Early Morning Hunt

Thor's mama here. He has--grudgingly--allowed me to post this blog, although he will probably add his own words to it later.

We live in a manufactured home, which means that the dogs have long ago torn down the skirting at the back of the house so they can stare at the chipmunks and squirrels that constantly get under there. Well, lately there has been a pigeon, also known as a flying rat, living under there and driving the dogs insane, because, of course, they can't get to it.

Well, early Memorial Day morning, when I let the dogs into the yard to take care of business, the idiot bird, who has seen the dogs in the yard every morning, is in the yard, strolling around like it belongs there. The dogs did not take this invasion lightly, and Thor, my beautiful, gimpy-legged baby boy, proceeded to prove that a bum leg does not impede him in any way. The flying rat launched itself into the air, frantic to get away, getting about five feet up...and so did Thor. He snatched the bird out of the air...from above, even though he had been standing on the ground a second before. He caught both wings in his mouth and landed lightly on his feet. I have never seen him look so proud, with his head and tail both held high as he pranced across the yard. I hated to tell him to drop it, but, well, they're called flying rats for a reason! So he dropped it, and Smoky and Bandit converged from the left and right simultaneously, while LeeLee barked and jumped excitedly. Big three-way melee ensued, and when the dust settled, there was a dead pigeon without a mark on it, feathers everywhere, and three proud, successful hunters whose praises were being sung by the fourth!

Thor here now. Don't let Mama fool you. The only reason I dropped the stupid bird in the first place was because Mama was standing in the doorway in her pajamas, jumping up and down and screaming at me like an idiot. And LeeLee wasn't singing our praises, she was criticizing our techniques! Not that she did anything at all! And Mama, as much as we love her, wasn't smart enough to have a camera right by the back door to video our hunt! Humans!

Woos,
Thor

The Name Game

I've been tagged by Echo for a new game! It's really easy--you spell out your name in Japanese, using this key:

A - ka, B - tu, C - mi, D -te, E - ku, F - lu, G - ji, H - ri, I - ki, J - zu, K - me, L - ta, M - rin, N - to, O - mo, P - no, Q - ke, R - shi, S - ari, T - chi, U - do, V - ru, W - mei, X - na, Y - fu, Z - zi

Here are all of our names:

Thor: Chirimoshi
Lita: Takichiki
Smoky: Aririnmomefu
Bandit: Tukatotekichi

We did Mama, Dad, and the little biped too--now efurrypuppy that doesn't know them can work backwards to figure out their names! Ha roo! Arichikamifu, Karukatamoto, Chishimofu--who's who?!

Now I tag the ThunderStorm, Sitka and Tia, Huffle Mawson, Turbo, Tucker, and Indy!

Tagged and Tagging

Mama is finally letting me back on the computer. It's about time! I got tagged by my friends Echo and Fenway, and I have been patiently waiting for Mama to let me do this! So here are the rules:

1. Post a 6-word memoir on your blog and include visuals if you'd like.
2. Link to the blog and dog who tagged you, ideally to their original memoir post.
3. Tag at least 5 more pups with blogs, link to them, and leave a comment with an invitation to play.

So without further ado, my six words:

1. Handsome
2. Fortunate
3. Rescued
4. Loving (and loved!)
5. Happy
6. Affectionate

I didn't feel like taking pictures, so you'll have to content yourself with pictures already in various places in the blog!

I'm tagging Shelby and Maddox, the Rasta Boyz, the RHP, the Kapp Pack, and Flurry and Aja!

Thor vs. Troy

Mama filmed us playing with Dad tonight! Well, me, mostly. Our camera isn't all that great, so the picture is a little fuzzy, but you can still see it!



Mama didn't even get upset when I stepped on her foot; she just laughed at me. We are much loved pups!

A Furball in Need

Our Mala-pal, Holly, has posted a challenge issued by her friend Izzie, to post this badge on our blogs and click on it every day for a week.

I have decided that we will be a part of that challenge. But I'd like to see it kept going for more than a week. Thus, I issue my own challenge: one month. That's thirty days. Not so hard. We can do that, can't we? It's just one click of the millions of clicks you'll make in a day. Click here to get your own badge.

