Scout & Max

25 Reasons your dog might be a Shiba Inu....

2009-06-05T14:22:00.001-04:00

25 Reasons you might own a shiba….

Your dog resembles a fox and has a tightly curled cinnamon bun tail…

Your dog has it backwards and thinks he/she is God and not a Dog…..

Your dog has the personality of a cat and acts aloof until you bring him offerings…

Your dog thinks he/she is smarter than you and is only tolerating you as a slave…

Your dog is like royalty, wants his subjects close enough to serve but not too close as to sully his royal highness.

Your dog would be a charming serial killer or dictator of a country if a person….

Your dog is also like a catholic priest that can guilt you into doing anything….

Your dog thinks you should be obedient to him/her and not the other way around…

Your dog can leap tall fences in a single bound and get doors open to go to hell faster…

Your dog doesn’t ever wag his tail because it is a display of emotion to please….

Your dog will not eliminate in a mile wide radius around your home to force walks since he thinks his waste is gold to be deposited carefully….

Your dog makes you feel like it is a privilege to live in your own home with him/her…

Your dog will manage to siphon your sitting spot until you fall off the chair or couch…

Your dog looks at you with a sly smile and a “screw you” look if ever loose, then bolts…

Your dog sheds entire coats for months as if it lives in a tropical climate….

Your dog has selective hearing for only treats/walks/grandma…..

Your dog makes you feel guilty for eating meals in front of him/her….

Your dog wears a crown of entitlement and expects worship, not affection….

Your dog can unearth and eat all the chocolate in a pile of presents in 10 minutes flat…

Your dog can destruct stuffed animals, shoes and gardening gloves just because…

Your dog can obey commands fine from every expensive trainer that makes housecalls…

Your dog acts as if he/she is devising strategies to defeat you while you are at work….

Your dog is a drama queen being murdered whenever he/she meets the dog groomer…

Your dog has a vocal range of an opera singer all the way up to a bloodcurdling scream…

Your dog has made you utterly and absolutely besotted with all things Shiba!

Shiba, the Drain Commissioner

2009-04-30T18:38:00.003-04:00

My dog thinks he's a drain commissioner....

He helps participate in soil erosion damage by digging furiously when sump pumps kick on during rainy periods.... Nothing excites Scout more than when his digging compels pumps to come on gushing a river of water for his reward. Scout must think in his head that he is turning them on and off through his psychic powers... He monitors and approves drainage in new developments, subdivisions and drainage ditches in times of heavy rainfall. Maybe someday I'll capture Scout on video doing his rounds if he hasn't caused me to lose my camera chasing him to the pots of gold.

It's highly possible he wants to join Sable, a nearby German Shepherd who is the only dog known to detect illicit and failing septic connections that flow from homes into rivers and streams. Sable wears a fluorescent green vest when he's working, identifying him as a "Sewage Sniffing K-9," as part of the company Tetra Tech's "Illicit Discharge Detection Unit."

Owners should be aware that drainage water often is a breeding ground for mosquitos and other bacteria so be sure and make your human keep you up to date on your heartworm & vaccinations.

Shiba on Letterman's Stupid Pet Tricks!!!

2009-03-12T15:04:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! Did you see Sparky on David Letterman's Stupid Pet Tricks (3/10/09)?? I was soooo proud of him and Letterman kept talking about him afterwards with all the guests... We shibas are just that notorious Now if only i could get Mom to use my prowess to get me on with Mario's Pet Star. More money for more food, yesssss!

And a Happy New Year too!!!

2008-12-25T21:27:00.010-05:00

What a day! Not only had Mom been home all week but at first I was skeptical.... More people had come to visit me as well. And they came bearing rawhides, bacon strips and big hunks of meat. Much festivities ensued while the food laid on the counters, in the ovens and in warming drawers for hours. I kept guard over the kitchen and its goodies. See me to the right?

