Happy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2016
If it seems like time has just flown by since Rizzo joined the family, it’s because it has. Just one week later and it’s already Christmas!
Big P sits in front of the tree for annual Christmas photos first.
Also he wants a cookie so he tries offering a head-down, as usual.
KK next!
He does a down, not because he’s offering it, but because I asked and he said okay. That’s cool too.
Next, something with the baby. Who doesn’t really know sit or down yet and has no idea about stay. Can you tell? Oh well…
A family shot! Rizzo lay down so I cued the others to down as well. Only one of them did what I asked this time before the baby stood back up…
And we got something that appears like a family photo in front of the tree! Hey, I’ll take it. That’s my family, guys.
This time I got all three down, except now Payton is definitely trying to offer head-down again. Oh Payton!
And then it is Christmas morning, and while the breakfast casserole is in the oven, we open stockings.
Payton first – without the enthusiastic cramming his head into the stocking.
THERE IS A SHEEP. Also a bag of cookies (Zukes Christmas Trees!)
Posing with his new sheep toy.
Kane is next and he looks like he has no idea what he’s supposed to do with that stocking.
Trying to tempt him by revealing cookies… Not pictured is his FLATTIE REINDEER from the stocking (although it appears in the background of other photos later.) He immediately grabbed the toy and ran off playing with it. Okay then…
Rizzo goes next!
Cookies! Yay!
Also this snow monster guy.
Now it is time for PRESENTS.
These are Payton’s presents. A nice blue gator, a brand new holee roller after we finally tore the old one to pieces, and a couple bags of cookies.
Kaner next! (With his flattie reindeer in the background.)
Kaner presents! Treats, a brand new baby rhino with a bottle inside, and a Blackhawks-colored version of his beloved donut toy.
Rizzo also gets presents and he’s really excited about that.
Another snow monster!!
Also, a platypus with egg babies and some cookies as well.
This is my baby dog and these are his Christmas presents.
And then there was much romping with new toys and nobody played with their own toys because everybody else had one that was way better.
Happy Christmas!
Christmas 2015
Happy Christmas! Modern medicine is a Christmas miracle which left Auggie feeling back to normal the next morning. I put breakfast casserole in the oven and then we opened presents and stockings.
Auggie demands this box open immediately. Yeah, he feels fine now.
Ah, it’s open! Now, what’s inside?
THE FLASH is inside!! After a decade of my dog being The Flash, finally the dog toy makers at PetSmart have gotten it together and made us a toy of The Flash. Auggie is really happy about this.
But there’s more!
This cute abdominal snowman toy came from Petco. Auggie and I made a special trip together on Black Friday to the nearest Petco and he selected this toy for himself. It’s super cute and while it’s smaller than the toys I usually buy, it’s actually a great size!
Auggie also got a squeaky piece of coal that says “A L’il Naughty” on it, and a bag of Zuke’s Christmas treats.
Next Payton is a Christmas over-achiever and stood on his box.
Oh we OPEN the box. Oh.
This is the toy Auggie selected at Petco for his brother. I call it Manly Unicorn. Because it’s a unicorn, but the red plaid makes it rather manly.
Payton also got a new West Paw Design toy, but he looks sad here because first he got out his own squeaky lump of coal and feels bad because he is naughty and he knows it.
Next, stockings! I know, usually it’s stockings first and gifts second, but in our house we usually open presents on Christmas Eve and then stockings on Christmas Day – but since Auggie wasn’t feeling so great the previous night, we did gifts first, stockings second.
Bocce’s Peppermint Bark treats! I wanted to try these last year but couldn’t find any, so when I found them out and about on Black Friday, I snagged a bag.
Payton still hasn’t quite gotten the hang of how to cram his entire face in his stocking like Auggie has.
Aaaand Payton gets a bag of coal treats in his stocking.
Poor Payton! He is so naughty while Auggie is so very good.
After enjoying our breakfast casserole, we packed everything up in the car and went back home. I did not go to Christmas dinner with my family since I wanted to keep a close eye on Auggie again, so we all stayed home and watched movies. First we watched Love Actually, then Elf, then Miracle on 34th Street – and finally, because it was on TV, we finished our night of movies with Legally Blonde. Christmas dinner was a Mexican chicken and rice casserole, which in my opinion is highly festive.
Happy, happy Christmas to all!
Christmas Eve
Time for Christmas tree photos!
Payton is sad about this, even though it involves cookies.
He is sad because he can’t smile on cue and I keep saying I need to train it but I never do.
Auggie is kind of sad because his legs are still pretty naked.
We’ll just take pictures of his adorable face instead.
Payton singles!
Very intense. YOU WANT ME TO LAY DOWN?? WATCH HOW GOOD I CAN LAY DOWN.
Always with the head down photo.
DOES THAT GET ME A COOKIE?
One more of the best Auggie.
Not a whole lot this year. Auggie had been doing really well, but of course on Christmas Eve, when none of my regular vets are open, he started coughing a bit again. We did get these photos, and after photos he got to take a trip to my grandma’s house so I could watch him while we had dinner and opened presents. We then took a quick trip to the emergency vet as his breathing started to get a bit labored and he was coughing more, and I decided to bring him in before he actually got in distress. He got a shot of injectable Lasix and instructions to increase his oral Lasix, and he was able to come home. He felt much better after his injection started to work and flush the fluid out. We went home to get Payton and everybody came back to my parent’s house to stay for the night so we could all open more presents and stockings in the morning.
Auggie definitely was feeling better once he got to take a nap in his favourite spot – under the Christmas tree. Best place.