AVON Calling!

Sigh. Okay, I'm doing this--under duress!--for Mama. In addition to starting to do beadwork to sell on Etsy, she also decided to sell Avon. I don't use the stuff, personally, so I don't see the big deal, but if it helps get goodies in the house for us, I'm all for it! So please check out Mama's Avon store. Help a dog out! There, Mama, I did the plug for you. You owe me livergreat for this one!



Woos,

Thor

Wolves

I am a dog. I am not a wolf, nor am I, although I look like one, any more closely related to one than your average Chihuahua. That being said, dogs and wolves are related, way back when, and therefore I have quite a few concerns about the fact that timber wolves are now off the endangered list, and can now be killed again with impunity.

Humans say that the wolves kill their livestock, and therefore deprive them of their livelihood. I have something to say about that: every living creature on this planet is driven to procreate for the continuation of their species, not just humanity. Procreation leads to families, which means that every living creature needs a home and food. If humanity takes away the land that provides your home and takes away the ability to feed your young, then you watch them die, and you face extinction.

It is interesting to note that there is not one species of animal that has sanctioned the mass murder of humanity to save themselves. Only humanity holds that distinction. Humanity is a species of excess. You MUST have more land. You MUST have more money. You MUST have a better car, house, television, clothing, child than your neighbor. Why can't you be happy with what you have? Why must there be the deforestation issue that has taken the homes of millions of animals? Why are there trophy hunters? Why must the rainforest be destroyed? Why do you abuse your children and pets? Why would you protect the wolves long enough to bring up their numbers, only to turn around and kill them again as soon as they are no longer endangered? This actually makes sense to you?

"What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected."--Chief Seattle, 1854

This is one of Mama's favorite quotes. Not all humans are as stupid as the ones that have declared war on animals. Mama and her friends are among the smarter ones. This Chief Seattle sounds like someone I would have liked. I don't think he would like the world today. There are so many species of animal that are in danger of extinction. Timber wolves. Bengal tigers. Siberian tigers. Giant pandas. Alligators. Buffalo. Elephants. Pronghorn antelope. Peregrine falcons. Golden eagles. Condors. Blackfooted ferrets. Gorillas. Whales. Cheetahs. Leopards. Jaguars. Polar bears. Arctic wolves. Mexican wolves. Hippos. Seals. Sea otters. I could go on and on, but Mama is helping me with this one, and her eyes are leaking too much for her to see.

You humans need to get your acts together. One day, it will be you facing extinction. And, at the rate your species is going, far too many of you will not be missed by the rest of the species on the planet.

Mama's Newest Thing, and Pictures!!

Mama has decided to try and find a way to work at home, so she can add to the household income that provides us with Canidae and cookies, and yet be home where she can be readily available to serve us as needed. Oh, yeah, and so she can be home with the little furless biped too. So she is looking for a job in something called data entry, and also decided to try her hand at crafting stuff for a website called Etsy.com. Dad is trying to figure out how to set up a workspace for her in the living room, Mama's making lists of tools she will need but doesn't yet have, and trying to think of a name for her Etsy store. She wants one that is Siberian-related, of course! Good mama! So , all suggestions from everysibe will be appreciated and considered. She does all kinds of stuff, but mostly beading on the loom and freehand. Look at all the beads she's got! All of those little boxes and pill bottles are full of beads! She says they're all size 11/0, which means they're pretty small. She told me that the larger the number, the smaller the bead, and she also works with size 14/0 beads for really detailed stuff. Wow! Imagine how small those are! I know she has some of those sitting around the house somewhere, but she won't let me see them. She's afraid that if I stick my nose in there to smell them, I'll inhale them and then we'll have to go to the vet. I'm not pressing the issue, since I have NO desire to visit the vet!

Mama said that she plans to take some of her beading graph paper and make transparencies so she can do some really special stuff. There are two types of graph paper she has. One has tons and tons of ovals in straight rows, all touching each other. That paper is for making designs for the loom, which is that wood thing in the picture. Then there's another paper for something called peyote designs, where the beads won't be in straight lines. Too confusing for me. Anyway, if she makes these transparency things, she can put it over a picture and then photocopy it so that the graph shows up on the picture and she can bead the picture! Cool, huh? She's already promised to do one of ME first!! I can't wait! Some of this stuff is pretty! Here's a picture of one Mama never finished.

