, well then I have to make him play. That's not easy. I found one way. There's this thing on the floor under the desk where he sits. It has a light on it. And it has wires going from it to the tappy thing and the big box thing Brian sits in front of. If I can make the light go away by stepping on it the big box goes dark.

Brian plays with me then.

Kate, the cute one.

Happy New Year, well............

2008-01-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

Kate and I didn't like New Year's. It was scary. We had to go down to CeCe's house. She's Dee's puppy, if people were puppies. I like CeCe. And I like her pack. There's Ryan, and Payton, (and Tuxedo and Punkin - they're like me, furry canines) and Daisy. I haven't seen Daisy for a loooong time. She used to come up during the summer. She doesn't do that now because she's a teenager and teenagers are weird. Teenagers are snotty and scared and nice, but all at different times.

Daisy stays in her room or she does stuff on the big box with the tappy things in front of it. She puts her fingers on the tappy things and they click. When Dee looks at the big box with tappy things in front too long and she won't pay attention to me, I put my paw on the tappy things. That changes the picture on the big box and Dee usually stops and plays with me then.

If she doesn't stop then I push her chair. It goes around and around, so I push it away from the big box and tappy things. That always works.

Rose, the Irish Setter
Rose and Kate's

The football on a rope was mine

2007-12-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

Kate, you're being a little squint. Santy Paws didn't give you the football on a rope. You got a plain ole football and decided you wanted mine instead. Shssh. I share with you all the time.

Christmas was fun though wasn't it? That little person, Payton came up. That's her in the picture. She doesn't talk much and when she does I can't understand her. She knows how to say my name. I know how to say it too. I'm the Rooooowwww -- Rooooowwww-- Roooowwws. At least that's what Dee, my two legged friend says I'm saying.

After all the presents I got to get food off the table. And I shared with you Kate. Remember I knocked the beef bone off the table and you got some of it?

Merry Christmas Kate.

Rooooowwwwse, the Irish Setter

Santy Paws came!

2007-12-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

He did. He did. He did. Or maybe Santy Paws is a she, I dunno. Anyway I got a new chewie bone, a football on a rope, some balls, and a stuffed something or other, it was hard to tell what it was. Rose stole the football on a rope and wouldn't give it back. Sometimes she's mean like that, just cause she's bigger than me doesn't mean she can take my stuff. But she does. Then I bite her ears. And I grab her collar and pull her around.

Kate, the English Sprinter Spaniel.
Rose and Kate's

Things to Think About When Choosing a Dog

2007-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

This is Rose blogging. My best friend is an English Springer Spaniel, yup you guessed it. That's Kate. But there are lots of other wonderful K9 companions you can choose from. Beagles are beatutiful dogs and Labradors are lovely.

This post was written by a friend of mine. Here's how to choose the dog for you:

The time has come to add a special friend to your family, and you've chosen a puppy for your addition. The first thing to consider when choosing your new best friend should be the breed of your dog. There are hundreds of different breeds of dog from full bred to mutt mixes. Oftentimes people choose expensive breeds of dogs, and they may not be the best pick for your family. There are many things to consider when choosing a dog such as the size, the temperament, and the amount of time you have to spend with your new pet.

Consider your decision on size based on the amount of space you have for your new puppy to play. If you live in a house with a fenced backyard, you're probably going to be able to choose any breed you want, but if you live in an apartment or condominium, and lack your own large yard, then you should research the breeds that require only a small amount of exercise to maintain good physical health. Beagles are a great choice. These small breed dogs are loving, great with your small kids, and very playful. Since they are a small breed, they won't require a lot of space to play. If you have a lot of room for your pet to play, consider getting a Labrador Retriever. These dogs are not only loving and gentle, but also very obedient and easy to train.

Some dogs are very mild tempered and can be a great addition to any family. If you have children, or other pets, the decision might be more difficult. Not all breeds play well with kids and other pets like cats, or other dogs. Believe it or not the American Bulldog is a very mild tempered dog that can be a great pet for a child. Collies are also great pets that are loyal, playful, and quickly trainable.

There are some people in your neighborhood who may be able to help you decide which dog to adopt. You may want to take some time to find a local veterinarian in your neighborhood. They can help you find the perfect pet. No matter which breed of dog you choose for your family, it can also be very helpful to visit animal shelters or pet rescue centers. They will allow you to spend some time with different breeds of dogs, and that can help you make the right decision. You will be on your way to finding the perfect dog to adopt.

******************************

Rose, The Irish Setter

Toys, toys, toys

Thanksgiving and Football

2007-11-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Kate. Okay, so the football game was on and wow did I get to bark. It was so fun. Every time my two legged buddies started to look worried, like when Detroit had the ball, I'd bark. And then I'd jump on the sofa and off the sofa and on the sofa and off the sofa. So they wouldn't worry about the game ya know. Packers won. I knew they would. Yipee!!! Owooooo!!!!!