Secret Santa 2015
We played in the Secret Santa swap this year! Imagine my surprise when the UPS man arrived at my door (delightfully going “ho ho ho!”) with a big box from Chewy. I was confused because I didn’t order anything from Chewy, so I opened the box – and discovered it was our Secret Santa gift!
I closed it up and put it back on the floor and Auggie thought this meant he should stand on it.
No? How about sit on it?
Payton just wants the box open so he can get at what’s inside.
Oh, okay, yeah it’s cool to open the box too.
Payton got these delicious cheese cookies made by Fromm!
And Auggie got a box of peanut butter Buddy Biscuits – his favourite!
Auggie also got a nice new shark toy, and it’s a tough toy so it will withstand any thievery by little brothers, too.
(And it will withstand an Auggie.)
Payton got this long unstuffed gator toy, perfect for tugging.
Auggie also received a Planet Dog basketball with a treat spot so we can stuff those Buddy Biscuits inside.
And Payton got the football!
Posing with all their goodies! The box also contained two bully sticks, but I removed those before we opened them to avoid any angry scuffles where Auggie might try to take both bully sticks and Payton might not find that very fair.
Thank you Secret Santa!
Santa Claus 2015
Christmas is Auggie’s favourite time of the year.
He was born November 15th, which means most of his puppyhood was during Christmastime. I still remember going to pick out which puppy would be mine – I had my choice of two little males who would make great pets with sport potential. Auggie and his little brother (called “Dee” at the time) were ripping around his breeder’s living room, running underneath and behind the Christmas tree. I still believe this is why, when we set up the Christmas tree, Auggie makes a beeline to lie down underneath it. Fond memories of his puppyhood and time spent playing, and maybe occasionally napping, underneath the Christmas tree.
Christmas is my favourite time of the year, too.
We did two Santa trips this year. I brought along the bowtie and tie from our professional Christmas photos. I’m not sure if Auggie and I will get another Christmas together, so I wanted this one to be special.
First, we went to Country Arbors, a nursery nearby. Their Santa setup is really cool, and this year they had a firepit where they were burning pine tree branches. First, we got our Santa photo.
And if you’re wondering why I’m in the photo this year, again, no idea if I’ll ever get another chance with Auggie, so I took advantage of the opportunity before I don’t have it.
Next we went and hung out by the firepit for a while. It was nice and warm and smelled amazing.
After Auggie’s vet appointment, I didn’t really have a lot of cash to pick anything up, although the white birch logs are beautiful and healthy, and really are a great bargain. Maybe next year!
Our next Santa was a couple weeks later. The local humane society always puts on a Santa pet photo event with the Subaru dealership. The Santa is really great and, being humane society folks, everyone working the event is awesome with pets, too. I also love their backdrop – you can’t see it in this year’s photo, but they have this really beautiful old timey looking street light with a big red bow on it, and I just love it.
I got in the photo with Santa here, too, but my favourite happened to be the one of just my two boys and Santa.
May all your Santas be jolly and all their whiskers be real.
A Very Sheltie Christmas 2014
We started at my house, in front of my tree.
My baseboard is actually not installed yet, I just set it there… hence the gap. Yeah…
Oh look Peppy is happy.
Perfect Auggie first.
I really need to teach my dogs how to smile on cue.
Perfection. Best Auggie.
Oh yay! Now he will smile.
Payton next and he looks SO unhappy.
No smiles…
but he’s pretty cute.
Eeeeeeeee.
Then there’s Pepper, who also looks sad, but that’s normal for her.
Whomp.
Oh yay!! It’s Christmastime!
No, whomp again.
Family photo with just ooooone happy dog… perfect Auggie.
Then back to my parent’s house for a +1 family photo.
Happy Pepper again!
Payton knows a Christmas secret… WINK.
Peppy loves her brudder. Auggie is like “if I close my eyes and wish really hard, when I open them, I will be an only dog again…”
“…no… they’re still here.”
JK JK Auggie likes Pepper too. Mostly.
Everybody looks SO SERIOUS.
Miss Georgie. I tried to carefully position her so you cannot see the absolute hack job the vets did to her hair when she was spayed.
Crap you can totally see it here.
Also I wish I had done her feet before these photos… why it’s my responsibility to trim her nails and groom her feet, I do not know, but it is… sigh.
Auggie single!
CHRISTMAS OVER-ACHIEVER
Payton single.
Still no smiles…
but still pretty cute.
MORE CHRISTMAS OVER-ACHIEVER. Practicing for footstalls.
Saaaad Pepper single.
I wasn’t trying to be artsy here, I think I was just falling over. Unfortunately I was not drunk.
Then we opened presents. After clearing out under the tree, Auggie went to his favorite spot.
Best little Christmas dog…
Georgie got to open her present.
Auggie had one of these warthogs when he was younger and it was my dad’s favorite toy to use when they played, so I bought one for Georgie.
I also found this GoDog platypus so I bought her one, hopefully it will hold up to her destruction!
Warthog and platypus! She really didn’t care much for the platypus, the warthog had so many things to chew on.
Then Auggie opens his.
Kong Christmas squeaker balls!
Also this bag of treats is really great.
Pepper… um… well she was afraid of her stuffed toy so she wouldn’t open hers. Poor Drizzle.
Payton was confused. “I can smell the treats, but I can’t SEE the treats… what is this sorcery??”
“Oh there they are.”
Looking positively unexcited about his toy, but I swear he enjoys it. Yesterday he kept grabbing it and running around the room with it while wagging all over.
