Global Warming?

Can you believe that we migrated south for the winter just to be greeted with record cold temperatures and snow? We got a record amount of snow the other day - 12 inches! People down here were kind of freaked out about driving - you wouldn't believe the traffic jams it caused. But because they hardly ever get this much snow down here I think they really enjoyed it. I have never seen so many snowmen. There was a snowman in the median in the middle of a busy street with one of those orange traffic cones for a hat. Angus peed on that one. A snowperson also appeared in the chase lounge next to our pool.

The temperature soon rose above freezing and this created a big slushy, yucky mess. This was cool with me because dad took us to the indoor dog park. You see, the first indoor dog park ever is a quick drive from our house. It is huge with a big dog and a small dog area. It has astroturf and a patented filtration system that keeps everything clean and fresh. All us dogs are required to show proof of our immunizations and there are attendants on duty that monitor our play. There's even a play area with hoops to jump through, bridges to cross, and houses to run through. I'm pretty good at this obstical course. Angus and Roxie aren't so interested. I would say that Angus is the most social of the three of us. He loves to play with the other dogs. Me? I love to play frisbee with dad. I also like to visit the gift shop and cafe. They even have wifi so I can work on my blog if I want.

Sweet Baboo and Doodles

Above: Sweet Baboo (left) and Doodles

Last year we also went down south for the winter months. Dad says that we are snowbirds. Very young snowbirds!

So, anyway, one day last year when we walking around our southern neighborhood a woman in a parked car rolled down her window and hollered out "Who are these beautiful dogs?" So dad stopped and chatted for awhile and it turned out that she also had a Tibetan Terrier named Sweet Baboo. Dad thought she said Sweet Bamboo, but I heard it correctly and it was Sweet Baboo. It so happens that she also has a store just filled with every type of accoutrement you could ever imagine for dogs. So she told us that we must stop by and meet Sweet Baboo for he goes to the store everyday. She also told us about her other TT, Doodle Dandy, who is no longer with us. Doodle Dandy was born on the fourth of July and he and his litter mates all received patriotic names. I don't know what his litter mates names were but I am imagining Uncle Sam, Stars and Stripes, Betsy Ross....Firecracker? Anyway, I just love the name Doodle Dandy. He was more commonly called Doodles.
We never made it to the shop last year, but happened on it, by accident, this year. You see dad was looking for some flowering branches for the house and it turns out that the dog store is part dog store and part flower shop. Isn't that a cool and unusual combination. Well, we recognized the lady from the car immediately and she recognized us too. But there was no Sweet Baboo. He went to the big dog park in the sky in October. He was fourteen. That made me a bit sad and so sorry that dad didn't get around to visiting last year. Dad asked a lot of questions about Baboo although he continued to call him Sweet Bamboo even after the nice woman from the car spelled it out for him, B-A-B-O-O ( rhymes with yahoo). She showed us some beautiful paintings her brother (the TTs original owner) painted of Babboo and Doodles including one of Babboo on top of the table in the shop. This was his favorite place to be.

Snoucher?

I received the most wonderful note from my boy Sherpa. He is so handsome and has quite a way with words. I love you Sherpa.

Mom,
I can't believe I celebrated my 4 month birthday last week. A lot has happen since I left home........... Last week-end I went to the groomer to have my nails trimmed and a wash & dry (dad says he doesn't do nails)......When we arrived at the groomers, the groomer told dad she would trim around my eyes and my paws....I could see panic in dad's face because I knew he didn't want my eyes or paws trimmed.....It was all so new and he really wants me to look like older brother Angus....The only trimming he wanted was my bottom clipped for sanitary purposes, but did not want me to have a baboon butt either....
Dad didn't want to offend the groomer or come across as a know-it- all (you know some hair cutters can be temperamental or
even bitchy) so he asked the groomer to do him a favor...In his kindest voice....he asked "please work with me and Sherpa as this is a new experience for both of us, I would like to start out with a full coat and if we decide it's too difficult to manage we can make adjustments along the way". ...I could hear dad say under his breath if I wanted my dog to look like a Snoucher I would have gotten a Snoucher :) ...... He also asked the groomer to trim my bottom. The groomer responded with a
big smile and said "I absolutely understand and I'll also be sure his butt doesn't look like a baboon from behind". I think dad and my new groomer (Angelia) are best friends, when he came to pick me up, everyone was all smiles and I looked like a
million bucks..... if I do say so myself......:-) Angelia also told us she was excited we were going to try to go with a full coat and she looked forward to working with us......Dad knows he made some assumptions about the groomer... :) but he was going to be leaving precious cargo and didn't want to rock the boat.......