Now, what all this means is that everypuppy has to get hold of their biped's plastic card thingies when Mama gets things going, and buy stuff so that she can buy us stuff! Ha roo roo roo! Only kidding! We'll see how well it goes!

Mama's been taking pictures of us again too. I forgot to run when she was doing it, so she finally got some of me and LeeLee together. Oh, well, I suppose she can have those few. I'll be generous.

We had another fight here the other day. I don't know if LeeLee started it or Smoky did, but we all got involved, and Mama and Dad weren't real happy with any of us afterward. We all got timeouts in our crates. The little furless biped wasn't happy about that, since she wanted to play with us, but Mama and Dad said she would have to live with it because we were in trouble.

LeeLee got revenge though. The next night, after we got to play in the yard for awhile, she came in the house and went directly to my crate to go to the bathroom on the carpet right in front of it! Mama and Dad weren't happy about that either, because they had to clean it up. There's something to be said for not having opposable thumbs! But I wasn't happy about it either, because it was right in front of my crate! And LeeLee just laughed at me. I don't know why she did it. I think it was just mean. I never go potty in the house anymore. I'm a big boy. LeeLee is just being bratty. She tries to take over Mama and get all the attention, but I'm not about to let that happen! I don't mind letting Mama pet her sometimes, but her lap and her bed are all mine! I already have to share with Smoky and Bandit!

Speaking of my Lab sisters, don't they look cute sleeping together on the sofa? Bandit's on the left, and Smoky on the right. It took Mama a long time to get a good shot of them, so it's a good thing they were sound asleep! Mama says it's really hard to get decent pictures of them because they're so dark they usually just look like black blotches in the middle of a picture. Having seen some of Mama's pictures, I'd have to say she's right about that, but I think that's more Mama's fault than my sisters' color! Ha roo!

Anyway, here's one last picture for now, and then it's naptime for me! Avi was showing LeeLee her tiger that she calls "Cat", but LeeLee wasn't hungry just then! Ha roo!

Lucas needs more help!

I hope everydoggy remembers Lucas, the Sibe in McMinnville Tennessee whose owner filed 30 of his teeth down to the gumline because he was chewing things. If not, here's a quick update. His owner was seen beating him, and Lucas was taken away, only for his rescuers to see that thirty of his teeth had been filed down to the gums, exposing the pulp and the nerves, because he was chewing things he shouldn't. Can you imagine what it must feel like to have THIRTY teeth all hurting and bleeding at the same time? This is what training is for, humans!

Anyway, his owner, Christopher Barnett, was charged and went to court the other day. Originally he was being charged with a misdemeanor, but lots of people signed petitions and sent letters asking for a stronger penalty, and the charges were upgraded to a felony! Good humans! Pat yourselves on the head and have a treat.

But Lucas still needs help, because the court case has been turned over to a grand jury. So we're starting a new letter-writing campaign. Please send letters to the following address:

Lisa Zavogiannis

District Attorney

Lucas the Siberian Husky

131 East Main Street

McMinnville, TN 37110

Reference: Christopher Lee Barnett Animal Abuse Case - Lucas, Siberian Husky for the Grand Jury

The felony penalty, as it stands now, carries a fine of $3000 and a two year prison term. Mama and a lot of other humans (I mean a LOT) don't feel like this is enough, and I have to say that I and my sisters agree. Maybe people wouldn't do these things if they got more than a slap on the wrist! So please, write letters and sign every petition for justice for Lucas. He needs all our help. If Mr. Barnett is acquitted or anything like that, there is a possibility that HE WOULD GET LUCAS BACK!!! The idea is unthinkable! Please, please, write and let your voice be heard!

Thank you,

Thor, LeeLee, Smoky, and Bandit

Thank you, Mr. President!

Thank you to our presidential candidate, Turbo, for answering my questions so promptly. Definitely a good indication of how well you would handle crises as president! The Wild Hunt pack of Arizona fully pupports your candidacy and will certainly be voting for you! I'm sure that you have plenty of pupporters all over the world!

