Dogs

Farley’s Friday: Dogs and Coyotes

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

The song of coyotes reaches my ears for this first time this winter. Their barking, howling, and yipping echoes around me. A pack is crossing the range on the other side the golf course. They’re barreling through the trees, probably chasing something.

Finn picks up on the noise, and with alert ears and nose,  checks for their scent. He’s a city dog and can’t tell the pack is far away. I don’t react much. Call me Mr. Cool.

Coyote check

Finn makes a move, as if to cross the golf course and chase the forest beasts, but Kristina tells him to stay.

He can’t take the excitement and attacks me instead.

Crazy dogs

Finn’s a goof, but I’m starting to get attached to him. Soon his humans will come and take him away. Bummer. I want him to stay and live with us.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Meets an Icelandic Sheepdog

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 8 Comments

Farley  here,

I’ve got a new Friend For Life. Finn is so cool that snow doesn’t stick to his fur. I’m a little jealous. He gets to run around without shoes, and he does’t need to be dried with a towel when he gets home. I think he’s jealous of that because I get all the attention when we enter the hallway.

He does shed and I don’t, so there is that. Just sayin’.

Farley and Finn

He came for the weekend and guess what? We liked him so much, he’s coming back for a two-week holiday. Every dog needs a mountain vacation. I’m counting the days.  One more FFL – I don’t like saying BFF, too exclusive – to add to my pack.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Eats Bananas?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

I’m a carnivore. Let me be more specific. I like beef. I also like to chew sticks. Now the end of an unpeeled banana feels a bit like a  reed, which if you are honest, could be mistaken for a stick. I try a little, but Kristina won’t let me chew it.

Farley is Banana

Then–

She gives me a piece of beef and I gobble it.

Her hand is out to me a second time. I take the food without looking at it, without smelling it. A bit of a failure as a dog, I guess. I just assume it’s beef. But no! My mouth fills with something soft that tastes horrible. I spit it out and it lands on the floor in front of me.

I sniff the glob and it smells suspiciously like the banana I tried to chew. What kind of crazy owner tries to feed their dog banana? I’m going to be more careful in the future.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: Wheaten Winter Hiking

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

My peeps like lots of sports, but I’m a little more particular. I love nordic skiing and snow shoeing. So do they, but they also down hill ski. I can’t go with them when they downhill, something about a chair lift that I’m not allowed on. I don’t understand why. When we go winter hiking, snowshoeing or nordic skiing I have my own boots. Kristina calls them my hiking boots. I could wear them downhill skiing. I can run fast on the snow and keep up.

Farley hiking

My peeps wear all kinds of gear to go outside, so I know as soon as the helmets come out of the closet, I’m going to be left alone. First, I cry. I give my saddest whine.

Kristina ignores my cry and does up her chin strap.

I run in circles around her legs, I wiggle my tail, and go into a submissive pose.

Kristina puts on her mitts.

I run to the front window and bark.

Kristina and Matt get in the car. I’ve lost this time, but I’ll try again next time.

Just to rub it in, when they return home Kristina shows me the view they get while skiing. Pretty Pawsome, I have to admit.They are looking down at our house where I’m alone, hiding in the basement closet. Being alone can really suck.

View

Maybe someone could invent downhill skis for dogs. Then I could go too.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Dog Dreams

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 3 Comments

I wake up to Kristina rubbing my head. Her hands massage my ears and she whispers, “Shhhh.” I open my eyes to darkness and feel my soft bed underneath my belly. My breathing is ragged and my legs are tired. This is is how I know I’ve been dreaming.

But what do dogs dream about?

This . . .

Dog cookies

My friend Beans has a human who gives her cookies. All the time. On every walk. Who wouldn’t dream about that.

Now, I’m hungry, but there’s no way Kristina will feed me in the middle of the night. I know this, so I don’t even ask. She rubs my tummy until I fall back into a gentle sleep.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: Happy Feet

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 12 Comments

Farley here,

My peeps love snowshoeing. They’ve been holding back because of my feet issues.

Check this out. I’ve got my own snow shoes. They may not stop me from sinking in the snow, but they do keep ice from building between my pads. I can go for hours now.

This is me doing the happy roll . . .

Farley rolling

This is me sitting regally, looking especially handsome in my new shoes.

Farley with boots sitting

I can even run in them. Check this out. You won’t believe how fast I can run.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Cold Feet

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

Farley here,

AARG! Look what my humans have done to me.

Boots

So it’s below 20 degrees celsius in this country? So ice forms in my pads and hurts me? Is that any reason to make me wear Kristina’s socks tied on with a blue elastic? I think they’re the running socks she wore this morning. What if one of my pals saw me. I don’t exactly look PAWsome.

But I like to think I can outsmart the silly humans. Not long into the walk, I discover if I slip my tooth underneath the elastic I can pull off the sock. Matt puts it back on each time, but both get the point I don’t like the fashion statement I’m making.

Boots 2

We get back to the house, and I eavesdrop on their conversation. They’re taking me to Chopper’s Pet Supplies in town,  and I get to choose new booties.  Really, making me go in public wearing used sweat socks and a blue elastic. Grrr.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Monster on the Deck

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley Here,

A monster attacks Matt. I bark and whine and run in circles. I have to save him.

“What is this monster?” I bark.

Matt can’t hear me over the thunderous scraping and banging.

My sharp, strong teeth grab the edge of the monster and pull. Matt pulls back. I think he’s trying to save me. What a dummy. I’m trying to save him.

F and shovel

This goes on for an hour. I’m exhausted, but I’ve kept Matt alive.

We live another day to fight the snow monster.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: A Terrified Wheaten Terrier

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Farley here,

I’m terrified. A vat of boiling water sits in my back yard. Right outside the backdoor. After a snowfall, this thing looks harmless, scenic even. But’s it’s a dangerous place.

Hot Tub

Once the snow stops, my humans do something really dumb. They shovel the snow off the lid. They have a ritual. Kristina puts towels near the back door.

I start to whine.

“Shh,” Kristina says.

I whine louder.

The crazy humans ignore my warning and walk across the snow in their bare feet. They don’t have fur like I do. This can’t be good for them. Now you won’t believe the next part. They actually get in the boiling water. Who get’s in boiling water, I ask you.

“Get out,” I bark.

“No,” Kristina says.

But does that mean no barking or no, I’m not getting out? Things get worse. Kristina and Matt both have a useless sense of smell. I’m not sure they smell anything. My house backs onto a forest. In the evening, wildlife are active. I can smell a bear, cougar, or a moose even if I can see the creatures.

I run to the back off the hot tub, lifting my front paws off the ground, and sniff wildly. “There is a bear on the ridge,” I bark.

“I wonder what he smells?” Matt asks.

“Should we get out?” Kristina asks.

“Yes. Yes. Yes,” I bark.

“No,” Matt says. “He’s just mad we’re in the hot tub and not playing with him.”

I give up. I run to the front of the house. lie down, put my paws over my eyes and hide. The bear scent is ebbing, so I know it’s walking away from us. We’re safe. This time. But how do I keep my peeps out of the hot tub?

Woof Woof.