Oh, I almost forgot....before I went to the groomer I went to doggie playtime at "the Good Dog Spot" not far from my house......From 9:00-10:00 am on Saturday mornings lots of pups and smaller dogs get to hang out and play in this great big room and also run outside to an area that is fenced in......I met lots of new friends, there were about 15 of us jumping, running, barking, sniffing butts and having a ball......Dad calls it socializing, I call
it FUN!!!

The next day my dads and I went to my second obedience training class...I thought it was going to be a lot of work, but once I got there I realized they were teaching them, not me :)....I'm a smart little guy, all you have to do is reward me positively and I'll do anything....They both had a clicker and when I was good I got a treat...SIT, DOWN, STAY,
etc. .....This was fun I can't wait for my next class.......

I'm looking forward to spring and many more new adventures.

Miss you.

Big hugs-Sherpa

Lexie

Do you remember when, out of the clear blue sky, I was asked to help find a home for a TT named Lexie? I wrote about it in my post Playing With Matches A Girl Can Get Burned. Well, I received an update and some pics from Carole, Lexie's new mom. I never ever heard another peep from Lexie's first mom, Joy. Nope. No thank you or nothin'. Joy? I'm not sorry I helped out though cause Lexie and her new mom and dad are really happing together. Their cat, Tobey, looks quite satisfied with the arrangement as well.

Hi Suddie.
Lexie is doing great, we feel so fortunate to have found her. Again, thank you!!
She's a wonderful dog, friendly, affectionate, smart. Sometimes I think she can read my mind. That's inside. Outside is a different story! She has a mind of her own, but we're working on that!
My husband is ready to get another TT, that's how good she is.
Here are some pictures.
Hope all is well with you.
Carole

Too Cold For Comfort

I received some pics and a funny note from Sage and Lucas, my PBGV friends, who now live in COLD, COLD Sweden:

Suddie...We thought u might like some pics of us with our balls in the snow...I mean..snow balls in our coats.....Sage and Lucas

Pandora's Truck

Looks like my Pandora is now driving a classic pickup. And how about that scarf? That sure is something. Maybe she saw that recent movie about Amelia Earhart. She looks more like Amelia than Hillary Swank. I'm a bit worried though because I heard that a woman wearing a long scarf was nearly decapitated when it got caught in an escalator. You be careful Pandy. I have a sneaking feeling that Toby is using that fine ride to pick up the bitches.

Pandy sent me a sweet note:

Hi Mom,
Finally getting around to let you know what’s going on in my life here in California. I am having a grand time chasing my Dad, Toby, around wherever I can, either here in Palm Springs or San Diego. But I like it here in Palm Springs because I have more space and bushes to hide in when I get a little tired. At first I don’t think Dad liked the idea of having competition in attention from our other Dads, but now he has gotten used to having me around. Although, at times he sneaks under a bed to escape from my shenanigans such as pulling his hair. I am learning about grooming and I think I have learned that it is better to relax and let my Dads brush me and I do like the attention I get then. Also, I have learned that walking on a leash is lots of fun, especially if I go alone without Toby. If I go with him I don’t get to chase him and I just have to keep pulling on the leash to try to catch up with him. Yesterday we both had a bath and I kind of like that. I think tomorrow we are going back to San Diego and on the way I might meet my handler for the first time, so we can plan on our first show in April. I hear that the shows are fun, because I will meet lots of other TTs and get a lot of attention from the judges and the people that will be watching me. I miss you and all my brothers and sisters, especially older brother and sister, Angus and Roxie, but I am having a good time here. Lots of love and kisses. Pandy

We all miss you too Pandy. Give your dad's hair a good yank for me.

