Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-Up Friday, the post where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions and generally just wrap up the week.

You Make Me Laugh – August 28, 2016

Taryn Tipton said, “The water bowl is in a very conspicuous spot in the kitchen so it is rarely empty. On the rare occasion it’s empty Jimmy will stand and look at the bowl, look at me, look at the the bowl, as if to say “women, this bowl won’t fill itself!” Remember, he is the Boss!”

LOL, yes he is the boss! Typically it is empty because of Delilah. For some reason she thinks it is her job to drink the entire bowl. 🙁

Sue said, “Like Emma, we have more than one in the house (we have 3) and my pups have me very well trained to check them at a glance every time I’m near them.  🙂”

Wow, you are trained well! We only have the one, but now you and Emma have me thinking about where I might be able to squeeze in another one. 😀

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s Mom said, “I do remember one time when I got all the way to work before remembering that I hadn’t given the Golden Girls any water before I left – and hubby left before I did – so I had to run inside, clock in, and tell my supervisor what had happened. John laughed and said “go ahead, we’ll see you when you get back.””

Nice boss! Mine would let me do that as well. The trouble is, if I forget I usually don’t remember it until I’m home. 🙁 I usually wash their bowl out with the morning dishes and if I get distracted, I’ve been known to ‘forget’ what I was doing.  Good thing I flush the toilet before I leave. 😉

Jan said “The food and water bowls get scooted across the room until a human finally gets the message.”

Isn’t it funny how they each have their own ways of letting us know what they need?

Monika and Sam said, “Sam just softly huffs and puffs, then sighs and lays down. It takes me a couple seconds to figure out what he’s really trying to say (i.e. “get snapping, lady!”). I always feel guilty once I realize it but a treat usually makes us both feel better. 😉”

Ha ha ha, sometimes Sampson just looks at it, but then there are times when he pops it around. Maybe it depends on how thirsty he is!

Why We Love Emily

Taryn Tipton said, “I never leave them! Haven’t had a dog-free vacation in nine years!”

We rarely leave them either! I only got away because Hubby could stay home with them.

Meagan Maher said, “The other week when we had to go away. We left Merlin at a boarding kennel. It was the first time he was away from me and i was teary when we dropped him off. 4 days later i picked him up and he was more excited to see the girls at reception than me lol.”

LOL, Sampson was more excited to see his neighbor friend then he was to see me. 

Emma said, “The first days are the hardest for mom, but then she adjusts and it is alright. She hasn’t left us really for a few years now which we love. She has left me home alone for like two days but her cousin comes to take me out and hang out with me and I don’t mind. Emily sounds like a wonderful dog sitter and vet tech!”

It is hard on us moms to leave you guys. I’m super glad we thought of Emily because she was so awesome. She sent me pictures every morning and even told me (on the last day) that she was going to miss walking them. 

Jan K said, “It sounds like you found the perfect person and that at least makes it easier. My sister takes care of our kids if we both go away – she’s the only person in the world other than hubby and I that Luke loves. We don’t both go away often though. I worry no matter who they’re left with anyway, I always feel like no one knows all of their special needs like I do!”

I think you hit that nail right on the head! I knew that they would be taken care of, I just knew it wouldn’t be the way I would do it! LOL It is hard trusting someone else with your kids. 😀 I’m glad you have your sister.

Beth said, “I’m usually a wreck, too, but I only leave them with my parents or with Barley’s reactive dog trainer, so I know they are in good hands! It definitely makes it easier to go away when you know someone who loves them almost like you do is taking care of them 🙂”

It’s good to have someone you know and trust to care for them. AND also, that someone is with them all the time. I would hate to leave my guys overnight if there was no-one at the house with them.

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s Mom said, “I rely on the same pet sitters we’ve been using since 2006. I don’t know that I can say I’m a wreck; but I do call or text Susan at least 3 different times to check on the girls. I know she’s taking good care of them – I just call to be sure Ducky is behaving herself. LOL”

Well…yes….there is Ducky. BOL

There’s No Dog, Like An Old Dog – Throwback Thursday

Meagan Mahler said, “Merlin will do all his tricks in his repertoire at once if he knows you have food. At dinnertime he immediately puts his paw up to high five me before i put his food in front of him. Whoever said dogs are dumb never had a dog that owned them.”

Ha ha ha, this might be my favorite comment of the week, “Whoever said dogs are dumb never had a dog that owned them.”

Jan K said, “That’s Cricket! We tried clicker training and all she does is sit there looking cute, wagging her tail, and wondering why I don’t just give her the damn treats. LOL”

Oh yes, you have a treat, I see the treat, therefore the treat belongs to me! I remember being so frustrated with Delilah because I wasn’t using meat, I was using a vegetable! LOL Thankfully, she’s adjusted to treats and it’s much easier to work with her now.

Emma said, “Mom used Katie and I to teach Bailie some stuff. She learned much faster when we showed her how it is done!”