Would I get to share in this feast the humans were partaking in??? Why were they so preoccupied with tearing boxes open for things to wear? That was not my problem as long as I had my exquisite fur on my back. Nor did I need mugs to drink out of nor utensils to ration food to my ever waiting mouth. No towels for me, the shake dry method works every time. Would you like to see what I stared at? It was honeybaked, spiral cut and pre-cooked. It had been ready for days and calling my name over and over. What were they waiting for? Do you blame me at all?

First we had to go for a long walk to start the day. Then mom and her brother had to go visit my 98 year old great grandma to give her socks! Socks I tell you... But she was very happy for the get-together and had no idea I was being a gentledog at home, not jumping on the counter, yodeling or otherwise obnoxious. Then once they got back, they gave each other silly boxes next to this tree that was decorated to honor some baby I never met born thousands of years ago. Not only was the ham on this counter, but there was 2 kinds of potatoes, green beans and apple salad. I had to also listen to Grandpa give Dad an article about Slentrol for dogs who need to lose weight. I was pretty sure they were referring to my little brother. He can't keep up with me on walks, not me, nope. They did give me and Max our gifts of treats to eat. But you sure know I was ready for the Big Kahuna of meals....

Once the gifts were opened, they proceeded to drink an egg drink with nutmeg. Were they out of their minds??? It had been about 4 or 5 hours by that point. I sitting in a puddle of drool being the most patient of saints. Years from now, dogs will refer to me as o holy one, Scout. Finally everyone sat down to a meal and then do you know what happened to me??? Dad put me in the hallway and shut the door. Why? I sat there and pondered and waited to see if the door would open on its own. Pushed it a few times. Finally, I wailed out and the door opened enough that I could run through and hide under the table. Max was napping at their feet, the idiot. Finally they dished some food into our bowls once they were done. And this is how bushed I looked after all that wait and the eternal reward? I hope it was a good day for all of you dogs and your parents too! Happy 2009!!!

From yours truly, Scout

Scout's Xmas Newsletter 2008

2008-12-25T21:19:00.004-05:00

Hi folks from Scout, the king-sized Shiba Inu,

Another year for me to tell you about the troubles my folks get into because they don't listen to me and seek my incredible wisdom. Mom and Dad went on only one trip this year in order to save money and spend more time with Max and me. And that was to a wonderful place called Bonaire which is a small island located next to Aruba and very close to South America. It is a flat island with cacti, below-ground caves, bluffs, mangroves and salt fields in the south. Bonaire is renowned for its dive spots with more shore diving than any other caribbean island. This is why Uncle Ken and Aunt Trish own a place on it. If y'all are interested in a little house on the bay on this beautiful remote island, let mom know coz she's got the connections.

For their troubles, Dad got urchin stingers in his foot and mom got cactus spines in hers. They hobbled around the island trying to enjoy themselves. They tried to learn to dive for real and this ended with mom sinking to the bottom repeatedly because her weights were too heavy and dad rising over and over to surface because his were too light. They saw many potcake dogs, donkeys, flamingos and iguanas but couldn't bring them home for me to scare and boss around due to customs law. The little house on the bay was near some "European style" beach that dad kept wanting to go to but mom put an end to that.

Regarding my living quarters, Dad got the foyer bathroom done and boy is it beautiful… Crown molding up near the ceiling (and not on my head – why is that?), pale yellow walls and score, another toilet with nice cold water to drink out of if I get lucky. Dad also got me some slightly-used leather couches for the big living room. Max, the lazy beast, perches on top of them basting in the sun coming through the windows. I pop up my head only when I hear cars coming down the driveway. And….we got a wonderful new furnace which heats the house much better which I value greatly when I get shaved twice a year. This is due to my "horrible" fur adorning every surface. I think they should be happy with the gift I am trying to grace them with- a shiba rug!