Stops Traffic

I can see why beautiful Bruin is stopping traffic. He's gorgeous! And he still has the toys I sent him off with! Such a good boy.

Somethin's Bruin

Or, maybe, I should say Bruin is somethin'.
I received a great update from Bruin's new mom:

Bruin is duin great! We are all madly in love with him and still can't believe how good he is! He rides up to Vermont every weekend and has made lots of friends at the ski mountain. He has just finished his first obedience class and has had great fun socializing with all the other dogs. We are still trying to perfect the sit stay down moves. His temperament is really an unbelievable fit for our family.

Healthwise we are up to date with all our shots. Think he is up to 12 pounds or so. Seems like he is suddenly growing fast and his coat is getting thicker. Thinking we will have our first visit to the groomer soon.

Suddie, Bruin has learned to walk on a leash quite nicely. He walks the kids to and from school every day and has many admirers along his route. The crossing guard, Rosie, really wants to scoop him up and take him home to her grandchildren. Some people even stop their cars to inquire about what kind of dog Bruin is or how gorgeous he is. He's really quite popular around town. He is also quite the sled dog! He loves to chase the kids on their sleds up and down the hills of Vermont. We're even thinking of getting him on skis or possibly a snow board next year.

Bruin has quite a few puppy friends in his new town. He loves a big golden doodle named Tucker and they have lots of fun exhausting each other playing. He just met a cute golden lab puppy named Annabel, who he is quite taken with. He is also set to have some play time with a brand new Norwich terrier named Scooter when he gets back from his February vacation. Once they all get a little older, we will take them to a very cool place called Bare Cove Park where they can run and play with other friends to their hearts content.

Bruin also gets along famously with his cousins, Farley, a bearded collie and Josh and Oliver, 2 havaneese guys, who live in Vermont. He gets to see them every month or so and would really like more time with them. The cousins find Bruin's energy a little exhausting after a while, but overall they quite like him even if they don't always show it. Need to get going on our daily walk to school and then are headed up to Vermont for the school break for lots of fun in the snow.

Bruin is a really happy guy. The kids want me to tell you that he smiles when you rub his belly.

Will send pics soon!

Deb

Fancy

I really love to watch this TT, Fancy, compete in agility competition and I know you will too.

Here is a note from her owner:

It has been a while since I posted any Fancy agility runs. We've still been competing, just haven't been getting filmed! Not sure if I shared, but Fancy made the finals again at the AKC Invitational back in December. Again I had a bobble which kept us from a clean run in the finals, but we finished up 8th in the very competitive 20 inch class. We are driving to Oklahoma for the AKC Agility Championship in March.

Here is our video from this weekend.

Fleur Power

Today is something called the Super Bowl. I really don't know much about it but I know it involves a ball so I think I might like it.

One of the teams in the Super Bowl is the New Orleans Saints. I love New Orleans. The city. Not the team. I don't know anything about the team. Well I do know one thing about the team. Their symbol is the fleur-de-lis. That caught my attention because I learned recently that my little girl, Pandora, has taken the formal name Deep Acres Fleur-De-Lis. This will be the name she uses when she competes in dog shows and, maybe, just when she wants to show off a bit. My formal name is Campo Dei Fiori. That's Italian for Field of Flowers. My parents chose it for me because when I am walking or running my coat looks like a field of flowers blowing in the wind.
Above: Deep Acres Fleur-De-Lis

