Update

I worked with the boys again today with the door bell and staying in their spot. Basil only gave "arfs" this time and then soon he didn't bark at the door bell AT ALL!

Is it too soon to celebrate?

Also, the boys shared a stuffie and the water bowls today.

City Dwellers

Hey! New friends came over for a BBQ this weekend! They are from a land far far away where there are lots of condos and no grassy yards.


Meet the bodacious Comang Hwang - 3 year old Shih tzu rescue


And the distinguished Cairn terrier-shih tzu Dante Stoltenhwang!

And don't forget us! Dazzling Baz and Giddy Guinnie

Hey, Baz. What kind of dog is this?

I don't know Guinn but this one looks more like a stuffie. Maybe I should give him a nibble?

Snarlfest 2010 update

We talked to the trainer about their little "affectionate" spat and he doesn't seem to be too concerned. He told us that we did the right thing by letting the dogs sniff outside first and that this is something they will grow out of. Right now, they are still getting used to living together.

We had guests over for dinner on Saturday night following their spat. Our friends brough two dogs with them - a shitzu and a shitzu-cairn terrier. We were prepared for this. Before our guests arrived, I walked Guinniess and Basil a couple of times around the block. Keith had Basil while I had Guinness on leashes. We kept them several feet apart.

Our guests rolled up. The dogs Dante and Comang arrivead and hopped out of the car. Basil and Guinness did the usual pulling on the leash to go towards the new arrivals. We reminded them to sit and tried to get them calm. Basil was fine. Basil got to go sniff the dogs first. Guinness was really jumpy and whining. After he was calm, he got to go sniff the dogs. We walked all of them into the open space of our back yard and one by one, we let the dogs off the leash.

Guinness was last to be let off the leash, but it didn't take long before he lost all interest and wanted to sniff and eat grass instead. I let him off the leash. He paid no mind to the other dogs. He and Basil sniffed and greeted the other dogs and there were no incidents for the whole night!

In addition, I'm training the boys to "Stay" reliable. Guinn knows "stay" but Basil doesn't so much. However Basil is better at staying once he sits while Guinn can't seem to focus on it. I'm training them to go sit in their "Spot" (in the corner away from the front door) so that I can approach the front door without crowding. I'm training them to not bark or jump at the front door when the doorbell rings as well.

Basil is really starting to get it. YAY! I ring the door bell. Basil barks "bark bark bark". I signal him to "go to your spot" and sit. Gets treat. I command him to "stay". I walk away, walk out, come back in. Basil is still sitting in his spot. I tell him "good boy! come!" He comes. He gets a treat. BOY, it's a lot of work! It's a constant process. I have to maintain that "I'm boss" all the time!

After 3 days of doing this repeatedly (15-20 times), Basil's "bark bark bark" became "bark". Once, he didn't bark at all!!! I was so proud. He even stayed put in his spot!

Basil takes out his frustration on Guinness

My neighbor and I were moving a big piece of furniture down the stairs so I put the boys in our master bedroom and shut the door to keep them safe. They were whimpering a little and tapping at the door because they heard my neighbor's voice but couldn't see what was going on. When I went back to open the door let them out, the boys were racing to get out to see who the voice was. Basil got frustrated that he couldn't get out of the room fast enough with Guinn pushing up against him and Basil did the snappy snarling sounding chest butting thing (as though they were fighting over food). That was one. I didn't think anything of it until…

Keith told me that when he took them to the vet last Thursday, someone came into the room with another dog and they both wanted to go greet and sniff the dog. Once again, Basil got frustrated that Guinn was "in his way" and they "got into it" again and Guinn suffered a little scratch on his lower lip (there was blood).

Then last night, we had company over including some other dogs. We did the appropriate thing and had them go outside and sniff the dog outside on the street before coming into "their" home. I thought all was good but as the boys were walking side by side towards the dog friend, Basil suddenly lashed out on Guinness again!! Guinn got a bad gash on his left ear and it was bleeding.

They had a lot of play dates last weekend and we noticed that when all the dogs are playing together, if one dog is showing attention to Guinn, Basil has to be the center of attention. Basil has always been this way and it's always been playful. We noticed Basil was more like "These are MY FRIENDS and I don't want you playing with MY friends." instead of a playful "Oh I want to be invovlved in the romping".

So it looks like when there is plenty of space, there isn't a problem but when Basil gets frustrated because he's not first, he takes it out on Guinness. I know it's still all so new and early for them living together but I am concerned.

OTHERWISE, the boys get along just GREAT! They eat in the same room with no incident, they play like there is no tomorrow, we nap together, gets love from everyone! And they are BOTH very GOOD DOGS. It just seems like when you throw Basil's ego in there, he upsets the other dogs a little and somedog gets hurt..usually Guinnie my boy.

Toys!

Talk about spoiled! These boys have more than they can use. Mom gathered all our stuff together and put it in a special ottoman just for us in the living room.


Ohhh so many of MY toys.


Basil: Hmm, what shall I NOT let Guinn play with today?


Arghh I'll let you play with this mouse leg.


Guinn: Basil never lets me play with anything ((hmph))

Frenchies have good taste

The french sure have good taste - wine, cheese and SILK TIES! It's true. The boys have gotten into some mischief together kekeke They also have a taste for daddy's silk ties! The boys nabbed one and played tug-o-war for some time alternating it with chasing back and forth, upstairs and down. Finally, the war ended like this.

Basil had won and passed out on the floor like this. Spoils from his victory.