Health-wise for the humans, mom had one surgery that went well over the summer and I am glad to report she is feeling much better. Due to Michigan's poor economy, Dad had to take a job in Toronto during the week and only comes home on weekends. Because mom has a pretty good job and since the house is in the midst of remodeling/cannot be sold, relocation to Canada isn't possible. Hopefully, things will improve and dad will be back working in the Detroit area again. Grandpa tells mom that Detroit's economy has always been up and down like this and it will get better down the potholed roads. The shiba inu puppycam fad (featured in Time magazine, Good Morning America, and other media outlets) this fall made me a VERY popular dog and everybody wants to know more about me. So why wouldn't someone want to buy a celebrity dog's house? Well, that's okay - it gives me more time to enjoy the deer, coyotes, foxes and rabbits that roam our yard. Better than Animal Planet channel any day! However, I am still mad at that pool that sits in the yard. I plunged it in its malevolent jaws twice this summer ruining my magnificent coat and swallowing the horrid water.

Max wasn't so fortunate with his health this year. My buddy's getting to be an old man at almost 9 years old. He likes to chew on rawhides and steak bones for hours. He broke a tooth in half to clear below the jaw line. No one noticed until the chews and toys started getting a funny red color to them. No sooner than that was operated on, his bursitis started bothering him. It's one front leg and they now believe he keeps re-injuring an old shoulder injury every time he jumps off of high furniture to chase me around the house. He still doesn't get the fact that I'm the boss and I let him go on being delusional. With dad gone, he has also taken to trying to being alpha. A little tibbie spaniel alpha over a shiba, hahahaha…. Mom's trying; she withholds treats and toys and says the word "No" over and over. Trust me, I have been tuning that ridiculous word out for years myself.

Well, I'll leave you with a few photos of your royal highness, his sidekick and the humans below and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!! Things can only go uphill from here and we are wishing good fortune to all our friends in Michigan as well as those that have left or live elsewhere!

Much Love, Mom, Dad & us canines…..

15 Minutes of Heaven on the Intarwebs...

2008-11-24T08:46:00.007-05:00

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/shiba-inu-puppy-cam

This popular shiba inu puppy cam has been the fad that swept across America during this Presidential election year... While these puppies are understandly as cute and witty as myself, a word of caution to all those who want one. Shiba Inus are not for everyone. They are very smart, intelligent, have a high prey drive (translate: run away at every opportunity), can be skittish, stubborn and are NOT lapdogs.

The shiba, just like our very own Scout has very selective hearing, especially when it comes to coming when called. Shiba puppies are the cutest little buggers you’ll ever see, but they can be a handful to raise and train. They learn how to push all your buttons, and then look at you with that cute innocent little face.

There is a very real worry among shiba owners (rightfully so) that many families will rush out to get one totally unprepared and weeks later the poor shiba will end up in shelters or as roadkill after another escape. We would like to have educated and informed buyers who eschew puppy mills in favor of responsible breeders or shiba rescues. You can find one by going to this website: http://www.shibaweb.com/

Now for more about those popular little rascals!

Fast Facts
The litter consists of three males, three females1
Names are Autumn, Ayumi, Amaya, Aki, Akoni, Ando1
Born: October 7, 20081
Live somewhere in California1
AKC recognized the Shiba Inu breed in 19922
Official size varies between 13.5-16.5 inches at the shoulder2
Weight: 17-23 pounds2
Requires obedience training and regular brushing2
There are about 40 Shiba Inu breeders in the United States registered with the National Shiba Club of America3

drama queen shibas....

2008-07-29T18:46:00.000-04:00

I just have to get something off my chest. Why do i now have to pour water into a glass and tilt it for Scout to drink when Max can drink out of a dog bowl like a normal dog? yes, i added ice cubes to the bowl and it didn't do the trick. Got to be in a glass. I blame McDonald's water pit stops.

He has to sleep under the covers every couple of hours (crawls out when he gets hot). He has to circle in 10 different spots and change his mind when someone comes along or he hears something or.... it is so easy to interrupt him when he's got to go and it's got to be the perfect setting/mood.

