YEA! Winter is FINALLY taking it's leave and nicer days are starting to become more and more frequent. I can tell that both Bo & Bella are about as happy as I am with the weather change. They are more excited about going outside and they spend more time peeking around the backyard than they have been able to for the last few months.

So Jon and I were Spring cleaning the backyard... I was on landmine patrol and Jon was trimming branches. Bo & Bella were doing the toughest of jobs... overseers. But I'm not sure how seriously they were taking their jobs.

Bo started out well, "A little higher dad!"

But before long he started laying down on the job, "Come on, it's hard work standing up"

Soon after the both of them were sitting side by side gossiping about the parents:

"So I hear they have some bath plans for us in the future, that's CRAZY talk!"

Bella then fell asleep on the job:

Or so I thought until I realized that she was just sun bathing and trying to get a little color on her tum:

Hey mom, you are in my light.Bo on the other hand tends to shy away from the harmful rays of the sun when he can and finds a nice shady spot to lie in...

Bo, "Aren't you guys done yet? Wake me when it's time to go in."

Going to the Park!

Bo & Bella have a love/hate relationship with the car. They LOVE going places and they will eagerly jump into the SUV. But as soon as we get going they get restless, too warm (even in winter!) and oh so drooly! Well tell them to lay down and calm down, so Bo will lay down and take the WHOLE back seat so poor Bella has to try to maneuver herself into the little corner Bo allows her. Inevitably she'll accidentally step on him and then he is up and dripping drool all over the seat in front of him. The only time that they are ever fully relaxed in the car is when they are exhausted.

This is from last weekend, we went to a dog park that isn't too far away from us, and the car ride was almost more entertaining than the park itself.

Mmmmmm, smell that fresh country air!

Hey, look! Cows! I knew something smelled funny.

Bo: Skootch over, you're hogging the backseat!

Bella: You move! I'm trying to get to the window.

Yea! We're almost there! I see the other dogs!

Bella: Yeah, I'm done... One lap was enough for me.

Bella: Mooooom, Bo's taking the whole backseat, he won't let me lay down and... Wait, is that home? Why are we going home??

It's been a while

It's been a while since I've added some new pictures. Spring is finally coming in (although in teasing bits and pieces) so we've been out and about a little bit more, but unfortunately without the camera. This means that I that although I have some new pictures, they are indoor ones. Jon and I have been so enamored of this breed that we are considering the opportunities of fostering greyhounds to help them in the transition between the racetrack and their soon to be forever families. This makes us both nervous and excited. Nervous in that there will be a new dog come into the house every now and again with new dog issues that'll need to be worked through (housebreaking, counter surfing, crate training, stairs trainins and just adjusting to a home), but then it was so much fun with Bo & Bella that we're sure it'll be great. So without any further ado, some cute pics of our pups:

Sleeping Bat-Eared Beauty

This is why we call her Bella Bean. She'll snuggle up in a little bean shape and sleep so soundly in such an awkward position.

A beautiful evening walk with Seeya scouting for squirrels...

Within minutes of getting home he takes his normal position... snooze mode.

The sweet melodies of a Seeya

Bo is a roo-er. He'll sing at the drop of a hat. If I roo at him, make a funny noise, hum to myself, or sing aloud... he'll join right in.

The other day I was working on the computer with my music playing and I started singing along to it. Before long I hear a low whine behind me and I knew someone was getting all worked up. I turn around and sing right to both Bo and Bella to see if I could get a song out of them. Bo takes this invitation and runs with it. My diva boy loves to hear himself sing so much that even his doggy day care people tell me that he'll grace them with his lovely voice on occasion.

And without further ado, I present Bo Seeya and his solo, "The Roo". Sit back and enjoy:

You can see in his eyes the love of the song, he puts so much of himself into it!

Are you watching?? The high note is coming!

"Rooooooooooo"

Thank you, Thank you. No autographs, please!

Bella: Moooom! Tell him to stop! I'm trying to snooze!

Bella's favorite spot

Bella Bean's favorite spot in the house is our bed... more specifically on our pillows, even more right after the sheets have been changed. As we putter around the house doing other chores she'll sneak into our room (She learned how to open our bedroom door) and quietly jump up onto the bed. Sometimes she'll take it as is, but other days she thinks it needs a good fluffing and takes the opportunity to scratch the covers off and nestle down on top of fresh clean sheets. *sigh* Jon knew that Bella had snuck into our room a few minutes before so he quietly went into the room with the camera and found this:

Bella: What, the... whats going on! Oh, its just you.