Tandy's Tale

Check out our dog friend Tandy. She went from a puppy mill to a wonderful home! Please adopt from rescues and give more good dogs like her a chance to have a happy life like ours!

Guinn meets Carmel

Guinn met Carmel in person for the first time. He was very alert at first but soon after they played like best friends.

Guinn's alert face. It was mommy's fault for not letting them meet outside first.

Guinn: aaaahhhhhh help me!

Carmel: wanna play wit my big stick?

Then they were fine. They played better than Basil and Carmel do.

He got lots of love and some cheese from Carmel's humans too!

Another one bites the dust

Last night, the boys were rough housing and chasing each other from bedroom to bedroom as they usually do. As they ran from my..I mean..OUR bedroom to the guest bedroom, they BRUSHED against a small ocassional table that is in the hallway. I heard something crack. The leg of the table was bent and cracked down the middle. We have to glue it back together. I think if they brush against it again it will surely break off.

Boys will be boys.

Guinness goes to Grandma's House

Guinness doesn't just have a mom and dad now. He has a whole family including a grandma ready to spoil him! Look! Even grandpa got a pool for them.

[Guinn is over by the pool. Basil behind the rocks. Auntie Sugar on the rocks.]

Sugar has lots of puppy energy and Guinn was happy to oblige.

All that running made them thirsty. There goes Basil hoggin' the water bowl again.

Let's run again!!!

We played and chased Sugar in the house for a really long time and then it was time to sniff goodbye for now!

Pumpkin Treats (Wheat n Soy Free)

Here's an easy and healthy dog treat that is also wheat and soy free.

• 1 can of pure pumpkin (no spices)
• 3/4 cup of rice cereal - I used *organic* oatmeal baby cereal because it was the only one that was soy-free.
• 2/3 cup of powdered milk.

1. Mix ingredients all together.
2. Scoop into a piping bag.
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Pipe onto a cookie sheet into shapes.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a little brown.
6. The treats are slightly soft and chewie.

Ingredients

The original recipe called for piping little rosettes, but my rosettes resembled poop in my opinion.

Guinn: Mmm did someone say poop?

Basil: I'm making hearts for Ellie Mae.

Heart shapes

Mom, can we puleease have some???

Man, Guinness is good. He got mom to give him some right out of the pipe.

Are these for us?

Uuhh food coma.

Double Trouble

#1. In the morning, I left the boys alone for no more than an hour. I came home and they had torn up a heavy duty black trash bag. There was a huge hole in it and some shredded plastic all over the floor. I hope they didn't swallow any of it. I don't know what possessed them to do that!? Frenchies (and I know Basil) don't normally go for things like that. It was a clean, new bag that I had taken out and planned on using it, but then I stepped out. The boys must have wanted to go out with me and got anxious. They probably were wrastling and then decided to play tug-o-war with the bag. I'm surprised because Basil used to be afraid of plastic bags too.

#2. Basil and Guinness got into a "fight" last night around midnight in our bed. We woke up to some scary snarling cackling sounds. Why? Guinness threw up on our comforter and Basil and Guinn got into a fight over who was going to eat it. I think Guinn tried to eat it but Basil wanted it and snarled at him.

Oh Boyz! Poor mommy and daddy.

Going to the Park

Yay! Mom and dad are taking us to the park today!

Getting ready to go.

Come on Guinn catch up before some other dog sniffs all our spots!

The teacher at Wonder Dogs instructed mom to take us to the playground so we get exposure to different surfaces, but this was an anti-shmushy face park! How rude!

What should we do now Guinn? Let's lick this joint and bounce Baz.

It's more fun at home anyway. Thanks for the walk pawrents!

Car Antics

Yay! Dad took us for a car ride today to visit the mechanic.


I wanted to drive, but I'm not old enough yet so I had to sit in the back with Guinness.


Guinness, move your big butt out of my seat!


Ahh, Basil! You're squeezing me out!

Guinn: Fine. I'll just sit up front with mom.

Guinness meets Bo

Mom took us for a walk around the neighborhood and to introduce Guinness to all our friends. Bo's mom invited us over to meet Bo.


While we waited for Bo, we played her humans.


We waited for a while for her to come outside but she was too shy.


Woohoo Hey sexy, going our way???!!!

I guess it's just you and me again Guinn.

I guess so Baz.

It's all fun and games until the blinds come off the window

We had a comical sitcom moment today. We couldn't make this stuff up if we wanted to. Both Basil and Guinness will grab a shoe or sock if their toy isn't around when they get REALLY excited during play. Basil rarely does this unless his toy is no where to be found and there is a sock laying next to him. We knew from Guinness' bio that he does this too.

Well, Basil and Guinness got into it today...playing that is. It was their usual afternoon ritual of giving each other the "let's go!" stare down, and then chasing and wrastling and chasing some more. In the excitement, Guinness grabbed the wooden ends to the chords of our bamboo blinds and went running full speed ahead with them proudly in his mouth. The blinds popped right off the window as Guinness dragged them!

Silly mom and dad for pulling the blinds up and leaving the strings on the floor. Fortunately, only the blinds were hurt.

Guinness likes Tootsie Rolls

Hmm, how should I put this?

Guinness likes tootsie rolls.



No, not that kind.



The kind Basil manufactures in the back yard.

Happee Annnibarksaree

Today is a special day!

Three years ago today, mom adopted dad! She rescued him from a lonely life in a single crate, eating human kibble. Boy, was he happy when she applied for him.



Then 8 months later came me ... opps! (wink wink)


Here we are now.

I think this photo is much better with us in it.

Bath time

Huh? What's dat?

Spooning