Yesterday, he got stung by a bee (he's not allergic) and held his paw up whining and limping for a couple of hours and licking it. It didn't swell up. His breathing and tongue were normal, etc. This morning he was fine and forgot all about it...

Tell me do i have a drag queen shiba (those who know he's large will get the reference, ha) or is he just normal??

any other idiosyncracies out there?

I love to "swim"

2008-07-12T20:20:00.004-04:00

I am an air swimmer who loves to run around pool and bite at the waves emanating from it.... Don't believe me, look to the right here:

and below here:

Why there's even a video of me that can be seen too -

I can haz cheeseburger

2008-06-29T12:34:00.006-04:00

For those that don't know, my mom is deaf. I have such big ears and along with Scout, I keep my ears/eyes open for her as a watchdog.
Mom made these pictures on the website called icanhascheeseburger.com
They have funny stuff to see every day. Check it out!

And here's Scout to the right:

How to train your human.....

2008-02-15T11:41:00.007-05:00

Everybody has seen the T-shirt for SHIBA INU - Professional Human Trainer, right?
You can get them on Ebay or Amazon...

The rules go like (parentheses are mine):

Fetch me a treat (no, not that one... not that one either....)
Rub my belly (ahhhhh, okay that's enough - now get away from me)
Pick up my poop (after i've deemed the spot worthy enough for it)
Wipe my feet (owwww, the snow/ice too's cold, hurry!)
Speak baby talk (while I look at you like you are a moron)
Throw the ball (and come get it from me)
Don't hog the bed (I must have 3/4 of it minimum)
Give me a kiss (on my ass preferably)
Buy me a toy (and it must make the loudest possible noise)
Fetch me a treat (again... and make it human food please)

Any you might like to add?

While we're at it, the Misanthropic Shiba website has some good rules that need to told to yours.

Things every Shiba should be informed of:

1. Nothing in life is free.

2. Children are living hot dog dispensers provided that you sit quietly.

3. Vets are actually kind people who dispense cheese (most veterinarians encourage you to bring your dog around for random treats so that they associate the vet's office with cheddar rather than shots).

4. Your food/toys/leash/collar/brushes are not your property and you will not treat them as such.

5. Your nails will be clipped. Your ears will be cleaned. Your fur and teeth will be brushed. You will sit/stand/lie quietly and not bite the brush or the hand that wields it. This is not negotiable. You may pout.

6. At no time will you ever growl/snarl/snap/bite at your owner or any person who is put in charge of you.

7. Lunging and trying to kill other animals upon sighting them is not in your best interests.

Why shibas should be considered wonderful.....

2008-02-13T13:35:00.004-05:00

See that face right next to this entry?? Yes, it's my stinky sibling who pooped 4 times since yesterday's walk and 2 of those times were in the house. Sigh... Will suffering never cease? I don't know if he's got the flu or what? This is why I told my mom that I should be an only DOG in this household. Why I hold my bodily wastes until mom has taken me for a bone-chillingly long enough walk (so that she doesn't trick me and turn for home as soon as I find the perfect resting spot for my excrement).

In other news: what breed would you expect this dog to be in the following link?

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080212p2a00m0na014000c.html

and just for reaffirmation of my prowess, here I am yodeling my heart out!

How to be treated like Japanese royalty...or not!

2008-02-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

I'm so jealous of Yoshi and Tsuki! Look what they got! Bento boxes... I'm a japanese dog too yet I get no bento boxes. Pout... Go to their blog at http://www.illovich.com/yoshi/ and read how to do it for your lucky dog! Now excuse me while I go find a new home to lay my weary head down....

2008 is here for dogs everywhere!!

2008-01-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's everyone from Scout & Max!! This is Scout and I want to show you what Max does to every bed in this house when he's happy to be around everyone on Christmas vacation. You will observe what a perfect gentleman I am, eh?

Good Holiday Gift for shiba lovers!!