I know that the New Orleans Saints symbol is the fleur-de-lis because I read all about it in the New York Times today. You know why I love New Orleans? There are chicken bones everywhere in New Orleans. It must be some sort of Cajun ritual to suck the meat off and then toss the bone out the car window. There was one sorta grassy median in the middle of the street near our hotel that was literally filled with chicken bones. It drove Angus and Roxie and me crazy. To our very sensitive noses it smelled like chicken and grease and pure delight. We had never smelled or seen anything like it before and haven't since. I don't know why but my parents never took us back to that sorta grassy median in the middle of the street near our hotel in New Orleans again.

Here is the New York Times article:
Saints Aren’t the First to Call on Fleur Power

The fleur-de-lis will be showcased in Sunday’s Super Bowl as the symbol of the Saints.
But it is much more than just the logo of a modern-day football team. Throughout history, the fleur-de-lis has represented many things, including royalty and religion. The symbol, an artistic representation of a flower (a lily or an iris), has been found on ancient Greek and Roman coins.
Like an inkblot in a psychological test, the fleur-de-lis of the Saints can have several interpretations. Some may see it as a most aggressive flower or as the tip of a spear or an arrowhead.
New Orleans players like it but vary in their awareness of its meaning. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma said he did not know of its floral origin. Linebacker Marvin Mitchell called it a “fleur-de-leaf.”
Defensive end Bobby McCray said: “It’s not like all the other logos in the N.F.L., like a simple animal or something like that. This is pretty distinguished.”
Drew Brees, the quarterback of the Saints, called the fleur-de-lis “a big part of what New Orleans is all about” because it is a symbol of the culture dating to French rule.
In that Brees has been intensely involved in rebuilding the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he acknowledged that the fleur-de-lis has emotional and spiritual resonance.
“It’s just like when you look at the American flag and you sing the national anthem,” Brees said. “When we see the fleur-de-lis, it makes us well up with pride.”
Fleur is the French word for flower and lis is lily. But the pronunciation is a matter of some dispute. Americans typically say “fluhr duh LEE.” But in French, it is “fluhr duh LEES.”
Many legends about the fleur-de-lis and its original use are obscured in the mists of history. Scholars have debated it for centuries.
It came into focus as a representation of French royalty after Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor in 800 A.D. Much of its symbolism gravitated toward Catholicism.
It is sometimes seen in depictions of the Virgin Mary through association with the lily.
Joan of Arc, it is said, carried banners into battle that showed the fleur-de-lis. Drawings show her wearing a hat adornedwith them.
The fleur-de-lis is often associated with North American places like Detroit, Quebec and Louisiana, which were settled by French explorers. In sports, the Quebec Nordiques wore it on their uniforms.
The logo for the Boy Scouts of America uses it, and so has at least one sorority.
The Saints have worn fleur-de-lis since their inception in 1967 but have enhanced the design in recent years. According to the team’s media guide, the emblem in the first season appeared only on the helmets. It appeared on jerseys and pants in 1986.
Now, the fleur-de-lis can be seen in six places on their uniforms: on each side of the helmet, on each shoulder and on each side of the pants, on the stripes, at the hips.
Its effect is enhanced in the context of the uniform colors: gold, black and white. Ed O’Hara, a senior partner with SME Branding in New York, said he loved the Saints’ color scheme and logo.
“Black and gold is classic,” said O’Hara, who designs logos and uniforms for sports teams. He said black was fierce.
O’Hara said he admired logos that he called simple and iconic.
“I see the fleur-de-lis as more than a flower,” he said. “It’s a symbol of a whole people.”
Saints running back Reggie Bush agreed, saying: “It does not just represent the Saints. It’s amazing. You see it everywhere. You see it on churches and in restaurants.”
Linebacker Scott Fujita said the symbol delighted his 2-year-old twin daughters.
“When they see the fleur-de-lis around town, the first thing they say is, ‘Go, Saints!’ and ‘Who Dat?’ ” Fujita said.
Jonathan Casillas, another linebacker, said of the logo, “I love it, man” and called it “very powerful.” He also said he was impressed to see women with fleur-de-lis tattoos.
Darren Sharper, a defensive back, said that if the Saints win the Super Bowl, he will get a fleur-de-lis tattoo, “so I guess I’ll be a New Orleans Saint forever.”