Then we went to bed until the next day, when we had…
STOCKINGS!
Auggie cared about little else in the stocking except the bully stick.
A lame picture of Pepper getting in her stocking… she actually had gotten sick all over the living room on Christmas Eve so I was trying to NOT let her really get much of the bully stick, but I did want her to be able to snack a teensy bit on it… poor thing.
No bully stick for sick Peppy-drizzles. But she does get a platypus of her own and some dog treats.
Payton also cares about not much but that bully stick.
He got his very own green squishy ball so he can stop stealing Auggie’s.
Festive Driz!
Oh no, a bow on a Payton. Behold the bully stick face.
And Auggie has no such time for this foolishness because he has a bully stick under the tree, thank you very much. I think this must be Auggie’s ultimate happy place actually.
2013 Giftings and Stockings
Finally got around to going through all of these to throw out the blurry ones and edit the good ones. I realize it’s over a week late. OH WELL
We started with Georgie’s present from me.
I found this skirt at TJMaxx and thought it was too funny not to buy for her. Sorry Georgie!
I also bought a tug-a-jug for her since she doesn’t have one. Meanwhile Auggie is like “oh are we doing presents?”
When I was editing these I was like “What the heck is that??” I forgot what I gave her already. And it was just over a week ago. AND we were all playing with this toy last night…
It’s a banana and inside there are three little monkeys for her to dig out.
And a big bag of PB Zukes so she can learn how to suck less at agilities.
Auggie gets to go next except he’s already trying to go to bed. (BTW, that’s the ASSA 2012 Handbook sitting there. That’s my mom’s copy. In the book is a special dedication to Auggie’s grandpa… and also, Auggie himself. Also lots and lots and lots of relatives to all of my guys.)
Auggie’s bag of goodies!
This year I wrapped their toys for them.
I had to get him started but he was fine to rip it after this. Except then he neglected to see the toy inside and just kept trying to play with the wrapping paper…
It’s a new puppy!! Auggie has this big green puppy in his crate that he LOVES to snuggle and play with (and I HATE to play with) so I bought him this, a smaller blue puppy. This will work for fetch soooo much better.
Auggie likes his new puppy.
Yes, yes indeed. Auggie Approved.
Pepper next! She was willing to look in the bag after she watched Georgie open hers, and also, there are bags of treats in there…
Trying to get her to rip her present. Wasn’t working LOL. It was a victory just to get her to stick her head in the bag!!
Oooooh what’s that?!
It’s a bunny! A little pink bunny, just like I call my Pepper, LOL.
She likes it. <3
Payton’s turn.
He didn’t realize he needed to take the paper off and was going to just take this as his gift.
Oh it’s a football. Don’t care, bitches in season.
Meanwhile there’s also a bag with presents for all three, and Pepper is the only one who cares.
Once Payton realized there was a new stuffed sheep, suddenly he was interested.
There’s also this – it’s the sheep pen toy with three little sheep inside to dig out.
Pepper actually kinda likes this game.
There’s also this plastic vulture thing my grandma bought them.
Next, my sister’s present for them. I realize most of you probably won’t get this. For those who do get it, I apologize for your having The Water Buffalo Song stuck in your head for approximately the next three weeks, because it’s been stuck in MY head ever since Christmas Eve and I don’t think it’s going anywhere soon.
“This smells like Henri. Maybe I should pee on it.”
It’s a water buffalo!!
Auggie also got a water buffalo.
Georgie’s like “Where’s MY water buffalo? Why don’t *I* have a water buffalo?” (Again I am so sorry for those who don’t get it. And probably also those who do.)
Pepper also got a water buffalo, she got a dark brown one like Henri has in his photo since she’s my dark girl. That’s racist.
My grandma also bought them a new Wubba. Auggie wants the water buffalo and only the water buffalo.
Next, stockings on Christmas Day. Or Christmas Afternoon. It was like 1pm when we finally opened stockings because my dad was still sleeping and I was like ALL THE POKEMANS
Auggie got a new harness, I’m hoping to use this on restrained sends with him. Payton is like “For me??”
Auggie isn’t really excited about this.
Payton next!
“I don’t really care about that football, I just want the bully stick I know you have please.”
Pepper is getting the hang of this whole “stick your head in something and magic happy funtimes happen next” shtick.
This might be her first ever bully stick, I’m not sure.
She wanted NOTHING to do with the toy I put in there for her, so I unwrapped it for her. =P
Payton meanwhile had his bully stick, and Auggie was on the couch with his. And all was calm, all was bright.
Georgie’s stocking next. Unfortunately she was bleeding and had to wear her panties for this. Humiliating.
She could smell the bully stick in there and didn’t care that much about the elephant toy.
SUCCESS. I think my mom was a little offended she cared zilch for the elephant toy and only wanted the bully stick.
Finally, for those who didn’t get a copy of my Christmas card this year, this was the front:
And on the back, I wanted to do a “Christmas letter” –
And that is that. Happy Christmas belatedly to everybody.
Christmas Eve Photoshoot
First I took the dogs over to my house to get photos in front of my Christmas tree. Yes I put up my tree this year and wrapped my presents there and put them under the tree even though I’m not living there. You can’t even tell in these photos that I don’t have any baseboards.
Auggie first!
Most wonderful Auggie in the world.
I seriously will never love any dog as much as I love this one. He’s just perfection.
P next!
Very serious P.
