Black & White Sunday: Mooching & Football

Best part of watching football with dad is sharing snacks with him!

Sunday afternoon watching the Bears with Dad. But him and mom keep flashing and clicking that thing in front of my face. Will I ever get any rest?

Dogs of Portage Park: Lucky and Irv

Mom couldn't decide which dog to write about for awhile until we ran into Irv and Lucky the other day. Lucky is a great dog, a big girl, Lab mix, blonde and white, she is one of the first dogs I remember when I started coming to the park. She was so friendly she'd come up to you wagging her tail and Irv would tell mom she wanted to be petted. And she did she loved that.

Irv and Lucky have one of those sad/happy stories. Irv is an elderly widower, very hard of hearing. We would see him at the park almost every time we were there walking around with his dog, an old man with his companion. One morning there was quite a bit of excitement. Mom and I were walking with Irv's daughter, Debbie, a nurse, and her Greyhound rescue, Country. All of a sudden Irv was down on the ground! They rushed to help him up, there was blood running down his face. Debbie was so upset because he was using one of those terrible retractable leashes and Lucky pulled him right down. Meanwhile, while Debbie and another friend Marilyn were helping Irv, mom grabbed Lucky who was loose. She wasn't going anywhere but mom wanted to be useful. They all helped Irv to his car and mom helped Lucky into the back seat. I tried to go along but wasn't allowed. Debbie got Country in the car to take Irv home.

It had to be the next day or so there was Irv walking his Lucky around the park, his forehead bandaged, without the retractable leash. He said he was fine. But soon he stopped coming and mom heard he was sick, in the hospital. One day mom and I ran into Debbie and Country so mom asked about Irv. We missed not seeing him walking Lucky everyday. We were told Irv is doing good, he had another surgery to fix a colonoscopy and a pacemaker put in. Mom asked if Lucky was getting her walks. We were told she is with her sister in McHenry County getting chased around by four kids. Mom commented that maybe she would lose a few pounds but Debbie didn’t think so as she is getting fed pretty well. Lucky for Lucky, and Irv. Few days later heard that Irv was anxious to get back on his walks with Lucky. Irv finally returned to the park with Lucky. He looked thinner and frail using a cane to walk with. Lucky looked very happy to be back but she did look a little heavier, unfortunately.

This was last summer. A few months ago, mom noticed that Lucky had lost a lot of weight. We thought this was great until we heard that she had diabetes. Debbie gave Lucky her shots.  One time someone told mom about how Lucky didn't seem to know where she was and that's when we learned she was losing her sight. Mom saw Debbie recently and she said that with the diabetes her sight just went really fast. She is only 7. But when we see Irv and Lucky she still comes up to you tail wagging wanting to be petted. She is still the happy dog with Irv walking her every day. One of those great man and his dog stories that you just love to witness.

Black & White Sunday: Afternoon Nap

Sunday afternoon naps are the best! Mom is trying to learn how to use dad's fancy camera so she can take better pictures for my blog. She wants it to be more "professional." How professional can a blog be written by a dog?

Wordless Wednesday: Are we there yet?

My First Visit to Santa Clause

Looking a little sheepish after being afraid of Santa Clause!

Sunday was a typical day for me. In the morning Mom took me for a walk to the park. It had been rainy for the last couple of days so it was still wet out but no rain. Lots of my friends were there, Marlena and Bea, so we started playing right away. I was wet and muddy in no time. As soon as we got home mom opened the back door and I tried my usual bolt up the stairs but no! Mom pulled me back and down the stairs to the basement. Bath! So I got a bath just when I was nice and dirty. I am always good when I get a bath even though I don't really like them. As soon as we get upstairs I do lots of zoomies and like to tug on the towel and make them chase me so I can't be dried. Then I mooch for several treats for my good behavior. It wasn't long before I was passed out in the chair with dad waiting for football to start. I think mom was getting ready to go somewhere but I was too tired to care. Just when I thought that I heard "Dolly, want to go for a ride in the car?" I jumped out of that chair so fast I was at the door in seconds. We went for a nice drive to a pet store I hadn't been to before. I should have become suspicious when I let mom put on my holiday scarf in the car. As I was doing some nose level shopping I looked up and there was a very scary man with a beard talking to mom. She handed him something and he was trying to get me to come over to him. He had treats! I grabbed the one on the floor but that was it. Mom tried to pull me towards him, not! I did my sit down move, which means I am not going anywhere, they were up to something and I wanted no part of it. Even more suspicious was another man standing there with a camera what the heck is going on? Well they got the message and left. We started to shop again but we were walking right towards him! Beard man was sitting down when mom tried to pick me up! Oh no! She tried to hand me to him. I fought back and was put down on the floor. Whew that was a close one. When we got home dad asked mom how it went. "You were right," was all she said.

Black & White Sunday #2

I love to have the sun on my face! It makes me very sleepy especially when I am riding in the car!

Wordless Wednesday: Caught going to bed early

Help me be the Face of Wright-Way Rescue!

My rescue shelter, Wright-Way Rescue is having a contest! They are looking for a special dog that they rescued to represent the shelter in all of their publicity. Please follow this link 2013 Face of Wright-Way Rescue Contest to see all of the dogs that are trying to win this coveted prize. Mom really wants me to win. This is very important to her but I am over 200 votes behind the leader even though I am in the top 3. Please LIKE my photo to help me be the face of a shelter that is doing amazing work rescuing dogs that otherwise do not have a chance. Thanks! Love, Dolly. xoxox

Dogs of Portage Park: Pagma

I am so excited I just got back from the park after seeing my first BFF Pagma! I hadn't seen her for at least a year. And just like I said in my blog post from Nov. 14 we remember each other right away and start running around and playing like it was yesterday! Mom was also glad to see Pagma wearing a current rabies tag so that subject never had to be mentioned. Pagma's mom Elizabeth talks to us in Polish I don't understand a word of it but it sounds nice. Pagma is also getting a new baby brother who is a Lhasa Apso too! But Pagma is so spoiled her mom is worried she might get jealous. Mom said that we'll go to the park earlier in the afternoons now and hope to run into her again. Yippee! Here are some great pictures mom got of us this time!

I stole Pagma's ball!

Pagma looks to her mom for help!

The standoff continues!

Black and White Sunday

This is my first Black and White Sunday blog post. Still not sure what it is but I learning!