Send Sherpa Home

The other day I received a note from Sherpa's new daddy:

Sherpa is doing great!!! He's beautiful, smart and full of love. We've only had him for a few months and can't imagine life with out him. He had his rabies shot last night and the vet said he's in great shape. He's 16 lbs, his baby teeth have come in and his testicles are dropping.... He's a lean 16lbs because he runs with me everyday, he's such a jock, I'll send a picture soon, he's going to the groomer this Saturday to get his nails done (trimmed) or maybe bright red polish...lol.
We have a dog walker that comes everyday at 1230 and takes his out for a 20 minute walk.....She loves dogs and loves Sherpa...Aunt Harriette....
Stay warm....Michael

And then I received this pic yesterday:


I tried to contain myself, but I couldn't. I was overcome and I wrote back:

What a little prince. I love the pic of the two of you together. He's adorable. Can we have him back?

Michael's reply:

Thanks Suddie - How could he not be adorable look at his mother, father, sister and brother.....And he's as sweet as he is adorable.....
You can't have him back but you can visit anytime.........:)

I think Sherpa has a very good new daddy.

Shimla and Shadow

Our new friend, Cyndy, who with her TT, Shadow, met my boy Sherpa at the vet's office yesterday sent us a nice note with more info on her TTs and some pics:

Dear Suddie,
Thanks for your reply...Just checked out the blog...love it!
We had two TT's - Shimla and Shadow, which we acquired while on an expat assignment in the UK. At the time, we had a Lhasa which, unfortunately did not make it through the UK quarantine period. So, when looking for a new dog, and after considerable research we decided the Tibetan was perfect for us.
Shimla was our first. She came from Valerie Hocking in the Midlands. The lineage of her dogs stems back to Dr. Greig's original TT's. She was born blind in one eye so she never would have been a show dog. She's a quirkly old gal that has brought us many years of joy. Despite a few signs of old age, she's a hardy lady and enjoys being queen of the castle!
Shadow was our second. He came to us from Khados also in the Midlands. We stumbled upon them when we needed a kennel near our home for Shimmy. Coincidentally, they were TT breeders, and we adopted Shadow from one of their litters. Had we remained in the UK, he would have been shown, but we relocated back to the US. Sadly, he succumbed to cancer a couple of years ago at the young age of 10. He was my loyal little trouble maker, and I miss him dearly. If you are interested, Khados is on the web at www.khados.co.uk. There is a picture of Shadow under "More Family Members".
Please keep me posted on any litters and updates! I simply love the breed for too many reasons to mention. So, I know one day we will welcome another into our home.
Cyndy

Sherpa

I received a very nice email from a lady who met my Sherpa:

Hello,
I am the owner of a 14 year old Tibetan Terrier. While Shimla was at the vet this afternoon, the vet commented that they have two Tibetan Terrier patients in the practice and the other was also in for a visit right after us!
So, I had the pleasure of meeting one of your pups Sherpa. What a cutie. The owner spoke very highly of you as breeders.
While not in the market for a pup at the moment, I would like to learn more as we live in Connecticut and you are in neighboring Massachusetts. One day I am sure we will be in the market, but hopefully not any time soon.
I checked out your videos on youtube - adorable! Your dogs are beautiful.
Thanks for a reply
Cyndy

Roscoe

Just as he promised I received a pic and an update from my Roscoe. He's such a good boy (and handsome too).