Woos,
Thor

Questions for our President to Be

Running for Presidential election this year is our very own Turbo, whose campaign manager is my honorary sister Khyra. Recently, it has come to my attention that nodoggy has made an attempt to interview our prestigious presidential candidate! Unbelievable!

So, to rectify the situation, I have come up with several questions to ask Mr. Turbo, so that the humans are very well aware of his campaign platforms.

1. Turbo, will there be an anti-plucking law passed if you are elected? Many pups, during coat blowing season, are followed about by their humans, who constantly pluck at loose tufts of fur. This is quite irritating to many of your constituents.

2. Livergreat. The humans need to know, in no uncertain terms, your stand on livergreat. Are you for or against?

3. Do you support the notion that if a human gives a dog a bath, the dog has the right to return the favor and bathe the human?

4. How do you feel about the segregation between dogs and cats? Should they be forcibly integrated, and if so, why?

5. Cuz toys. Should we all have them? Why or why not?

6. Queen and king-sized beds. Is there a law requiring us to share these things with the humans?

These are a few of the questions the world would love answers to. I will post more questions throughout the course of the campaign.

Woos,
Thor

Birthdays!!

Mama and I had our birthday this past Friday! I turned four, and Mama says she had the 19th annifursary of her 21st birthday. That sounds like 40 to me, but what do I know? Mama bought livergreat for us dogs, and Dad took her and Avi to a restaurant to eat, so Mama wouldn't have to cook. And look what he bought for her! It's a drum! Mama doesn't play it, though, and she wouldn't even let us sniff at it! She put it on a hook on the ceiling where no one but she or Dad can get to it! How mean! But that's okay, because Mama did something really silly today! She was baking cookies with the little biped, and she burned a batch of them. She threw them away in a bag she had hanging from the cabinet door and forgot they were there! Well, I didn't forget!! They were delicious! Sour cream cookies! Yum! Mama came into the kitchen right after I finished the last one, so all she saw me doing was licking my chops! Ha roo! And no, I didn't share a single bite with any of my sisters!

LeeLee update

Well, my Sibe-sister has been here for nearly two months now, and aside from one fight, we have all been doing pretty well with her and vice versa. She still growls a bit occasionally, and gives Smoky and Bandit the hairy eyeball, but she hasn't actually started any more fights. Of course, Mama and Dad keep a pretty close eye on her since the last one!

It looks like her diet is paying off too! Princess Holly's mama told our mama that Holly was on a diet of kibble and green beans, so Mama decided to try that with LeeLee. It seems to be working! When she went to the vet (after the fight), LeeLee weighed seventy two pounds. Mama says she's going to take her in to be weighed again, because she looks a bit thinner than she was.

LeeLee still isn't allowed to sleep in the bedroom with the rest of us, because she likes to woo at the small biped until she wakes up, chews everything she can get her teeth into, and doesn't let Mama and Dad go to sleep. She kisses them awake every time they doze off! They keep trying though, and Dad says she'll eventually figure out that she's home for good, just like I did, and she'll relax. I don't know...if she relaxes, that means she'll get to sleep in the bedroom too, and I don't think I like that idea. She likes to lie on top of Mama, and that's MY spot! Nobody gets to lie on Mama but me! Even if I choose to sleep on the floor, no one else gets to lie on Mama. LeeLee tried last night, and I pushed her all the way down to Mama's feet and took my spot back, and put my head under Mama's chin, which she thought was really sweet. I wasn't trying to be sweet, I was marking my territory!! Ha roo roo roo!

Woos,

Thor

Happy Easter, Everypup!

Today is Easter Sunday, the day the Easter Beagle arrives, bringing candy and treats to all children, whether they have fur or not! We've been looking for him, but he hasn't gotten here yet. Mama says that houses that only have children only get an Easter bunny, but houses where there are furkids and furless biped kids get the Easter beagle, which I think is way better! Here's what he looks like:



So if you see him, be sure to let us know where he is, so we can figure out how soon he'll be here at our house!

