Farley’s Friday: Can Dogs go Tubing?

August 2, 2013August 1, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley Here,

I’m the kind of dog who likes to be included in every activity.

It’s summer. We’re in Canada at the Lake. There’s a boat. There’s a tube. There’s flat water.

I know what’s coming.

“Can I go? Can I go? Can I go?” I bark.

Kristina rolls her eyes at me. Yes, she actually rolls her eyes. I take that to mean my question is so silly it doesn’t warrant an answer.

But I’m too smart for her, and I jump before she can get me.

Farley Tubing

One of my humans, Oliver, doesn’t seem to mind sharing the tube with me, but here comes Kristina.

I’m thinking, boo hoo, it’s back to the dock for me, but she surprises me and lets me come in the boat for the adventure.

At least I get to howl at the kids with they fly behind the boat.

Humans are silly and they do silly things.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Dog Allergies

July 19, 2013July 17, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

Farley Here,

Woof Woof

I’m still at the lake, but guess what? I have a visitor. Hailey is a Doodle who’s the same age as me but way more into mischief. She’s spending the weekend and thinks she owns the place. Look what she’s doing to me.

Hailey and Farley

Now I don’t’ mind this rough play, but all the humans get excited when we play indoors. We keep getting in trouble and sent outside.

Hailey may be the trouble maker, but I’m the smarter one. When Kristina puts out my food, I eat it before Hailey has a chance to get near it.

Hailey likes to munch all day and leaves her bowl full of food – right on the ground – right in front of me. So I grab every opportunity and eat her food. She doesn’t care. She knows her humans will put out more.

Kristina scolds me for eating Hailey’s food.

“What?” I bark and look all innocent.

“You know you have allergies.”

“Allergies Schmallergies,” I bark. “This food is tasty.”

I do behave and leave the food dish. But ah ha! I found Hailey’s food bad. And when no one is looking . . .

Farley Eating

And then I remember. I’m allergic to wheat. My feet itch. My ears itch. And now I’m not so happy about eating Hailey’s food.

Kristina gives me a benadryl, and I start to feel better. Then I need ear drops. Gooey stuff dribbling in my ear canal is not a feeling I cherish, but I put up with it.

Why can’t I remember to only eat my dog food?

Do you have allergies? and what do you take for them?

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: Can a dog be a lifeguard?

July 12, 2013July 11, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here.

I’m at the lake this week. That’s a cottage for eastern Canadians and a cabin for western Canadians, but to a dog it’s a place on the water.

Now humans are strange. They like to run, scream and jump off the end of the dock. See my concerned look?
Farley looking concerned

How am I not supposed to be excited about this? My humans tell me not to bark as they jump in.

Well, duh. Don’t they understand they can’t breathe under the water? I need to tell them.

“Stop,” I bark.

“Don’t jump,” I bark.

“No barking,” Kristina says and then like a crazy woman, she jumps in.

Well pardon me for caring. I chase her. And look what happens.

Farley Falling in Water

I don’t like swimming. Let me stress, “I DON’T LIKE SWIMMING.”

And yet, here I am chasing my humans. Kids, adults, they’re all nuts.

The things I do for love.

Woof Woof!

Farley’s Friday: Wheaten Terrier Catches His Humans

July 5, 2013July 4, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 8 Comments

Farley here.

Dogs can learn. This I know for a fact. Last week my humans escaped, and I was left with temporary humans for the week. Although I had fun, I missed my peeps.

What did I learn?

Suspicious activity: Kristina puts clothes in something she calls a suitcase.

“Are you leaving me again?” I bark.

“Don’t worry, you’re coming with us,” she says.

Should I believe her?

Next suspicious activity: Matt carries the suitcase toward the van.

Huh? Last time that happened, away they went for the week.

“Open the door, “ I bark.

Matt opens the side door, puts the suitcase inside, and goes back into the house for another bag.

Silly man. I grab the opportunity and jump into the van. I look left, I look right and I assess the situation. They can easily pull me out of here. Now, remember I’m getting smarter and learning.

I jump into the front seat. The door is closed,, so there’s no way they can get me out.

Farley in Van

“Ha, ha,” I bark. “You have to take me now.” I’m not as confident as I sound, so I wiggle and look as cute as I can.

So did I get to go on the trip? I did, I did, I did 🙂

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: One Lonely Wheaten Terrier

June 28, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

Farley here.

“Woof Woof,” I bark at the window. “What happened?”

I knew my life had taken a dark turn by the time bedtime came and went. Sometimes my humans go out but never over night. Confused is an understatement.

“Come back,” I bark. But nothing happens. I slink up to the bedroom where my temporary humans are sleeping and flop beside their bed trying to make noise. Maybe they’ll wake up and tell me what’s going on. Nope.

Day two of loneliness. I sit by the front door. If I can just catch sight of them, they’ll remember I’m here and come and get me.

Day three of loneliness. “Where are they?” I whine. My temporary humans just smile and tell me I’m okay. That Kristina and Matt will come back.

But when? I don’t get this time thing. And how is a dog supposed to get a good night sleep when his humans are out on the street somewhere. What if they need me? I stand guard at night, so who is guarding them now?