This little two legged puppy came over for turkey dinner. I think it was a puppy, I'm not exactly sure what she was. She looked like my two legged Mom, but she was so little. Rose was taller than her. And the little two legged thing kept falling over. But she kept getting back up. I brought her my ball to throw and she did. Except big ole Rose kept getting to it first.

Turkey!. I love turkey! And mashed potatoes. I am one thankful English Springer Spaniel.

Love Kate, the cute one

http://www.roseandkate.com

PS I'm thankful for Rose too, just don't tell her.

Sleepy Time With Terry and Rose

2007-11-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

Hi: This is Rose. Thanks Terry for spending some time with me. My dog sister, Kate, she's an English Springer Spaniel, is a bed hog. That's her and me when she was a puppy.

Every night when we go to sleep with our two legged companions she races in first so she gets the human bed and I get the chair. I'm thinking about getting Kate her own bed, what would you recommend?

ANSWER:
Hi, Rose! The best thing to do is get a bed that Kate will like so much, she will abandon the human bed. Then you can have it all to yourself. The way to choose the most comfortable bed depends on what kind of sleeper Kate is. Does she curl up or sprawl out? If she curls up, you want to choose a softer mattress that sinks in a bit. If she is a sprawler, then a more firm sturdy mattress is the best. Also, you have to measure the bed correctly so it is not too small or this will cause some discomfort and may lead to arthritis and joint pain. You measure from neck to tail and shoulder to foot.

Rose's Question: Your website has lots and lots of comfy nap time beds. Yawn --- they're making me sleepy. Do you have any beds for a big girl like me?

ANSWER: Yes we do. We have a bunch of large and extra large beds. For your long legs, I would recommend at least a Large to Extra Large sizes and since you probably weigh around 60 - 70 pounds, you'll want a nice thick bed with lots of support

Rose's Question: My pillow bed in the kitchen is getting kinda lumpy, how often should I get a new one?

ANSWER: Hmmm...that really depends. Some good quality mattresses can last up to 10 years. But a pillow bed should probably get replaced every year. Plus, it's kinda fun to shop for new stuff. My advice is, get a good mattress and then replace the covers so they don't get too stinky.

Well I know what I'm going to ask Santa for this year. And I'll tell him to go shopping at Dog Bed Supplies

Love

Kate, the Irish Setter

Talking with Adem about hamsters

2007-11-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you for answering my hamster questions Adem. Do hamsters only come in one color? Rose just has one color, but I have three: black, brown and white.

Adem's answer: One color would be pretty boring, wouldn't it? Hamsters can come in all kinds of different colors, from cream to black to brown. One kind of hamster even changes color to pure white in the winter time to blend in with the snow! Pretty neat, huh?

Kate's question: What do you do if they get out of their cage? They look they'd be fun to chase. Do they run and run and run?

Adem's answer: I'm sure you'd find them fun to chase, but they'd be pretty hard to catch. They're small and fast! However, they don't really like to get chased by big scary dogs that much! The best way to catch an escaped hamster is to put a bucket in the middle of the room, with a staircase made of books leading up to the top of the bucket. Put some towels in the bottom of the bucket, along with some of the hamster's favorite food. In the night, when all the dogs are fast asleep, the hamster will climb the books looking for that tasty food. He'll jump into the bucket, landing on the soft towels, eat up his food and curl up for a nap. His two-legged owners can then collect him in the morning.

Kate's question: What do hamsters eat?

Adem's answer: In the wild hamsters will eat veggies and bugs, but as pets they usually eat a special mix designed for them that contains grains and seeds that they like, or pellets that contain all kinds of healthy stuff. Sometimes their two-legged owners will give them a special treat, like a cricket or another bug!

Thank you Adem. If you want to find out more about hamsters please visit The Hamster Zone

Kate, the cute one.

Happy Birthday Rose, happy, happy, happy birthday

2007-11-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

It's your birthday, your birthday, your birthday. We had cake, well sort a - it was dog treats but that's okay. And then we ran around and around. I jumped from the stairs to celebrate. I like to do that - jump from the stairs. I can jump from almost the top. Well okay I can jump from half way up the stairs. It's fun. We had fun - didn't we Rose? This is you when you were just a puppy.

You're five now and supposed to be like all grown up, but you don't act five, you act like a puppy. What's a grown up dog supposed to act like? You wag your tail and play with me. We play tug of war and catch the ball. And I steal the ball from you. Sometimes I interrupt, no, that's not right. What's it called, when the big guy on TV catches the ball instead of little guy who runs down the field. Oh yeah I intercept the ball. I catch it when you're supposed to. That happens on Sunday all the time when we watch football. I love football. I love the Green Bay Packers.

You're my best friend Rose, my very bestest friend in the whole world.

Happy Birthday Rose.

Kate, the cute one, and the one who's 3 years old.

A conversation with Nellie the Collie and Carlin

2007-11-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hi, that's a picture of Nellie she's a collie. Pretty isnt' she and lucky too. Thanks for spending a few moments talking with me. You're a foster Mom for collies? Collies are big and fluffy aren't they? What do you like best about being a foster Mom?