While we're waiting for him, Mama subjected me to a grooming session! I was not happy, but I submitted with grace...this time! It's getting hot out in Arizona at this time of year, so getting rid of all that loose fur was kind of a good thing. Mama's going to get Smoky next, and maybe Bandit too. She had to have Dad put LeeLee in the crate while she groomed me, because LeeLee was eating the pile of fur! YUCK!

Since there was discussion of coat blowing among the Sibe-slaves on SMS, as well as some pictures, Mama decided to join the fray. So here are some pictures:

As you can see here, I am very unhappy with the situation.

And here are some pictures of all the fur Mama got from me before her arms got tired. She gave up before I was fully groomed, with a threat to finish the process later!

The Easter Beagle better bring me a whole roll of livergreat just for me because I was so good for this! Even the little biped helped Mama! She got the pin brush and brushed me for awhile. Mama had to show her how, but she really wanted to help, so she's learning. The things a Sibe has to put up with sometimes!

Woos,

Thor

Missing you, Sasha

Yesterday, we lost a good friend named Sasha. She was her mama's first Siberian, and her mama was with her to the very end, letting her know how very much she was loved. We couldn't all be there with her, though we would have been if we could have. To her mama and dad: you did the best thing for her that you could do, and that was to let her go without suffering. She will wait for you and watch over you from the Rainbow Bridge, and she will love you always, just as you loved her. She is young again, and wearing her silver harness with pride.

Sasha, we will miss you very much until we see you again.



Sasha RIP March 18, 2008

It's Plucking Season!

No, it isn't me, and it isn't LeeLee either! It's Smoky and Bandit! Mama says they both look like moths have been at them. Well, I would have to agree with her there. I have to find Mama's camera so I can take pictures to make fun of them. Mama has been following them around the house, plucking out the tufts of fur on Smoky's rear end. Smoky has taken to running from Mama, but Mama just waits till she catches her asleep and plucks away until Smoky wakes up. It's very sad and pathetic. I have a feeling that when LeeLee and I blow our coats, Mama's going to have a pluckfest. Tubey or Meeshka should pass a law that plucking is illegal!

Mama made a big mistake with them tonight, too: she decided to use the shedding blade on Bandit in the living room! On the white carpet! Ha roo roo roo! You should have seen the mess! Mama was covered in Bandit's fur, and the white carpet was black! She looked so funny! I wish I knew where the camera was so I could have taken a picture of it! And what made it worse is that the Hoover doesn't do a good job of picking up the fur, so Mama had to pick it out of the carpet by hand! I bet she doesn't make that mistake again! Bandit didn't like being groomed, so she got her revenge without doing a single thing! Way to go, sis!

Woos until next time,
Thor

Of Annifursaries and Veterinarians

Yesterday was my Gotcha Day! I've been with Mama for a whole year, and she hasn't dumped me or hurt me at all, even when I...um...misbehave. She still loves me! Dad does too, and so does Avi, but Mama's my favorite, and I'm hers! I got to play all day yesterday, and to sleep on the bed whenever I wanted, and I even got a special dinner! Well, everydog got the special dinner, but they got it because of me! Mama made something called albondigas, a Mexican meatball soup. It's got rice and meatballs and broth. It's supposed to be soup, but for some reason, Mama's always comes out like a stew, really thick and filling. No kibble last night, just meatball stew. YUM! But I didn't get to sleep in the bedroom last night. We all slept in our crates. Mama and Dad said we were too wild last night. Can you believe that? Just because we woke Avi up a couple of times!

LeeLee was the one who had the big adventure, though. We all had a fight on Friday, and when Mama came out to break it up, Smoky, Bandit, and I had LeeLee down and we were playing tug-of-war with her. Mama wasn't happy with any of us! She threw a bucket at us to break up the fight, and LeeLee ran away. Bandit had put some holes in her butt, and Mama didn't find them till the next day. She made Dad take her to the pharmacy to buy Betadyne to clean them with, but they got infected anyway, so this morning LeeLee and Mama went to the vet.