When I can barely stand the stress anymore, on day five the door opens and they arrive. I try to pretend I’m mad at them, but I can’t hold to it. I run and wiggle and jump all over them. Then I head to my favourite corner. Finally a guy can take a good nap.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Terrier and a Cat

June 21, 2013June 19, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here. Woof Woof.

So what’s a dog like me doing with a cat?

I’m visiting a house that has a cat. The cat is crazy. I enter the room, she hisses and runs. Well what to humans expect me to do? Sit there and stay quiet. She’s challenged me. I run after her. If only I could catch her. But then what? I have no idea, but it sure is fun scrambling all over the house.

Cats

Sometimes she teases me. Above, she’s sitting on top of the kitchen wall staring into the bedroom at me. If only I could get to her. She knows I can’t climb like she can, so there she sits laughing at me.

But if a cat likes me, I’m happy to play nice. See . . . I have proof.

Farley and Cat 2009-07-19

I’m not evil. Really, I’m not. It’s the cat’s fault.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: A dog goes fishing

June 14, 2013June 14, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

Woof Woof, Farley here.

Is it just me or is fishing really fun?

I’ve been at the cottage for three days, and I’ve trained my alpha (That’s Matt by the way.)

“Come down here,” I bark. I glance at the boathouse and then at Matt.

Matt’s so smart he comes on command.

“Get the rod, get the rod, get the rod,” I bark.

Matt does as instructed.

Now, I do my dance. This really gets Matt laughing.

Put your left paw in, put your left paw out . . .

Every time I dance like this, he casts the lure and I bark.

If he catches something, I really go crazy. These alphas need a lot of praise. The more I praise him the more he’ll cast the lure.

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Dogs and Porcupines

June 7, 2013June 7, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

Farley here.

Why am I trapped?

Trapped

My human, Kristina, is explaining to me the dangers of porcupines.

Like I don’t remember.

“If you don’t run up the hill, I’ll let you off leash,” Kristina says.

“Yah, Yah,” I bark and nod enthusiastically.

“You remember the vet?”

I shudder inside. What dog doesn’t remember the vet. Two years ago, I chased a porcupine up the hill behind our cottage. It stuck its head in a hole and left its whole body out for me to see. I don’t think porcupines are the smartest, but who am I to say, since I’m the one who ended up with quills in my face?

Kristina put the cone of shame over my head so I couldn’t bite at the quills and drove me to vet. The waiting room was full and everyone saw me wearing the cone. Very embarrassing.

The vet said she’d have to anaesthetize me and for Kristina to come back later that night.

I frantically looked from Kristina to the vet and then put on my most submissive pose. I held in the bark that wanted to burst out from me. The vet took me into a room without Kristina. Yikes. She said I was so good, yup that’s right – so good – that she was going to try to take out one quill without using anaesthetic. I sat calmly as she took them all out and Kristina got to take me home.

I bring my focus back to the present and run my paw over my nose to show Kristina I remember.

“You remember the pliers?” Kristina asks.

I groan and roll my head on the deck.

“I see you do,” she says.

Last year, I chased a porcupine again. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I wasn’t. Kristina didn’t take me to the vet. I knew it was going to be bad when I saw pliers in her hand and she said to Matt, “Hold him tight.”

They pulled out all the quills without the help of a vet. Kristina likes to learn these things for herself.

Now you have to remember I’m a dog. So today, I catch the scent of a porcupine and blast toward the hill. Kristina grabs for me and misses. Unlucky for me, Matt doesn’t miss. He catches my harness and drags me behind the gate.

Now I’m stuck. No running free for me.

“Why didn’t I listen?”

Woof Woof.

Farley’s Friday: Why choosing a human is important

May 31, 2013May 28, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

Farley here.

One of the most important things a dog does is choose his humans. Humans often think they choose the dog. But any good dog knows it’s not true. Even some cats know this.

The human my choose a breeder or shelter to visit, but when I ask my dog friends they all say the same thing.

They know instinctively which human will be a match. And then here’s what you do:

Approach human
Wiggle, wag and generally make a fuss
Stare at human with doting eyes
If human is sitting, put head on humans lap. They seem to like it.
I’m a wheaten and wheatens are known for their ability to hug. So of course, run to human and hug them.

At that point they can’t resist.

I love my humans. I always seem to bark about Kristina, so here’s Matt picking a burr out of my paw. All I have to do is look sad, give him my best brown eyed stare, hold my paw in the air, and tada! I am taken care of. I don’t even have to bark.

I could tell the first time I saw Matt that he was the guy for me.

Woof Woof

Farley’s Friday: A Dog’s Reflections on Travel

May 24, 2013May 21, 2013 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

Farley here.

I’m in Florida. The land of leashes, poop bags, thunderstorms and dark water.

My reflections . . .

I don’t mind the leash, but Kristina thinks I don’t get enough free running time.

Poop bags? Well, that’s Kristina’s duty. I barked, “duty.” Ha Ha 🙂

Thunderstorms scare me. They’re too loud and shake the boat. I pant at Kristina to make them stop, but she just smiles at me and says, “You’re fine.” Easy for her to say when she understands what’s going on and to me, well I’m a dog so how could I know?

The dark water . . . That’s where my reflection comes in.