Pretty in pink AND orange

We were all bored after the Christmas festivities. Clearly. Is it torture to find random pieces of fabric, place them on a unsuspecting dog and take pictures of them? Eh, whatever. They didn't care TOO much and it gave us all a laugh or two. I have to say that Onix looks fabulous in pink. Real men wear pink.

Santa Paws

The economy didn't seem to slow us down. The family decided to keep the gifts small but there was an abundance nonetheless. The most prominent theme was socks. I think every person got at least one pair of socks. I alone received approximately twenty pair of socks five of which were the special cold weather ones. These socks are extra thick and extra warm because when I head to the dog park at seven in the morning and it's below freezing; there is a real big chance that my toes will fall off.

Simba and Buddha made bank on their first Christmas. Their matching stockings contained multiple treats and toys. Chewnola's, kongs and milk bones...OH MY! Simba's jaw and teeth have gotten very powerful so he destroys almost every toy he comes in contact with. Several of those toys did not survive for long.

More cheese for your wine

Here is the family. We look EXACTLY like this photo. In fact, this is a real photo of us with our Christmas sweaters. Speaking of which, I really wanted an ugly Christmas sweater but I couldn't find one. Ideas? I figured it would be fun to wear it for pictures. Santa already gave me two awesome gifts. They are a joy and a pain in the butt. I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

This picture looks like it is straight out of a 1970's photo shoot. Don't judge me. It was a cute idea and I am a sucker for holidays and torturing my dogs with cheesy photos and costumes.

Hey, don't knock it until you try it! You might end up being a scary dog mom or dad too!

Let it snow!

The neighborhood dogs. They are like a posse really. They play hard and give lots of kisses. We even trust them enough to let them run around off leash in a public area. Shhh! Don't tell! So they enjoyed the first snow of the winter. Simba ate all of it and chased the falling the snow flakes. Buddha is still too young to fully enjoy the fact that he is a husky so he gets cold much faster than Simba who has a double coat. Regardless, it was a blast for the dogs and it was bitter cold for the humans.

Ho Ho Ho!

It's not Christmas yet but it's time to get in the spirit. I won't be able to dress Buddha up like this when he is older so I have to take advantage of it now. Even though Simba and Buddha are Buddhists they will appreciate their very first Christmas because their mom and dad have lots of gifts in store.

They are fortunate. There are so many cats and dogs who are abused or without a home. Not only that but in many countries these animals are treated like dirt. Many are killed and eaten and some are simply stoned for pleasure. I've never been a dog owner prior to now but I would adopt more if I had the means, the time and the sanity.

Golden retrievers SUCK!

Little Buddha took his second trip to the dog park with Simba. He was excited but we stayed on the small dog side because there was an aggressive dog on the big dog side. After that dog left we proceeded to go to the big dog side where there were two dogs playing. One was a golden and the other a mutt. I knew the golden and had always thought it was a even tempered dog. Buddha kept trying to play with him. He wanted the ball that he had and before I knew it the golden went after my pup and all I heard was the most haunting scream. Buddha would not stop screaming. I grabbed him and searched for the injury. Truly, I almost threw up because I couldn't stand the sight of his eyes rolling into the back of his head and his inability to focus because he was wailing. Simba kept jumping up to see his little brother. He was extremely worried. The golden backed away and I immediately retreated to my car. I saw blood pouring from his mouth and I saw a gaping hole in the top of his gums. I could contain it no longer and began to cry. I cried, consoled him and drove to the vet. It turned out that the bite was deep and he would need surgery. My guilt was overwhelming and I could not stop crying. So after several hours my little baby came walking out of the room, high on drugs. He was doing fine but his mom was a total wreck. Needless to say it took several weeks and a lot of pain medication before Buddha healed completely. I never saw the woman with the golden ever again. Maybe she was afraid I would sue her. I probably would.

Money Matters?

My dogs don't judge me based on my job. It's an amazing feeling to know that it doesn't matter what my profession is or how much money I make. Regardless of any of that information, I am loved. Isn't that profound?! Unconditional Love.

Buddhalicious

The best way to describe him is mellow jello. He moves like jello, falls down like jello, and is probably filled with jello. This guy is always kind, always playful and always sleeping. He found his way into our hearts when we realized that little Simba needed a brother. Onix was not coming around as much because his parents are very busy college students and that makes Simba very depressed. So Buddha was an accident (lol) but a welcomed one.

BTW- I get made fun of all the time by my friends and family for setting this blog up. They think I am a crazy dog lady. I just want to give a shout out to AJ and LB (friend and sister) the biggest supporters of this blog. Thanks for your cash donations to the local humane society. Much appreciated!