2007-12-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

Seasons' Greeting! Are you being sure to stock up on lots of rawhide, snausage stuffers, begging strips, canned dog food and yummy people food for your special companion??? I sure hope so cuz otherwise i'll come and howl at your door. I can run fast and far enough to find my shiba buddies' homes. Remember Kaos? She's now living at the Jersey Seashore and is a very, very happy spoiled doggy :>

Her mom made these and you absolutely must buy one of the these or I'll do my patented shiba scream right into your ear:
The link to do so is here:

My Xmas Newsletter 2007

2007-12-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

Arrrrooooo, it’s me, Scout – the better half of the Thorniley Dogs (never mind Max)! 2007 has been an exciting year for us! Mom and Dad have been so busy that I’m quite sure they have not fulfilled their quota of long walks, table scraps, keeping Max, away from me and most of all what every mighty shiba wants: attention!

Dad has been doing his standard construction around the house. This keeps me on edge from marauding drywall dust and screeching noises from the garage. They finished the most important room in the house for me and that was food central, a kitchen with a large island and some skylights for my tanning pleasure. My friends and I enjoy gathering in the kitchen and this includes my newest canine friend, Zoha. She belongs to our neighbors, Tom and Kasia, from Poland and she only understands polish. I don’t usually like other dogs but Max and Zoha are okay unlike those monsters in my neighborhood, the two St. Bernard’s, nothing saintly about them! They dared to attack me and Zoha, frightening her for a while but I was okay.

What’s that? Did mom and dad abandon us to go gallivant around the world? Why yes, of course… They went snowmobiling in our ‘great’ state of Michigan and for the first time, the trails were covered with snow, not mud! They had to go a long way to find snow, somewhere past a bridge called Mighty Mac in a place called Muninsing. And what did they get for the long journey? While snowmobiling they ran out of gas, not once but twice. The first time, dad had to siphon gas out of his friend’s machine using his mouth. And poor mom, she almost made it to a gas station. At least she didn’t crash into any icy lakes or snow drifts like past years! I keep them telling them Max & I are good luck charms and they need to take us along. Somehow, I don’t think the Holiday Inn agrees.

Next they went south to Mexico with those crazy friends of dad’s. They rode chicken buses with the locals late at night from Playa del Carmen and took a moped around Cozumel Island. While in Cozumel, Dad fulfilled his lifelong dream of snorkeling with the Miss Universe contestants there for a pageant. Mom beat him by getting to talk to them in the buff in the changing room. They 4-wheeled through sandy jungles and mom zip-lined backwards over a lake with alligators chomping at the air below her (the poor men who had to catch her when she crashed at the other side). Dad rappelled down a cliff while mom cried in fear until she was finally thrown off, on a rope of course. And did they bring us any Taco Bell Chihuahuas to eat, you ask? Nope….

Then they took an October trip to London & Paris with Grandpa including a chunnel train ride. They saw some ancient roman ruins in a town called Bath. Bath, boy am I ever glad I didn’t make that trip… In Paris, they went to some little man - Napoleon’s resting place, a WWII museum, the train station with impressionist paintings, the Versailles palace and the Eiffel tower that’s everywhere in our house on walls. I’m not sure why they want such an eye-full. Grandpa was happy to see Paris for the first time but he was awfully tired afterwards. Max & I were just happy to have them home again but did enjoy walks 3x a day with our favorite cousin, Lynn.

Dad finished the dining & laundry rooms this fall complete with a gas fireplace and old-time hanging oil lamp. We hosted a nice thanksgiving dinner in a room big enough to allow me and Max to hang out under the table and still be able to dive for falling turkey parts. We enjoyed our dog walks too by running after rabbits. Max got hit by skunk spray a few times when he went to scrap with them. We learned what coyotes, Canadian geese, deer and groundhogs are and why we are kept locked inside from them. I fell in the pool a few times too many and refuse to sun on the pool deck anymore. Time to go make Mom walk me now! Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours! Ho, ho, ho arrrrroooo…. Yours Truly, Scout.