Carlin's Answer: Well Rose, actually I am a foster DAD but thats ok, sometimes Dogs can't tell the difference. Yes Collies can be quite big and fluffy. The male collie can be 100 pounds and the females grow to 75 pounds.

Lassie was actually a male, because the males grow larger manes sometimes(but not always). Someone told me that the male Collies are smarter and thats why Lassie was a male , but I don't believe it.

What I like best about fostering a 4 legger is gaining their trust and letting them know that there is safety and stability in the world.

Rose: Are you happy or sad when one of your foster kids go to their forever home?

Carlin's Answer: Both.

The first foster I had was Buddy, his family had to move and just did not want him anymore. He was a great pal and very smart and well behaved. He became great friends with Nellie who is our forever dog. I almost kept him, but knew I would not have room for anymore dogs in need if I did. Buddy found a great forever home in North Carolina near the beach and with a lovely female Collie. Buddy got a beach house and a girlfriend. I could not keep him from that.

All of the dogs I want to keep, Nellie shows them the rules of the house and gets a playmate. Most of the dogs have some problems like worms or bad skin, some of them have never even been indoors and like to take things off the kitchen counter!

Nellie, my wife, and I get them used to a routine and pretty them up just so they can go to a forever home.

I am sorry it is taking so long to answer your question.

Our feeling is that if we keep one of our fosters then we can't take in anymore and there is always more coming, thats the bigger problem.

Rose: I like to take things off the counter too, food mostly. Don't worry about how long you take to answer, this is fun. I like to run and jump. I can jump over a three foot fence. Kate, she's my English Springer Spaniel sister, jumps a lot. She loves to jump. She jumps just for fun. What do collies like to do?

Carlin's Answer: Let me get Nellie to answer.

Hello ths is Nellie, its hard to typ so my master Carlin is helpn. I like to run and am very fast, I can almost catch a deer sometimes, part of my ansestry is grey hound. I also like to herd sheep but we don't have any of those, Carlin takes me to the stables on weekends but I don't try to heard the horses unless he needs help, I stay out of the way and chase the barn cats. I sometimes run off into the woods after deer but come back when Carlin calls, not always right away because I am having too much fun.

I also like to help with the other dogs that we have but it's nice to have breaks so I can get all the attention.

I am glad Carlin and his wife adopted me, I have a great life . The people at the rescue can always use help also:

www.savecollies.org

Thank you
Carlin & Nellie

Rose: Thank you Carlin. It was nice to meet you Nellie. And humans out there go click on Save Collies link and help them.

Rose, the Irish Setter

I got bit bad, and it hurt.

2007-11-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

Not today but a couple of summers ago. This morning Brian and I were out for a walk. Dee didn't come cause she banged her toe into the metal chair leg. It wasn't my fault. We were just playing and she was chasing me. I like that game. And just banged into the chair. Her toe is all purple.

Anyway, while Brian and I were out we saw a dead rattlesnake. It scared me. I don't like those things. I got that rattlesnake training where they put that heavy collar on you and then you just walk around and zapp. Anytime you get close to the rattlesnake you get zappppped. Owie. But I guess the little owie is supposed to keep you from getting a big owie from the snake.

It didn't work. See it's my yard and I have to keep my yard safe for my pack. Dee and Brian and the squint, Kate, that's my pack. That snake thing was in my yard. Brian was working in the garden and he didn't see the snake. I smelled it and I tried to tell Brian but sometimes humans don't get the message. The snake was getting ready to do something. I didn't know what. But I was sure it wouldn't be a good thing. It wasn't.

I kept waiting for the zap like last time. But I had to do it. I had to get that snake out of my yard. So I got between Brian and the snake. And then it bit me. A lot worse than the zap. Right on the nose. I'm a huntin' dog and huntin' dogs don't squeal when we get hurt. So I didn't squeal. Brian saw what happened.

He got Dee and they took me down to the emergency hospital for pets. Dee thought for sure I was going to puppy heaven. But I didn't. I made it. The snake didn't. Brian sent it to where ever snakes go when they're not in this life anymore.

Rose, the Irish Setter

Setters and Spaniels Can Get Along - well mostly

2007-11-07T15:15:00.000-08:00

This is a brand new blog from Kate, that's me, I'm a cute English Springer Spaniel, and my big sister Rose, she's an Irish Setter. I couldn't find her picture. She can find it when she blogs, I'm too busy.

We're excited about telling you what' s going on in our lives - you are interested aren't you? I mean why wouldn't you be, we're the best dogs in the world, at least that's what Brian and Dee our two legged companions say.

Anyways. Today I got a bath. Personally I didn't think I needed one. I mean I was only a little bit dirty just around my paws. But I got one anyway. Got all wet and soapy. At least Dee used the no tears puppy shampoo.

And since I got a bath, that reminded Dee that Rose should get a bath. Rose does not like baths and she blamed me for it. She said if I wasn't dirty then she wouldn't have gotten a bath too. So she chased me all around the house. It wasn't my fault.

Kate, the cute one

See our website Rose and Kate's