Boy, was Mama mad at that vet! She hurt LeeLee with needles and pulled the scab off of one of the wounds, and then was surprised when LeeLee yelped and snapped her head around real fast. She didn't try to bite her, but the vet says she did! She told Mama that we would all eventually kill LeeLee, and that LeeLee should be rehomed with someone who actually knew dogs, and Mama should watch Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer. Mama was really mad, and she came out of the vet and called Khyra's mama to vent. Khyra's mama calmed her down, and Mama took LeeLee to Petsmart, where she got to meet a whole bunch of developmentally disabled kids, and she had a really good time getting petted and giving kisses. Then Mama took her to the hardware store to pick up an air conditioner for the living room, and she got to go in there too, where she said hello to everyone coming in and out of the store. So she actually had more of an adventure today than I did for my annifursary! That wasn't fair, but I forgive Mama, because I know she loves me best!

Woos,
Thor

We're Funky!

This is so khool! Our pal Dakota nominated us for the Funky Blog award, because she likes our new look. Mama helped with it--I have to give credit where credit is due! And I have consulted with LeeLee, Smoky, and Bandit on who we should nominate for the funky blog award.




So, without further ado, here are our nominations for this prestigious award:

1- The Army of Four (hey, my girlfriend blogs there! And her humans are way khool!)

2- Holly's House (one of the sweetest Malagals I know)

3- Meeshka's World (not only is she our queen and commander of HULA, but she does the best cartoons in the world!)

So those are our nominees for the funkiest blogs around. Dakota, of course, is also not only a funky blogger, but an awesome interior decorator. She can come decorate our place any time! Dakota, maybe you can give me tips on how to make my crate look nice? I'm a guy, after all--what do I know about home decor??

Lucas

While Mama and I were working on this blog a little while ago, we came across a link to a news story that made water leak out of Mama's eyes, and made the rest of us woo.

Lucas is a handsome black and white Sibe in McMinniville, Tennessee. He's only a little over a year old, and has been being tortured by his owner for some time. The bone around his eyesocket has been fractured, and 30 of his teeth were filed down so much that the nerves are exposed and bleeding. He'll never be able to eat normally, and will always have to have soft foods. But he's still a sweet, sweet boy. Someone finally saw his owner beating him, and saved him from the...well, I can't think of any words bad enough to describe a human like that. Mama has a lot of words that might cover it, but I'm not allowed to use that kind of language.

Anyway, that's when all of this was discovered. Poor boy. The people who have him now are going to try and save as many of his teeth as they can, and pull the ones that can't be saved. I hope he gets a really good home after everything he's been through.

They say it will cost thousands of dollars to help this baby, and they are asking for donations to be sent to:

Sparta Road Veterinary Clinic
4021 Sparta Hwy.
McMinnville, TN 37110

Donators are asked to specify that they want their donations to be used for Lucas' medical expenses.

The police in McMinniville have put out a warrant to arrest Lucas' owner on cruelty charges. We are praying very hard that they get him.

So all you Sibes and other dogs out there that have been rescued and wound up with humans that love you, tonight let your biped family have extra cuddles with you to thank them for being good to you.

Woos until next time,
Thor, LeeLee, Smoky, and Bandit

Lazy Sunday

Well, we didn't do much today. It was a really warm day today--in the mid seventies, so we didn't stay outside much. We laid around the house most of the day, and when we weren't lying around, we were taking turns climbing into laps. Mama and Dad make these wonderful pain noises when LeeLee does it, because she can't jump up like I can. So she jumps partway up, her front paws land very hard in someone's lap, and her back legs scrabble to get the rest of the way up, usually against someone's legs. That's when they make those noises. It's really funny! They're like big squeek toys!

Mama even curled up with the whole pack on the floor today and took a nap with us. She figured it was safer and less painful to nap on the floor than it would be to get LeeLee up on the bed. She's probably right. But LeeLee is doing really well on her green-bean-and-Canidae diet, and she runs almost as fast as me in the backyard!

So, since we didn't do much today, Mama is letting me post the pictures we do have of our friends from Jer-man-ee. They emailed us today to say hi!

First, this is Sonja:




And this is George:




Mama took the pictures with her cell phone, which is why they didn't come out very good. It doesn't have a flash, which is kind of stupid, I think. All cameras should have a flash, if you're in a dim room! But the phone still takes better pictures than our actual digital camera, so I guess I can't complain TOO much.

Back to napping now. See you next time!

Woos,
Thor