When Simba met Buddha

This portrait is of yin and yang. They are day and night. Simba doesn't like to cuddle but Buddha always wants to cuddle. Simba is not vocal and Buddha whines at everything. Simba is fierce and never backs down but Buddha is mellow and avoids conflict. Simba is agile while Buddha is clumsy. Simba does tricks for treats while Buddha does tricks to impress. Simba is ADHD but Buddha is only ADD. Simba has to be entertained while Buddha can entertain himself. Simba is a victim and Buddha is the thief. Simba is dainty when eating while Buddha is a doggy dyson. This list will continue to grow no doubt.

New pup in town

As if having two new dogs in the family was not enough....here comes another one. So I wanted a small little lap dog but it turned out that it wasn't in the cards for me. Instead, I fell in love with a blue eyed husky. I've always been a sucker for blue eyed guys so it seems only fitting that my second son has gorgeous baby blues. His name is Buddha and from the moment he met Simba he was bossing him around. In fact, he would grab Simba's leash and walk him for me. I think that in itself makes it worth it to have two dogs! Simba was a bit baffled by this new guy but warmed up to him after letting him know that he was the ALPHA!

My son just graduated!

For eight weeks Mr. Simba went through intense training. He learned how to wait, stay, heel, play dead, etc. He was an A student. In fact, he skipped two whole grades and went straight into intermediate training because he was SO smart to begin with! He began intermediate training just as he turned three months old. Truly he gets his brains from his mom and his rugged good looks from his dad. I can honestly say that we are those kinds of parents who attended every class and did all the homework with our pup. We wanted him to be perfect. I remember on the second day of class the instructor told me that Simba did a good job. My fiance looked at me as we were leaving and asked me what was wrong. I told him that the instructor said Simba did a good job but not a GREAT job. He laughed at me and I couldn't help but laugh myself. Perfectionist. Yep, that's me! Now the only question that remains is...what do we buy for our genius puppy as a graduation gift?

If anyone wants to know of a wonderful dog trainer at a Petsmart (in the DC area) then contact me because she was amazing and she really loved her job.

Calvin Klein models

Don't they look like models? Alright, alright I'm done with the Halloween stuff. FYI- Simba's shirt says "I Bite" on the back with fangs AND it glows in the dark!!! How "True Blood" is that?!

Two peas in a pod

Let's get philosophical for a moment. What is companionship? What is love?

I'd say the fiance and I only partially understand these concepts because when I look at Simba and Onix I realize that they GET it. Dogs don't hurt each other with words. Their lives are less complex and they feed off of each others energy. Don't get me wrong...humans feed off of energy too. I can feel negative energy when I walk into a room and it will make me feel uncomfortable. Dogs can also sense it and that is why they react differently in certain situations.

Where can you see a lot of this? Go to your local dog park. If you notice that a dog is exhibiting anti social behavior or is aggressive look to the owner. Recently, we met a woman with a female Shiba. The Shiba did not want anything to do with Simba (who was so excited to meet her). The owner and the dog had the same "don't come near me" demeanor and the same facial expressions! No lie! Who did the dog learn this from? DUH! Clearly, she was not a very nice woman and her Shiba displayed the exact same attitude. It's all about the energy people! It's for this reason that I remove myself from situations that involve people with negative energy. They bring me down and have no place in my life.

So I am trying to look at the calm that Simba and Onix exhibit (once in a while) and pick my friends carefully.

Dress up the doggy!

My little Shiba Inu puppy HATES to play dress up. What he does not understand is that his mom will buy whatever cute little outfit she can find in order to make him even cuter. Sick right? Anyway, this year the theme of our family Halloween dress up was Little Bo Peep who lost her sheep. You guessed it, I dressed as Bo Peep, my man dressed as the wolf and Simba dressed as the sheep. We even entered him into the Petsmart photo contest. The pictures look miserable because he looks embarrassed and depressed that his parents would subject him to such humiliation. Nevertheless, it had to be done!

It does not stop there. Onix the pom had to play dress up too. He was a lobster and looked fantastic in red. However, he hates dress up as well but on a totally different level. He will shake and tear off the outfit as soon as you put it on. On the other hand, Simba just looks depressed and hangs his head in shame. Poor abused puppies!

On another note. I am still unemployed and the reason? I am OVER qualified. Thanks law school!

Doggy style

This weather is insane. One day I am donning a sweatshirt, coat and hat and the next I am in shorts and a tank top. The weather does not seem to change how Simba spends his days. I wait to go to work while Simba waits for his next meal and playtime. Life is so difficult for a dog! He gets waited on hand and foot without a care in the world. Meanwhile, I am burdened by thoughts of finding a job, planning a wedding, and watching a family on the verge of dissolution.

People argue that dogs and other animals do not have a higher consciousness. This argument has often been used to justify eating meat. When I look in Simba's eyes I can't imagine that he does not have more than the basic animal instinct. Does Simba have thoughts other than FOOD, POO, FOOD, PLAY? Animals don't need to speak in order to understand one another. Maybe humans are just unable to understand this because we have evolved into higher life forms that do use words to convey information. Therefore, we no longer use non verbal communication and cannot conceive of the possibility that it exists and is still in play.

Just thoughts.

Isn't it ironic?