Mommy...Hi Again!
Here’s one of the photos that I promised. It was taken right after my trip to the salon. My dad said that I was just supposed to get a bath and my nails clipped, but the nice lady there said that, “I was too cute not to be able to see my eyes.” Dad was real surprised, and said I looked like a poofy black dust wand and smelled like a Swiffer pad...whatever that is. Some people he knows thought I looked like someone named George Harrison. Dad said he’s thinking of going somewhere else next time, although I met some new friends. That part was fun.
Things here are pretty great. I help my dad get Eliza off to school each day and then I snooze under his desk while he drinks coffee and works. We take a couple of walks every day (when it’s not too cold) and I like to look for squirrels. Mom is around a lot too, and she often rolls a cool rubber ball across the kitchen floor right after dinner. I like to help her out by going to get it and bringing it back to her. The silly thing is that she just rolls it away again...grown-ups are just weird sometimes.
Just so you know, my favorite things are my collection of Nylabones (the brown “flexibone” is my absolute best friend, yum), the bouncy ball I already mentioned, a yellow mini tennis ball toy and a plush ring that I love to run around with in my mouth.
I’ve been to our house in Maine a couple of times. I like it there because it’s a lot more open so I can run around better. We celebrated something called New Years there...and my new sisters had a bunch of their theater friends come over and sing show tunes and dance. I got a little over-excited and needed a time-out. I was told later that it was OK because lots of people over-do things on New Years and that I just needed to learn my limits. I was still pretty little, so I think I’d be much better now that I’m a whole 16 weeks old.
My puppy kindergarten is going well. I’m learning lots of new stuff that seem to make my mom and dad happy. The walks I take them on every day seem much more pleasant and I don’t get in trouble for jumping up on furniture that much anymore. I’m told that I have to work on not biting when I first meet people, but it’s just so exciting to meet new friends that I forget sometimes. I’ll try harder.
That’s all for now. Say hi to everyone for me. Love you Mommy!
Roscoe

I love you too Roscoe. Very Much.

Frozen Swedish Meatballs

Do you remember my friends Sage and Lucas? They're PBGVs. That's short for Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. You may remember that they moved to Sweden with their parents Sophie and Mike. Well I just received a note from Sage (Sage is a boy, btw).

Dear Suddie,
I love your blog and the beautiful pictures!!!!! I'm a tad in love actually....
I've just been in the garden with my bro Lucas..it's absolitely FREEZIN out there and I have no idea why Mum and Dad decided to move to this horrible country!
The only good thing about this place are all the horse-poop-lollies I find every time we go for a walk in the forrest. They're YUMMY! Lucas always eats more than me and then he really smells...plus he has this thing about French-kissing dad. I just sit there and look at them..Dad's giggling up a storm and Lucas is all wrapped around his head giving him a good licking!
Mum says she'll video it and put it on YourTube....it would embarass me to death to let the world know what a disgusting brother I have. If Dad only knew what just went down his throat...
Ok, dinners ready. Some pancakes, fresh meat, country eggs and oven baked organic dog food. At least she cooks good food....
Lots of love
Sage

Sage also sent me some pics of the horses that they meet each day on their walks. These pretty fellows must be the ones producing those lollies.











Sophie expanded a bit on the weather:


Well…winter sure hit us this year! Always the lucky ones we caught the worst winter in years…more snow, colder and more intense than anybody can , or wants to, remember!
We had the most awful cold front that totally wrecked our heating system. Came out into the living room one morning and found it to be 7 Celsius …outside it was a harsh -26, the water had frozen and our hearts sank.
“What was so wrong with Florida??” – Mike said.
When eventually we got the water going again we got hit with 2 feet of snow…and now cold front number two just arrived.
So far a balmy – 18 out there but getting worse by the minute!
So right now we are NOT very happy with Sweden…I can only hope we get through February and then spring will surely start making its entrance!

It sure sounds chilly, but the pics Sophie sent make it look awfully pretty. I've always liked those little red painted horses from Sweden. How about you?