Looking at these photos, I’m reminded of how much he REALLY looks like Auggie’s dad (and Auggie’s brother/Georgie’s dad.) As he got older he started to look less like them, but some of these photos make me go wow, he really does still look like him.
Happy P!
Back to serious P. Can’t be happy while lying down.
Pepper was wagging her tail the whole time so her tail is just a blur…
Such a happy little Pepper!
I’m sure nobody sees it but me, but she’s blowing coat because she’s about to go in season, and there are two little white tufties on her legs that I didn’t see until the photos were done… AUGH
Family photo!
The whole fam back at my parent’s house! (I brought all my presents home since we’re leaving from here to my grandma’s.) Payton is having a terrible Christmas because two bitches are in season and he can’t hump either of them.
Now everybody is having a great Christmas except Georgie. Georgie hates Christmas.
Nice family photo!
Georgie in a box!
First you take a box. Then you cut a hole in the box.
Then you put your Auggie in the box.
“Oh. I am in a box.”
Seriously he is so good. He was just like “okay, this is what we’re doing, I’ll hang out here.”
He was going to just stay in there. Doesn’t care. I’ll take a nap. Best. Auggie. Ever.
First you take a box. Then you cut a hole in the box.
Then you put your Payton in the box.
My mom was like “he’s not going to fit…” “Oh yes he will,” I said. “My puppy fits into spaces that seem entirely too small for him. He’ll fit.”
He just seems like he’s disembodied, that’s all.
But oh God he is SO cute.
First you take a box. Then you cut a hole in the box.
Then you put your Pepper in the box.
Pepper is not nearly as good at this stuff as the boys are LOL. We couldn’t get her to stay put and let us sit the top on her. She’s still cute!
Georgie solo photos.
Cute girly <3
She just won’t stay sitting so all of hers are laying down.
That’s it! Presents tonight and stockings tomorrow so more photos coming soon!
Sheltie Christmas 2012
Spoiler for anybody who hasn’t gotten my Christmas card yet. These are the photos I shot to pick one to go along with the card:
Christmas Eve… I tried to take some of those “glowing” tree shots and I got laser eyes on all the dogs in several of the photos. So forgive the weird looking eyes in some of these. I thought to myself “I am buying an external flash in the new year!” and then I saw how much they cost and NEVERMIND. I’ll just shoot with the lights on and forget this.
Perfect Auggie.
Little P.
Ahhh Miss Pepper!
And Georgie who was pissing my mom off mostly because she listens to me better than she listens to my mom…
Then I tried close up shots on everybody, which worked better as far as the camera settings went, but since I had my focus on manual because the autofocus kept trying to focus on the tree instead of the dogs, Auggie and Payton didn’t come out in focus. I’m horrible with manual focus. It looks sharp on the preview screen and then bam, out of focus when I open the photo.
That said:
Pepper wins the “cutest Christmas photo” contest this year.
Though Georgie got a pretty cute one too.
Presents!! Payton helping Georgie open her present from me.
I told him to leave her alone and come open his own LOL.
“But I wanna see what SHE got!” Georgie ceases to care because I put a little baggie of treats in their and she only wanted the treats.
I found this gator super cheap at Gordman’s and since he hasn’t managed to tear up Sherman, I bought the gator too.
He pulled it out of the bag by himself.
I think he likes it.
Auggie is an expert at getting his presents out of bags and dragged this shark skin right out and started running around shaking it at people and asking to play TUG. I was thrilled because Auggie isn’t a big tugger, but he wanted to tug with this thing!
Georgie stole the shark (I took it back and told her I’d kill her if she ripped Auggie’s new shark toy) so Auggie got his second present out of the bag – a big sheep ball that is supposed to be extra tough.
Payton’s second present, another gator that makes a grunty-squeak sound. Super annoying so perfect for P. Georgie also tried to immediately rip THIS up so my mom had to take it from Georgie and give it back to Payton.
Auggie went to lay down under the tree once all the presents were cleared away, as is customary since he was a teeny tiny puppy playing chase games with his tiny puppy brother under the tree at his breeder’s house… I admit this moment is always one of my favourites…
Poor Pepper didn’t know how to open her gifts and didn’t want to even stick her head in the bag so I opened them for her. I bought her a pink sheep all of her own. She was too worried about my dad sitting on the floor across the room to play with it though.
Both of her “gifts.” I’m working on getting HER to tug next.
I had a pile of the bows sitting next to me and Payton kept thieving one and running off like it was a ball LOL.
Stockings from this morning! Most of these didn’t turn out but you get the idea…
Auggie got a new ball for the Chuck It!
I bought Pepper another sheep all her own LOL. It’s got long legs so she can tug on it… because again, tug with Pepper = next. She also got a rope bone that tastes like peppermint and she LOVES it. None of the photos of her chewing it turned out though. =< I didn't realize she was going to like it so much but she immediately curled up with it and chewed on it!
Auggie’s other ball, haha. He has a large one of these that we use on a flirt pole, this one is just for fetch AND ALSO FOR TUGGING BECAUSE AUGGIE NOW LIKES TUG SOMETIMES YEAH.
Payton playing with Auggie’s new Chuck It ball. He got a new ball on a rope toy to tug and play with for agility so we tugged with that for a while but he was quite interested in the ball too.
That’s it! Merry Christmas. I didn’t get a puppy. (My mom keeps going YOU DON’T NEED ANOTHER DOG YOU HAVE THREE. YOU DON’T NEED ANOTHER PUPPY YOU HAVE PAYTON. I may not NEED another dog but that doesn’t stop me from WANTING one…)
A Very Sheltie Christmas
Yes okay I am AWARE that Christmas was almost a week ago OKAY I KNOW
Georgie gets to open her presents first!