Well, while I'm up here on your bed I may as well get all my itchins out of the way...

Again, *sigh*

Bring your dog to work day

A couple of weeks ago we had a little treat and were able to bring the pooches (and kitties) to work with us. I first checked with everyone here to make sure if any cats were going to make an appearance, and if so where. Bella and Bo are not kitty friendly and I didn't want to put any other animals in danger so I can have company throughout the day. Only 1 kitty was going to be coming in and in another department so there were no possible interactions so I decided to bring them with me. I also booked day acre for them that day just in case they became restless. Bella: What? Where are we going today? Bella: Work? *Sigh* And here I had plans today to chase those squirrels out of the yard! Bo: Whats work? I decided to have Bella Bean there in the morning and leave Bo at the daycare partly because Bo is a whiner and I figured Bella can be quite charismatic with larger groups of people. But by early afternoon I think we were both ready for the switch. She had had enough with being confined to my office with me and I could tell she was going a bit stir crazy... not to mention that she tried to poop in our lobby. I took my lunch hour to switch and grab Seeya Bella: So this is where you go when you leave me alone all day, not bad. Bella: I thought I smelled some yummies around here somewhere! Bella: Hey co-worker people, more good stuff please! When I made the switch Bella was was quite pleased to be out and about, and Bo was even more pleased because he thought we were going home or for a walk or something. He was a bit confused when I took him into the office, but he was so tired out from the morning at the day care that (other than a marking incident on a plastic tree) he was snoozing the rest of the afternoon. Bo: I'll be your greeter today, I can do that from the floor right? Bo: Bella told me that there were some good treats here, can I have some??? It was nice to have them with me at work, to give a scritch or two when I felt like it or when I needed it, but for the most part I think I am more productive without them staring at me all day asking (whining) for yummies or walks.

Nurse Bean

Poor Jon has been quite under the weather lately. Fortunately it is nothing serious and he is now on the road to recovery, but Bella Bean kept an eye on her papi while he was ill. This particular morning while I was getting ready for work, Jon stayed in bed to let his fever rest. Bella Bean jumped up onto my spot on the bed and helped keep the bed warm while keeping an eye on her sick dad. She had no problem laying her little Bean head on my pillow either. After a couple of pictures she noticed I was still in the room and managed to lift her head to see what the heck I was up to. "Oh, are you still here?"

"Don't worry mama, I've got this."

Snuggling

We generally keep the house relatively chilly to help save energy (and money). We keep ourselves and the pooches covered up, but Bo and Bella have started to snuggle closer and closer than I have ever seen them snuggle before. I don't know if it is the chill in the air or the compromise of sharing preferred beds, but I think it is just too dang cute.

Now even though there are 2 beds, they still shared this one back to back. Awwwwww!

With this new bed, they will literally race to get to this bed first and the loser will pout and watch the other until they get up for whatever reason to steal the spot. But this evening Bo wasn't in the mood to sit sit by as Bella enjoyed the whole bed, so he sucked it up and they shared the bed... peacefully!

Gah! Winter!

It's cold, it's snowy and reluctant to venture out much. So whats to do in Wisconsin when you are a retired greyhound (and an owner that comes from the south and still doesn't get winter sports)? Sleep, relax and find comfort in a warm balnket and a warm partner. Think Spring, think Spring!!!

We found this wonderful bed at Sams and we should have gotten several more. It fits Bo! My leggy 90# dog has a bed that fits all of him. Since then I haven't seen it since, sigh.

On a particularly chilly night we put this warming blanket over Seeya and he was in heaven.

Bella Bean and her papa taking an afternoon snooze together.

New Hound Mobile!

So, we got ourselves a hound friendly car! A Hyundai Santa Fe. We knew we were going to eventually need a vehicle that could carry ourselves, the 2 pooches with room for another person if needed. I love it. The hatch has enough space for the two to lay down without bickering and I don't have them drooling on my shoulder as they try to peek through my window.

After having the car for a couple of weeks we decided to break it in and take the dogs for a walk in an area they haven't been before... for a good 1st experience. Getting them in was a little challenging. Bo isn't that nimble and he doesn't like to jump up into it, but he does when he isn't given much of a choice.

It was COLD, but not windy so it was a very nice day to be out and about, and they are all for any new areas that provide new smells and pee opportunities.

Bo: Hey, this is nice, is this ours?

Bella: Hey I got my own window... was that a squirrel?

Bella: Moooom, Bo is hogging the backseat!

OK we have to be getting close now...

Bella: And we don't live in Arizona because.....??? Brrrrrrrr!