Happy Halloween everyone!

2007-10-15T15:16:00.001-04:00

Thank God mom doesn't make us dress up!

Kaos in her new life

2007-10-10T15:04:00.000-04:00

We wanted to post some pictures of Kaos with her new mom and dad, Rick and Colleen.... Erin couldn't keep Kaos for various reasons so she went to live at the New Jersey seashore with this wonderful couple. This girl has really been on one journey and hopefully this is her last, happiest home!

Kaos goes home!!

2007-08-19T15:10:00.001-04:00

We have great news!!! Our buddy Kaos that we wrote about earlier has a new home in New Jersey with Erin... Yahoo! Kaos had been at the boarding kennel in Pennsylvania since early May 2007 and was getting worried that no one wanted her. We are so happy that Erin saw her online and applied to be her new mom.

What a cross-country adventure it's been for this traveling girl. She's been in NYC, Miami, Orlando, Pennsylvania and now New Jersey all in less than a year! Special thanks and kisses to all those who helped along the way, you know who you are. Here's some more pictures of her of her settling in.

Max goes shopping!

2007-06-27T17:18:00.001-04:00

Hi, it's me Max. I wanted you all to know I'm good at finding my mom anywhere... Daddy hurt his fingers so he asked Mom to drive him to Lowe's tonight. We went along for the ride. Mom got tired of waiting for him to come out so she left me and Scout in the car and I guess she thought she rolled all the windows up (leaving them open a little to let air in of course). Nope, I jumped out that open window and ran to the Exit doors where she had entered. I waited for someone to come out so they would open back up and then I ran on past the cashiers and through the whole store looking for my Mom. I had a few people trying to chase me but I found Mom in the garden section and was I ever happy to see her! She was surprised...but why should she be? I did the same thing at Farmer Jack's grocery store. I found her in the produce section and the window had been left half open. Where there's a will, there's a way! Nope, Scout never tried - I think he's too chunky!

Kaos needs a home!

2007-06-07T14:14:00.000-04:00

We want to write about a wonderful friend of ours named Kaos! Kaos is a 1 and 1/2 year old mutt that used to live with her homeless owner, Benedict, on the streets of NYC. When Benedict decided to move to Miami, our friend Jenna paid for all Kaos' shots and health certificate so she could fly down with him. Sadly, Kaos was left behind at a shelter in Miami and we don't know what happened to Benedict. Nobody has been able to find him.

So Jenna found Kaos a foster home in Florida and prevented her from being put to sleep. Then she thought we found a forever home for her with Ami in Pennsylvania. We found out Kaos does get along great with other dogs as you can see by this picture to the right. Dakota and Kaos became fast buddies after one little snarlfest when they met. Unfortunately, Kaos chases cats because she wants to play with them and a child in the home was afraid of her. So once again, she has to find a new home. Kaos is safe in a boarding shelter right now that is costing $13.50 a day.
If you want to help donate money towards her boarding, go to this paypal link:

You can read all about Kaos' adventures up to this point at this link: http://nycgadgetgirl.com/jg/dogs/tales_of_kaos/
Let's find Kaos a new forever home!!! Isn't the girl worth it?? Look at the smile on her face!

How to incriminate your brother...

2007-06-04T11:43:00.000-04:00

Hey all, this is Max yapping at you for the first time! I got tired of Scout hogging all the limelight. I'm no rat dog by the way, I'm descended from tibetan royalty and i was the watchdog guarding the monasterys. The tibetan mastiffs were the attack dogs.

7 things you might be surprised to know about Scout:

1.) Scout jumped out of the car at taco bell and tried to run for the border when the nice cashier came on to ask if she could help....

2.) Scout loves sump pumps and tries to dig his way furiously to china when they kick on and gush water from the ground...

3.) Scout chewed mom's glove until it was giving her the finger and left it in front of the door for her to find after a long day at work...

4.) Scout chewed the other glove into the I love you sign a week later to show her forgiveness after she had been home for a 3 day weekend....

