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!

Christmas 2007

Christmas was a great time this year. Bo and Bella were involved with a Secret Hound Santa exchange this year again and I had a great time shopping for their exchanged pups and we all had a good time snooting through the Santa boxes when they came in from their S. Santa. We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas filled with love of family and friends !

Wasn't Santa supposed to come last night???

Lounging through a quiet Christmas morning.

Chewey (mom's pup) taking a much needed nap after a few laps in the backyard with Bo and Bella.

Bo coming down after a day's festivities

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Christmas Tree is up!

Twas the weeks before Christmas and all through the house,

2 greyhounds were snoozing, dreaming of treats for their mouths.

The Christmas season is upon us and we are so excited. We participate in a local greyhound secret hound Santa exchange and we've sent ours out for their hounds, and they are excitedly awaiting their secred Santa's boxes.

We've had to have the "talk" with them about which stuffies were for them and which stuffies were for decoration, they either weren't listening or they didn't care, so the decorative stuffies had to be placed well out of reach.

Fortunately Christmas plans this year are small and rather quiet, so we all should enjoy a peaceful reflective day...

Bo "reflecting"

Hey? Was that reindeer we hear??? Oh, no even better! Papa coming out of the "treat room"!!

How can you NOT love that sweet face

Both Bo and Bella sleep with gusto. There is no such thing as a quick snooze or cat nap. They take their sleeping seriously and I have a picture to prove it.

I was working on the computer, doing a couple of projects and downloading pictures when I look behind me and see a face of utter sleeping bliss. Mind you, I had only been on the computer for no more than 10 minutes by this time. I snagged the camera and made sure to shre the blissful sleeping face of my sleeping beatuy Bean. (I'm going to have to watch my shoes, I'm sure she's want to get back at me for posting this picture. :))

They got jammies!!!!

Bo Seeya hates being cold, we learned early last winter that Bo needs something on when he goes to bed, otherwise he is waking us up all night whining with shivers. They have tummy warmers, but this year I went with jammies too. Bella Bean doesn't like to be covered up too much, so I got her a light fabric with only the front legs. Bo went with a thermal fabric to keep the toasty in without the all of the static electricity that fleece can bring. They weren't too big on modeling, but they had little choice in the matter, I had to share the total cuteness of my babies in their jammies!!

Bella Bean looks so sweet in pink butterflies, even with her snarky stink eye in the second picture:

Here is the See curled up and comfortable in his manly blue & black pawed pjs.

Bo Seeya keeps pulling his back legs out of the jammies. I have been rolling them up to keep them on, but he still manages on snaking them out. Here he is, pj legs flapping at his side, doing his happy dance with his favorite hedgie in tow:

Bye!