It's good to know that I don't need to have a degree to be an effective dog walker. I wake up in the morning but don't feel like P Diddy. Instead, five am rolls around and it's time to hit the city because my dog needs to poop. After that he wants to play and since I am unemployed I take him to the dog park. I have three degrees and am unemployed. There! I said it. Some women go to school to find a husband. I went to school to change the world and certainly not to find a husband or have children. Not to bash those of you who wanted all those things but it just was not my cup of tea. So on this frigid day I will walk this pup every single time he rings that bell (yes he is trained to ring a bell when he needs to go out) and play with him or he will destroy everything with those monstrous teeth.

Luckily, he's a great guy and I adore him. Unlucky for me, I am not at work living my dream.

So if you want to organize a doggy play date, contact your local Dog Walker JD.

The truth about Honest Onix

Onix is a ten month old Pomeranian with a heart of gold. All this guy wants to do is play. It does not matter if you are two hundred pounds or five pounds. Onix came into our lives when my sister and her boyfriend brought him home at three months old. He has peed in every room of my house and has left putrid surprises in dark corners. None of that matters when he greets you with the sweetest kisses.

Onix greeted our baby Simba the very first day he came home. He went crazy when he saw Simba for the first time. Crazy good not crazy bad. He just wanted to meet the little pup and did not care about jumping or tugging on Simba's feet and ears. Great times. Simba didn't warm up immediately but they are now inseparable.

Mr. Onix is quite the devout spiritual man. His parents tell us that he prays all the time and tries to convert other dogs as much as possible. Sorry Onix! Simba is a Buddhist!

Shiba smile

The Shiba has very few facial expressions. You never know what the small wolf like dog is thinking. There are mornings when I find little Simba sitting across the house just staring at me. He does not move and does not blink. CREEPY! He does smile when you scratch him just right or when chasing his favorite pink ball.

Shiba Inus come from Japan and are a very old breed. They are the smallest of the six Japanese native dogs. Simba is currently eighteen pounds. He is not supposed to be more than twenty five pounds. The Shiba was used to hunt small prey from destroying crops.

Lucky for me, this Shiba only seems interested in stink bugs and eating as many leaves as possible.

Looks like this JD needs to take the dog on a walk.

Bath time is not for the faint of heart

Shibas do not like water. Let me repeat...Shibas do NOT like water!! Or maybe our dog is a freak of nature. If the water is running Simba is running the other way. He will do whatever it takes not to take a bath. He has thrown himself against the walls in the shower and screamed and scratched. You never leave a bath with Simba without battle scars. My sister had the displeasure of bathing the crazy animal and had scratches on her thighs, arms and stomach. They did not go away for weeks! Simba does not intend to commit bodily harm but acts involuntarily. If a dog could commit a crime it would likely be an unintentional tort. Let's break it down some more. My sister claimed it was an assault (jokingly) but an assault is an act intended to cause apprehension of an imminent bodily harm or contact. Let's assume Simba is a "person" and that the laws pertain to him in this instance. Did Simba act intentionally? Did he intend to cause the apprehension of imminent bodily harm? I would argue nay! His intent was to break free at any cost. He did not intend to hurt anybody.

Since he actually did touch her harmfully it would then be a battery.

Either way, too bad so sad because he's just a cute little puppy.

Shiba Inu meetup

Simba had the opportunity to meet up with some family members of his. Well, they weren't really related but they are of the same breed. It was lots of fun to see all the pretty Shiba's running around. So many different colors and sizes. They are a fun loving breed and they don't really bark either. There is something called the Shiba scream and you have to hear to believe it. Regardless, there was a lot of sound at the meet up and I noticed that Simba was not the only dog who made such a nasty "bitch" face as we call it. When Shiba's play they look really mean and are very vocal. It does not look like play to the naked eye and I always have to reassure people that there is nothing evil about it. Just because some dogs don't want to be hugged, kissed or smothered all the time doesn't mean that they are not good dogs. I force my little Simba to give me hugs and kisses. He sighs deeply because he rather be left alone but I say it's OK for him to suffer just a little!

Dog eat dog world

Simba and Onix spent almost everyday in August and September at the dog park. We were told that socializing dogs at an early age is of the essence so we wanted to make sure that our pups grew up healthy. Onix outran a greyhound and then wiped out on a rock. Ouch. Poor pup. he was a little timid after that happened. Simba was the typical Shiba Inu because he was aloof and mostly on his own. However, he has found a few friends who he goes crazy for. When he sees these dogs at the park he jumps, runs and acts like a kid in a candy store. It is priceless. He has gotten cuter and cuter.

One thing I can say about the dog park is that there are a few unstable dogs and unstable owners. This often leads to conflict involving profanities and dog bites.

What's up with eating wood chips though? I thought we were feeding him enough and he has tasted all the treats imaginable. But the wood chips never fail. Sure, I understand that he is teething but eating a ton of wood chips just gives him other problems. Wood chips never solve a thing!