5.) Scout is a registered service dog and flew in an airplane cabin with mom all the way to california but he is lousy at alerting mom who's deaf to intruders. He thinks everyone is his friend....

6.) Scout lets me bite him all over and steal bones/toys/balls from him even though I am 1/4 his size.....

7.) Scout, as a typical shiba, used to run away all the time until he figured out he could be happy and get fat staying at home. Now he never ventures unleashed from the yard....

How to let us know where you are from!!

2007-06-03T00:03:00.000-04:00

How to have fun with friends....

2007-06-01T21:46:00.001-04:00

Last year, we had friends come stay with us... another shiba inu and a mutt! I thought of them because Yogi, the shiba inu, looked a little like the coyote pic, agree some? Could just be my fear talking..he was an intimidating dude at first.

Yogi didn't like our dad very much, he hid in his mom, Anne's guest room and snapped at dad if he tried to be friends. His mom and our mom went to a Tellington touch seminar to learn how to give us the awesome massages we deserve so much. Sadly, Yogi's sister passed away last year multiple multicentric malignant lymphoma- simply cancer of the
lymph nodes. Yogi's mom did everything to try to save her. JC was a cool buddy and played with us. She was a fun and loving girlfriend to have. We don't know where we'll find another one for a while... Here's JC's picture and we hope Yogi is doing okay now, not getting stuck anymore under the shed...

Post note: his mom said there are also different treatments for cancer- JC went throught the Wisconsin Protocol (that was developed by the University of Wisconsin/Madison). What it does is rotate 4 chemo drugs over a 22 week period. It usually lasts 6 months. IF the dog is in remission
at that time- then chemo stops. Each successive remission is only half the length of the original one. That being said- cancer moms and dads need to know that for all the medical expertise out there- vets still don't know everything- the stats they give are just stats. There are dogs who are still around 1 yr, 2 yr and more after the diagnosis.

A good place to start is www.caninecancerawareness.org. Cafepress ( www.cafepress.com ) sells calendars. One of them is a canine cancer one. JC appears in it- November and December. There is also a yahoo group called caninecancer which gives lots of good information and hope. Massage your dog and pet them everyday. This is how Yogi's mom found JC's cancer through massaging and finding the enlarged lymph nodes. Let's save other dogs out there~

Christmas letter 2006

2006-12-18T20:40:00.000-05:00

The Howlidays are here??? Arrrrooooooo…….. What have Max and I been through this year? Tons as I will now orate.

We got to go on a family vacation which was snowmobiling in February for a week in Canada. The snow is so much deeper like 5 feet and the temperatures hover anywhere from 10 to 30 below 0 fahrenheit. We love to play in snow because we never get any back home in Michigan. No, we weren’t allowed on the snowmachines. Pout…

February was also the month Mom and Dad offered up our home to anyone who wanted to buy it. They promised us a bigger place with a large yard for us to run around in. So for 4 weeks, poor Max and I got intruders being nosy in our house. They would pet us and ask if we came with the house. Growl….. Of six viewings, mom and dad were happy that three put offers down and the house sold at asking price. We were so sad to say goodbye to our picture window with a view of a busy street. Now, we just howl and bark in the middle of the night to go out and chase deers, rabbits, groundhogs and skunks. Max loves the skunks most and I can’t count how many times he’s been sprayed. Even after three skunk baths in a row, he still smells and it lingers for months. So the corollary here must be, if it smells like a skunk, it’s a skunk. Hey Stinky, I’m telling them what you are.