Ooooh what’s in the box?
I eats this?
I eats the cardboard tag instead.
This was my present to Georgie. I bought her that Cuz toy (because she defuzzed one of Auggie’s balls so I got her that to try and defuzz), her very own firehose, an orange monkey, and something else I can’t remember right now.
Auggie is next… NOM. He got a bottle wrapper from Clean Run!
Next, Paytonmobile.
Hmm, how to rip this?
He DID start ripping it but then he stopped to try and eat the paper he’d just ripped off. So I had to help him. He got a sheepie ball also from Clean Run.
Georgie opening (one of) her present(s) from my mom… her own sheepie ball so she doesn’t have to steal mine, LOL.
The boys got a bag full of toys from me – this is Flappy, except I think his name is really Jolly (it says so on the back of him) but Flappy sounds better and he makes hilarious flapping sounds when you shake him from all those flappy legs flipping about. Payton LOVES Flappy.
Georgie stocking!
She got some Kong squeaker balls of her own, and…
this Kong squeaker bone thingie. That Auggie would like plz.
Auggie vacated so he could see what’s in his own stocking.
Gingie bread man squeaky ball!
Obligatory head in stocking shot.
Payton sucked at de-toy-ifing his stocking, LOL, so here’s a photo of what was in his stocking.
And what was in Auggie’s stocking! Yes that is a different sheepie ball than the two sheepie balls I already own AND the new sheepie ball… yes we have lots of sheepie balls in this house… Also he got a full bag of those orange Kong squeakers, but he was playing with the rest while I took this photo.
Babies playing in the wrapping paper!
And the loot for the boys. Except for the reindeer bottle wrapper, I bought a bunch of good tugging toys so they could play together.
Payton then proceeded to run around throwing all the toys in everybody’s faces, and Georgie ended up in her crate because she kept trying to steal Auggie’s new tennis balls instead of playing with her OWN new tennis balls and he was getting mad at her. And Auggie sat there like a grumpy tennis ball miser. MY TENNIS BALLS… MINE… PREEEECIOOOOOUS…
And then Christmas was over, and we all had a major sad!
24 Photos for the 24th
For the record, I made Payton cross his paws like that. He lay down with his legs like *SPRAWL* and I was like “You look stupid. Here.”
I was actually surprised he left them after I crossed them LOL.
And his stay is so good! He is the rock star stay-er in his puppy class.
Auggie, of course, is always a rock star. I was thinking I would like to take another class with him just because he would be so good it would make me feel like hot $@)# LOL.
My boys. <3
Just Georgie-Porgie!
She has had runny poo the last few days. We finally got her pooping solid again so she got a bath this morning to wash all the icky off her butt.
My mom was like “She looks stupid from the front with her puppy hair going everywhere! Did you STYLE her like that?!”
Yes Mom that is exactly what I did. I made your puppy look like she stuck her tongue in the electrical socket. On purpose. That is what I did.
Mom: “She looks like a HUSKY or something.”
Me: “No, she looks like a SHELTIE PUPPY. That’s what they LOOK LIKE.” Poor Georgie. I think she’s adorable, LOL.
Just Uncle Auggie with baby Georgie… aww!
Payton kept trying to ruin these photos by wandering in front of the camera. STUPID PAYTON
I love this one LOL… Auggie’s face…
Auggie has recently decided he doesn’t completely hate her after all. I’m sooo glad!
I tried to get him to wrap his leg over her but he was like “NO.” Okay, okay. I guess I shouldn’t push it.
Soooo if you make funny sounds Georgie tilts her head…
so that’s what I was doing… because it’s soooo freaking cute.
and over and over and over hahaha. I was making sounds like Pepper makes hahaha. I always say she sounds like Blue from Blue’s Clues. Bow-bo-bo-bow!
All three dogs! Aaaand Auggie looks pissed LMAO. Thanks Aug…
Little less pissed. (And yes I was still making Pepper-noises at Georgie.)
Probably the best shot of all three. Stupid Auggie and his stupid angry face hahaha.
The babies messing up the shot…
This is why Auggie always looks pissed. “JUST SIT STILL AND TAKE THE STUPID PHOTO YOU GUYS. GOSH!! IDIOTS.” (/Napoleon Dynamite)
Aaaand Payton started crawling away because he found something on the floor so one more of just Uncle Aug and the baby.
Merry Christmas everybody. =>
Secret Santa has arrived!
A box is here!! OMG!
So many beautiful little packages in there!
Auggie says nom nom nom my gift…
It’s a skull charm for his collar! Auggie says “oh I loves it. I kiss it.”
Payton got an awesome new toy!! I have told Georgie to keep her tiny puppy teeth off it because I love it and want to keep it safe, haha.
And Auggie got TENNIS BALLS!!
The boys were actually so enthralled with their toys they didn’t even notice there was more in the box… and that it was treats… Georgie, meanwhile, was like “Ummmm can I has?”
I couldn’t get the boys back to get a picture taken with the treats so I just took a picture on the floor, LOL.
The charms! Payton got a little bone with a blue blingy on it! And Auggie’s awesome skull and crossbones!
Payton with his dinosaur!
“Payton, that is your first ever Christmas present,” I said. “That’s exciting!”
“…well, for me, anyway.”
A Very Auggie Christmas, 2010
Just about everything I asked for this year was for the dog… haaaa.
Our Christmas tree photos didn’t turn out that great though.