It’s true! I had hopes that some of Sampson’s awesome would rub off on Delilah and to a degree it has. She sees all the cute things he does that gets him attention and she does it too. Except I was hoping maybe she’d learn more of his nice house manners.” 😀

Well that’s it for me folks. Don’t forget, tomorrow is the Pet Blogger Showcase! And if I don’t ‘see’ you, have a great weekend.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-Up Friday, the post where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions and generally, just wrap up my week.

You Make Me Laugh – August 14, 2016

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s Mom said, “Crib mattress and a throw rug. That’s a great idea!! I wish I had a set up like that for Shadow!”

It was weird, I was looking for a step, and thought, why not use the mattress, and it worked!

Emma said, “Maybe it had a wrinkle in it and felt something like the princess and the pea. I love to gather up rugs and blankets into piles to sleep on or move them completely around. At least he likes the mattress.”

He has ALWAYS like to remove the covering rom something. If I put a sheet on the couch, he will pull that off, he’s even done it on the bed!

Monika and Sam said ”
That’s a brilliant ‘hack.’ Well done, Jodi.”

Thank you. It was completely unintentional, BUT that won’t keep me from sharing it on my new blog… “Hacks from the ‘Hood.”  LOL

Lee and Phod said, “That is a great idea. My pups often take the blankets off things as well. So much for protection with one!”

I worry more about him slipping on it, than anything else!

My Silly Dog

Cupcake says, “Nuthin’ wrong with knowing what you want and then making it happen. Humans do it all the time! Why shouldn’t we? Well done, S. It’s good to have goals.”

That is true. And he does have goals and he usually meets them. 😉

Taryn said, “My guys get bored with the same old route around the blocks near my house. I started loading them in the car and taking them to other areas in my neighborhood. Now, when we head out to walk, they just go stand by my car. If I try to walk them close to home, they just plant their feet. I created walking monsters!”

So do you never get the neighborhood walk anymore?  How do you get around that? That’s one of the reasons I rarely do that, these guys develop routines REALLY quickly!

Emma said, “And if you are like my mom, you will feel bad and he will win the battle…but you won’t really mind. After all, we train you all so well to give us what we want because we know how to toy with your emotions 😉”

Oh he mostly wins. But Hubby has to do it, after all, he’s the one who created the monster. 😉

Lauranne said, “I bet he gets to go out front? He is so like Mity. Mity used to come in from his final walk, shoot upstairs, give us about 20 minutes before coming back downstairs and giving us ‘the look’ which basically said “have you not realised it’s bedtime” then he would turn run back upstairs and wait patiently on his bean bag for us to come upstairs and give him his biscuits.”

Oh yes, he goes out front. 😉 That’s funny about Mity. How many times would he come downstairs?

Two French Bulldogs said, “You win the holding pee award.”

Ugh, that is an award I don’t want him to win! I swear he would have gone longer, I practically had to drag him out.

Jan K said, “After we eat, Sheba has her treat and then takes herself right to bed (our bed). She doesn’t care if anyone else goes with her or not! I think she just wants to get the best spot. 🙂”

She’s smart. I think you might be on to something there Jan. Maybe THAT’s why he goes to bed so early. LOL

2 Brown Dawgs said, “It is more interesting out front. 🙂”

Exactly, and he has a better chance of having some random person petting him. 🙂

Creatures of Habit – Throwback Thursday

Sue said, “What great photos of both of them! Can’t help it – this makes me feel so sad for Delilah. She must have been so hungry for so long before being rescued. Hungry for food; hungry for attention and love. I’m so glad you took a chance on her and are giving her such a great life.”

I feel sad when I think of it too. Even after all this time, she STILL has that obsession with food. Of course, it could be the Labrador brain, but I think she has some memories of being hungry. 🙁 And for the record, I’m glad she took a chance with me. It’s been a road, but she’s truly an amazing dog, who just enriches my life.

Beth said, “I’m glad Sampson was so sweet and didn’t react to her stealing his snacks! Barley would have flattened anyone (except her humans) who tried taking her snacks out of her mouth!”

Now see, DELILAH would do the same as Barley! But Sampson, is so sweet and trusting, he knew that I would make it right.

Emma said, “Buddy, you need to get control over your cats! ”

Bob stayed with us for a bit while our daughter was in the Army. He was a good cat and just wanted to be accepted into the pack. But the dogs would have NONE of it. So he had to be sneaky about it. 

Monika and Sam said, “When they’re young, you think your dog is Einstein able to conquer all manner of mystery, as they get older, they start to resemble Artie Johnson’s little old man from Laugh In be it physically or mentally shuffling off on a trike.”

Bah ha ha, he did such a GREAT impression of that, didn’t he?

Jen Gabbard said, “It’s amazing how different they are, isn’t it? I couldn’t imagine seeing a dog go right up to another & take a treat from his mouth.”

I never could either. And yes, they are literally as different as night and day. 🙂

Alexa 88 said, “Delilah must think if she stares at you long enough you’ll give in. ” come on mom how can you resist my sad eyes””

I think she thinks she can bend me to her will. 😉

Well that’s it for me folks, don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the Pet Blogger Showcase!  Have a great one!