Our old house was nice and quiet. Mom and Dad had finished remodeling it and everything had a place. Well, not this new one. We don’t even have a kitchen now. Dad gave away the cupboards and stove on ebay. He’s going to be jackhammering the concrete floor next to move pipes. Me and Max are going to be deaf soon like Mom. Hell, I already have selective hearing when I don’t want to come inside. The people in this hood don’t have chain link fences like the old one. Instead you get a collar put on you with a black box that scares would-be fleas off of me if I go too close to the road. I have seen a black lab, newfoundland, husky and 2 saint bernards all wearing the same collar. On my walk, all they can do is howl at me from their yards that they want to play. And you know what, it’s discrimination against dogs! I never see the any of the cats wearing these shock boxes and they come and go as they please. Wimpy Max stays in the house rather than wear one. These things send him sailing three feet in the air when he hits the line.

The parental units did abandon us for 10 days in June. They said something about seeing Rio, some large waterfalls called Iguazu and the Amazon River. Heck, if they stayed home I could have peed them a nice waterfall onto the Holly out front. I even do it on Max’s head when he gets in the way. While they were away, they managed to also see the border towns in Argentina and Paraguay. Apparently there are no leash laws in those countries and people take their dogs walking everywhere. Will you help me start a fund and call it Scout, expat shiba of Brasil. I don’t think baby Max will agree to leave Mom’s side which is fine by me.

In October, Mom and Dad predictably did what they’re good at. They went away and left us for 5 days. They went across the big pond to see Dad’s side of the family in London. Grandpa went with them so he could spend time with his brother. I hear they saw Tower of London, Big Ben, Stonehenge, a castle and Harrod’s the department store among other things. They even had good home cooking every day with the extended family including indian cuisine and raclette I googled this (while Mom was at work) to know what table scraps we were robbed of. While they were abroad, we had our new dog walker, Aunty Doris, walking us in the middle of the day as well as cousin Lynn at night. She even feeds us yummy holistic food which is both wet and dry supplemented with lots of treats. So far, we haven’t gained weight, run away in protest nor gotten nice and sick on all the carpet in our new abode.

For Christmas, all we want from you is lots of visits at our new pad. I know I deserve to be petted, treated and walked more. (No, I haven’t tripped anyone this year) So y’all take a note of our new address and we’ll be pawing you real soon.

How to get a new home....

2006-06-01T17:52:00.000-04:00

One day, we were happy with Mr. Sunshine in our old home... We slept all day, then ran the yard all night. Then next thing you know, Mom and dad were packing up all our stuff into boxes and driving us between 2 houses.... Sure I thought it was strange that I had no couch or chair to sit on when they worked at the old house. But i thought they were buying a papasan fit for kings like me. Nooooo, they had other things in mind. They were scheming to buy me all this:

Yes, you got it right folks... we are no longer city boys!!! We now have 1 and 1/2 acres in the country. Before we sat in front of our window watching cars go by all day, people & dogs walking to bark at. Now I have a house set so far back from the road. Now we lay at the back bedroom doorwall and howl with coyotes. They look like this:

Sigh... and Max loves all the possums and rabbits that go by. In fact, he keeps me and Mom and Dad up. Yeah, I know Mom's deaf but we jump on the bed when we get excited at something outside. Once, they had doorwall open and Max pushed down the whole screen door in the night to go out and be the mighty hunter he always was. He came back smelling of eau-de-skunk for weeks. It was so funny to watch him destinking in a tomato soup bath!

And that's not all, they got me a pool! I hate water like all shibas but I love to run around the pool barking at splashing water and kids. Boy was Dad surprised the first time I ran up the ladder to run around the sides of this. He had the last laugh though... they got a solar cover they call it. It warms the water from Mr. Sunshine. I thought it was the floor and walked right out on it only to fall into, yep... nasty water. Want to see what my pool looks like? Here it is:

And.... I haven't even gotten to the best part yet!! We have a dogwalker!!! Her name is Aunty Doris and she walks us every day in our big old neighborhood. We used to go around 2 blocks in our hood but now we got a couple of miles easy. We need little backpacks to carry our water b/c we are left drinking out of puddles when we get hot. You can see our Aunty at www.auntydoris.com

Well, I got to run... Dad's jumping in the pool... He says it's 80 degrees and I want a chance to bark at the little drops of water jumping out at me!! See you around pals....