This would be cute if it were in focus. =<
STINKEYE. This is about what our family photos look like every year now so I can’t blame him. Somebody in our family needs to hurry up and reproduce so I don’t have to sit in front of the tree with my cousin for “kids photo” anymore. Seriously, I’m the youngest and I’m 26. I think we can stop the “kids photo” now.
Slightly mischievous look…
grumble…
more grumble…
can we be done now??
This is dumb. Let’s do something else.
And then we opened stockings. At 2AM. Because we came home at midnight and had to shovel the drive before we could even get the truck up the drive, then we opened presents a 1AM (while Auggie ran berserk the entire time with entirely too much energy for 1AM) and then decided to go ahead and just open the stockings.
I grabbed my P&S instead of the DSLR because I was too freaking tired to mess with the DSLR. And the flash was off at first. Bad idea.
OOOOH PENGUIN
I loves penguin
Oh yeah, there’s more…
Yet another sheep (of course.)
It makes snoring sounds. He was mildly fascinated.
Obligatory head in stocking shot.
He refused to fish the raccoon out of the stocking no matter how much I asked him to get it… he was becoming fascinated with the flash so finally I turned it back off.
The raccoon has a bottle inside of it and is open on the bottom so you can replace it. He was really excited once he realized there was a bottle in it!
Posing with stocking toys.
Then I made him pose with his Christmas gifts… no pictures of him pulling these out of the bag. He loved that sheep, especially since he was busy running amuck while we opened our gifts.
Gifts are all opened, stockings are opened, the tree is bare of gifts… so Auggie went under the tree to curl up. He does this and gets very upset when we start stacking gifts under the tree and there’s no room for him. I think it’s because he was born in November and in his puppyhood he spent a lot of time being naughty crawling underneath the Christmas tree at his breeder’s house, LOL.
Falling asleep under the tree… zzzzz
huhwha? No I’m awake…
He got a bully stick this morning and took it under there to eat. He also wants you all to know he ALMOST caught not only a squirrel, but ALSO a rabbit out in the yard, and he came swaggering back in looking quite proud of himself. Brat.
Dear Santa…
I was very, very naughty this year.
I threw up on my mommy’s hardwood floor.
I ate something gross in the yard several times.
I totally blew the very last contact when I would have had a Q in an agility run, and then I laughed about it.
I woke my mommy up in the middle of the night approximately 20 hojillion times.
Sometimes I even finagled her into letting me sleep on her bed, and woke her up by standing on her back with my face shoved next to hers, smiling like a lunatic and staring.
I lie about having to go outside and potty at least once every day.
I have taken to biting at mommy’s knees and ankles because it’s fun.
I threw my twist n treat down the stairs, even when my mommy had just told me not to.
I got up to sniff a bitch in an obedience trial because that was more fun than a sit-stay.
Can I still have a baby brother anyway?
That darn Santa isn’t buying the whole “naughty” thing at all.
Christmas photos… at Thanksgiving
I know, I know, but when else am I supposed to do this? I have a whole THREE days in a row off now and won’t get another chance until Christmas Eve. I’m making the best of my time today.
I bought these GIANT ornaments years and years ago super cheap on Clearance for the express purpose of using them for photos with my dog. Yes, I am ridiculous, you don’t have to tell me. But look at these first and then tell me if you disagree with my decision.
And, since everybody has this totally incorrect image that my dog is sweet and adorable ALL THE TIME…
Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning
The “winning” shot in front of the tree this year… usually I shoot a bunch and only one turns out well. This is the one. Unfortunately even this one is slightly blurry.
A LOT of these are crappy because the lighting in this house is so horrible, especially after dark when these were taken, and some of them were easier to correct in Photoshop than others… some just came out awful colour-wise. So sorry in advance.
My mom wanted to put this necklace that lights up on him… he is a very good, tolerant little boy.
SANTA AUGGIE
He should just be glad I didn’t grab the hat with the beard attached to it this year.
No photos of him getting his snazzy presents on Christmas night… I forgot to grab the camera. He got a jolly ball, a brand new bed, and a new fleece blanket (he likes to play underneath it, or I’ll cover myself with it and he dances around outside the blanket wookie-noising at me.)
However, we opened stockings on Christmas morning and I remembered to grab the camera:
What? Dis mine, you say?
Oh yes, IS mine!!
HEAD IN STOCKING SHOT
Digging out the new loofa dog toy.
A brand new little basketball!
Pause to demonstrate to my dad one of the gifts I put in his stocking.
Auggie is tailgate tested, tailgate APPROVED!
Return to the stocking…
This brand new red ball is REALLY great. It was an awesome buy.
Playing with it right away.
All the goodies from the stocking. Considerably less than last year, but hey, there’s a recession going on… and also, he destroys fewer toys now that he’s older so I really, REALLY don’t need to buy him more. =P He has plenty.
Posing with his goodies!
Then we just hung out and played all day. It was nice to spend a day just hanging out with my little guy.
This is his new bed! At first he wasn’t sure if he liked it, so I told him I had the receipt and we could take it back, but then he changed his mind… he likes it a lot.
Staring some more at the Christmas tree… he really loves Christmas trees. Me too.
OH HAI MOMMY WITH CAMERA
HAAAAAAAAI (oh God this picture cracks me up)
I eats camera?
Layin’ on the floor near Momma!
This was after we played with that ball for about an hour. He was tired, so he went back to his bed.
Tired… so tired… so…
snznzzzkzzz
THEN WE HAD SOME SNOWS SO WE PUT ON OUR COATS AND WENT TO PLAY IN IT
I didn’t get a good shot of the back of his coat, but it has skulls and crossbones on it and says “ROCK STAR.”
Obviously we didn’t really get MUCH snow, and the wind was seriously awful. The temperature wasn’t too cold on it’s own, but the wind was super brutal, biting and strong. So we didn’t stay out long at all… we went back inside to play some more instead!
(I trimmed Auggie’s feet up today so they look much better now than they do in these pics. I honestly DO groom my dog, I promise.)
Secret Santa has visited Auggie!
The dog forum I belong to has done a Secret Santa for a couple years now, and Auggie’s Secret Santa package arrived today!
“For meeeee?”
I told him he has to always read the card first before he opens presents. So he did.
Sitting pretty with all the presents! This was hard because he already knew what was in the red packages, LOL.
PUPPY CHOCOLATE OM NOM NOM NOM (the smaller red package had people chocolate in it so it was put away immediately, LOL.)
I noms cuz this for me.
Sitting for a few pieces… he likes it a lot!
It was hard to make him want to open his other presents, LOL. I think he was like “YAY CHOCOLATE OKAY THAT’S IT BUHBYE”
“Whas in dis?”
A squeaky toy! Whoohoo!
Next, a lovely red lead! He tried it on. Sorta.
Sitting with his goodies! Thanks Secret Santa!!
“I can nom more chocolate now plz?”
Christmas Auggie Photos
I took a TON of photos of Auggie in front of the tree, and only a handful turned out how I really wanted them. But this one is worth the whole photo shoot:
Nabbed Mom into helping me with this shot. Several of these turned out, actually, so I had to pick the best one out.
Most of them turned out like this one… ugh!
He also got a stocking on Christmas morning!
Auggie… no, no, Auggie, no – there’s something sticking out the top – the TOP Auggie – I KNOW WHAT’S IN THE BOTTOM JUST GET THE TOY OUT OF THE TOP… Auggie, the TOP… AUGGIE…
I gave up, took the toy out myself, and squeaked it a few times. THAT got his attention.
I held open the stocking and told him to pull out his next present.
No, Auggie, no… pull it OUT. OUT of the stocking. Auggie… AUGGIE…
I gave up again and pulled the next present out myself again. Okay, so he’s not excited about a new lead, but I sure am!! (I love leads.)
Fine, Auggie – go ahead, get what you’re REALLY interested in…
Yes, THOSE you will pull out of the stocking. You mock me, dog.
These cookies were a gift from J, but I saved them for the stocking.
What’s that you say? You would like one of these? These things that I have in my lap? (Note the DRAMATIC LIGHTING.)
One of these, maybe? Is that what you want? (MORE DRAMATIC LIGHTING.)
The whole haul (still in the DRAMATIC LIGHTING.)
Shot of the haul again. This is a lot less than he got last year, since I couldn’t get it all to fit in the stocking last year and decided to go easy this time around.
Now we play with the reindeer toy!!!
I was setting up his Christmas toys to take a shot and he came over, with his “OH HAI you has cookie for me plz?” look on his face. Or his stupid look. Or his smiley look. Whatever you want to call it. THIS FACE.
This is what he got on Christmas night (no pics because it was way too dark in the house for them to turn out) – a big stuffed bone, and a carousel that has three little squeaky toys (a lion, a monkey, and an elephant) stuffed into it.
Note that Auggie is completely uninterested in me and is walking away in this photo since he found out I didn’t still have his cookies.
And that’s it! We haven’t had hardly any snow at all this year or I’d have some more photos – all we’ve had is ice. And Auggie standing on two inches of solid ice in my backyard doesn’t exactly make for a pretty picture.
Dear Mother Nature: SNOW SOON PLZ, K? THX. Love Beanie.
Auggie’s progress with children
First… I disclaimer this post. I am upset about what happened because of the parenting involved, but also upset because I failed to be watching. It could have gone HORRIBLY wrong and I would be (at least partially) to blame. In hindsight, this was not a good situation to put Auggie in. I screwed up and I’m lucky it didn’t end bad.
On Monday, I took Auggie to the mall to have his photo taken with Santa. There was a young boy ahead of us… maybe 6 or 7. His mom and dad were with him. Ahead of them was a guy and his CUTE CUTE dog, I’m not sure what she was – maybe a mix – but she was a pretty good sized dog.
Kid is being a huge pain in the butt. He almost hit the other dog, he almost stomped on her feet and her tail (while the owner has her in a sit-stay), just generally being an obnoxious brat.
“Great,” I think. This kind of behaviour – erratic, flailing, strange movements – is what Auggie doesn’t enjoy from children. To a lot of dogs, particularly herding dogs, they “see” children a little differently. Their weird movements can startle and frighten them. I have no idea what to expect with this kid or from Auggie as we stand behind them, but I’m pretty much prepared for the worst, and keep Auggie back as far as I can.
Auggie sits down next to me, looking at the kid. His tail is wagging and he’s smiling. At first it seems like everything will be a-okay. The kid starts leaping around – this is where he almost stomped on the other dog’s tail – and I expect Auggie to react, and I get ready to take Auggie on the OUTSIDE of the line and climb back over the wall when it’s our turn… but he does nothing. He just sits next to me quietly and watches, tail still wagging, still expecting if he behaves he will get nice pets and maybe a cookie.
See, this is the result of the careful, positive socialization this summer. Children are a good thing. If you see a child and behave well, you will get petted, you will get praised, you will get cookies. I think to myself “Oh! This is some real SUCCESS!”
And then – and this is my fault, I let my guard down – the kid all of a sudden LEAPS at Auggie, and sticks his face RIGHT into Auggie’s face.
HOLY S***. I FREAK out and take a HUGE step backwards, yanking Auggie back with me – I expected Auggie to react. And it could have been teeth right into that child’s face.
NOTHING. HAPPENED.
Auggie didn’t react at all. He was startled at me hauling him backwards, but he didn’t bark or make any kind of motion towards the kid.
Of course, at the time I was terrified and shaking, but later my mom pointed out how GOOD Auggie did. She’s right – he was wonderful. If somebody had told me a year ago that a small child would leap towards my dog and stick his face into Auggie’s I would have thought the end result would be DEATH for sure.
At that point, I should have gone ahead and stepped over the wall, separating Auggie from the kid… not because of Auggie’s behaviour, but because of the kid’s. But the kid’s dad hauled him back and told him “DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT. Don’t stick your face in a dog you don’t knows face – NOT EVEN WITH A DOG YOU KNOW!!!” He starts telling him that it’s not safe and he could be bitten and not to do it ever ever again.
“Good dad,” I thought, and figured the kid’s dad is watching now, and the kid has been told not to do it. Maybe the kid will settle down a bit?
WRONG. He settled down for a while, and about fifteen minutes later (the line was terribly long) he looks at me, smiles… and then suddenly propells himself forward and LEAPS INTO AUGGIE’S FACE AGAIN.
SON OF A… Auggie, to his credit, doesn’t react again. He keeps sitting.
But get this… the kid tries it a THIRD time, immediately after he straightens up.
This time, the kid lunges straight into my LEG – because I’ve now stomped my leg down and physically placed myself BETWEEN him and my dog. “DON’T do that,” I flatly tell him. I am not about to play nice, this kid has just crossed the line. I was wearing my snow boots, and if I’d stomped down on his fingers with my boots getting between him and my dog… I wouldn’t have felt bed. I was PISSED.
Oh yeah – and that “good dad?” He wasn’t paying attention. Mom hauls her kid back this time (she wasn’t paying attention either, but me stomping down and snarling at the kid apparently got her attention) and the dad scolds him, then goes “Oh, what’d he do?” What you just told him not to do, you big goober!! Dad lectures the kid again.
And then they stand there in line for another, I dunno, probably 30 minutes so the kid can go sit on Santa’s lap. While the kid continues to flail around, kicking the set the mall put up, hanging on things, yanking on things… great parenting at work. Kid does something dangerous, gets lectured on it, does exact same thing TWICE not twenty minutes later, and then gets to go see Santa anyway? Sigh.
Kid is on the Naughty List, I’m telling you.
I moved away from them about ten feet and put Auggie behind me anyway. The people behind me were very nice and understanding about the huge gap in the line.
Seriously, I can’t believe Auggie behaved so well. And I can’t believe how stupid I was to not have trusted my instincts. I could have picked Auggie up and held him, or gone ahead and stood outside the set wall like I thought, or moved all that way back in the first place… and certainly the second time around, I should have done more than just try to move back even further.
I know better. I NEVER trust children around Auggie. I’m not really sure why I did this time – maybe because our socialization was going so well this summer, and because Auggie’s initial reaction was encouraging that I dropped my guard. There was no bad ending… but there definitely could have been.
So, folks… trust your instincts when it comes to your dogs. If you think a situation is bad, it probably is. If you can do something to avoid the situation, don’t wait. Do it.
Hopefully that kid learns his lesson or he’s likely going to end up getting his face bitten off.
REGARDLESS… Auggie saw Santa. Santa loved him. Auggie tried to give Santa kisses. Santa thought that Auggie had been a very good boy (for THAT performance he just gave? He’s a FREAKING SAINT.) and that he wanted a steak for Christmas.
A steak? Well, maybe some raw one way or another.
Secret Santa has come to see Auggie
Auggie and I participated in a Secret Santa swap on the dog forum I belong to, and his amazing gift came today!!
“You say it’s for ME? Really?”
“What’s this? Oh a card… can I eat it? No? Then who cares.”
“Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!!” Peanut butter & blueberry soft cookies – these are AWESOME! They smell delicious and he loves them!
Posing pretty with his packages…
It’s a little sheep for my little sheepdog!! (He was nomming on it until I took the pic; the flash distracted him!)
Hmm, what’s in this one..?
It’s a little reindeer with rope legs… he is OBSESSED with this toy!!
I threw it. He brought it back and put it, for some reason, in all the packaging and things…
Then I threw it again…
…and again… (seriously – OBSESSED with this toy.)
And then – this is the BEST. PART. OMG. This is SO NICE, an AMAZING leash. I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!
Auggie thinks it’s pretty manly. “Surely nobody will call me a girl dog when I’m wearing this!”
I made him pose with it… I LOVE IT AAAAH I LOVE IT. I’m obsessed with it like he’s obsessed with his reindeer toy.
“And now,” says Auggie, “the best part!!”
NOM A COOKIE!!!
Auggie’s First Christmas (with me)
Not his first Christmas ever – since he was born in November, he already had a Christmas. But his first Christmas with me!
Oh my gosh, presents! Are these all MINE?? (No, no they are not.)
Wheeee, wrapping paper!
Sharing his new toys with his friend Happy. My mom insisted on getting him that little rubber basketball, which he squeaks relentlessly (and therefore I took it away from him after only a few minutes, before he drove me insane.)
