Guest Blogger Casey Checking In

Hello, my name is Casey, P.h.d. I am a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and I have the pleasure of taking residence down the street from Gabi the Dog. Some describe me as a bundle of fun and joy. I take great pride in this fact; however, I also have a very serious side. I have a Sunday column in the Boston Globe and have won countless Pulitzer Prizes for my unique journalistic style. I tend to write about lifestyle choices of dogs and their consequences. Helping dogs is a passion of mine and I hope that through my writing I can inspire Pug Pups to flower into Great Danes.  One critic put it best: "Casey speaks for all dogs, not just himself."

For my first Blog I want to take the time to have a conversation about how chew toys can adversely affect quality of time spent with our Human Friends. See, for a long time the status quo has been to receive a new toy and then proceed to ignore the very creature who bestowed this fantastic gift upon us, our Human counterpart. These chew toys offer some quick relief from an otherwise stressful day. Sure its fun to growl at a piece of rope, or gnaw a bone to the marrow, or whip a squeak toy around our heads in a in a fit of madness; but, these feelings are only temporary and they serve to take our mind away from other, more important parts of our life such as family. I have some advice for all of you who feel that you can't have your bone and eat it too. Next time your Owner hands you a new chew toy, sit with him or her and enjoy it. Maybe, offer some of your bone to your Owner. Ask if he or she would like to play tug of war with the rope! There are endless ways to make alone time into family time.

Well, that's it for me today. I hope that I have helped you all with another one of life's quandaries. I'll be back next time!

Casey signing off!

My Dad wants to go to Weight Watchers! Does that mean less food for me?

My Dad always says he understands how I feel when it comes to eating because he absolutely loves to eat as much as I love to eat.  Unfortunately, this (over)eating has had undesirable consequences.  My Dad has gained weight, and now he wants to go to Weight Watchers.  Not only that, he will go ONLY IF my mom goes, too.  These are my questions/concerns:

1.  Does that mean he's not going to give me delicious leftovers from his plate?  Now he's probably going to lick the plate clean since he'll be so hungry.  LICKING THE PLATE IS MY JOB!

2.  Am I going to lose weight, too?  I did gain a few pounds, but I'm NOT going on a diet.  After all, I am still a sleek and shapely dog.

3.  I do not like carrots or asparagus as a treat.  Although I do like bananas and apples; they're much tastier.

Look at how happy he looks in the picture.  Not me, I'm horrified by the idea of him going on a diet.  I need to have as many crumbs/leftover food as possible.  This Weight Watchers news is not good news as far as I'm concerned.

Also, my mom is hoping that another person will come forward to accompany my Dad to Weight Watchers.  So, if you have any interest, please let me know as soon as possible.  It's bad enough that one of them will be on a diet; I don't want both of them to reduce the amount of food I get.

Like I always say:

Crumbs and little treats can be just as satisfying as big treats.  I'll take whatever I can get even if it is a little amount.  Now I have to teach my Dad to appreciate the small treats in life.  That way he can get off this diet as soon as possible, and we can return to our normal way of eating.  Remember, it's the little things that count, even when it comes to treats. 

You get what you get,
and you don't get upset. 
If you eat too much,
you go on a diet.

 A little treat is better than NO treat at all!

I love eating more than anything in the world!

Let's face it - eating is fun; eating is the best; I love to eat A LOT!!!!  That's why I always want my family to share their food with me.

This is the procedure that I use:

1.  I put my head on the chair next to where they're sitting so that they know I'm watching them eat.

2.  If that doesn't work, then I sit up tall and straight to show what a good dog I am.  By the way, I also have excellent posture so I always sit up tall and straight, like this:

3.  If that doesn't work, I need to resort to extreme measures.  I know I can count on my dad to give me some of his food - I kind of have him wrapped around my paw (but, don't tell him that I know this).  I sit next to his chair and look at him with sad eyes.  Yes, it works every time; I always get some sort of tidbit.  Right now I actually just gobbled up the crust of his chicken salad sandwich, and now I'm licking the crumbs off his plate. 

4.  I always show my appreciation by giving a generous person a nice BIG slobber.  This is also my special way of saying "thank you."

Like I always say:

Families should eat as many meals together as possible to share their news and to share their food.  Dogs are an important part of the family, and as such, should get to share in the meal.  I want to be an active and important part of the family, especially when they're eating.  Remember:  enjoy every bite of food.  A good appetite is a sign of good health.  Bon(e) appetit!  (that's French, for enjoy your food EVERY TIME YOU EAT).

My brother, Derek, graduated from Stonehill College today!

I am one proud dog today!  Here's Derek in his graduation cap, and he wanted to take a picture with me - his favorite dog.
Derek worked hard in college and majored in Political Science and International Studies.  Even though I don't really understand any of this, it's clear to me that this was one of his dreams.

Which brings me back to a very important point:

Like I always say, never give up on your dreams.  You need to work hard, but the hard work is all worth it in the end.  Even though dogs only go to Obedience School, that's hard work, too, because it's VERY IMPORTANT to learn to behave well and have good manners because then you'll succeed in getting along with other people and other dogs.  I know that I want EVERYONE to love me, as they should, because I'm doing my best to be well-behaved.  Most importantly, I want them to see the best in me because you never know if that person might reward my good behavior with a treat - which is the best reward of all.  Even though a college diploma is more impressive, a treat is much tastier!

My New Favorite Sleeping Place - At Long Last!

This dream took me FOUR long years to achieve, and it took a lot of work to get onto this bed.

Let me explain.  I moved in with my new family a little over four years ago.  The first night in my new home, I tried to hop into my mom and dad's bed.  This is what they said:  No.  No.  No.  Off the bed., etc.  Oh, well, at least they let me lay on the couches, and the matter was settled - the beds were off limits.  It was a sad realization, but I didn't want to push my luck.

A few weeks ago, my brother, Andrew, moved back home from college for the summer.  He used to sleep with his door closed.  Well, I could smell him in his room, and I wanted to be with someone after my mom and dad went off to work.  So, I whimpered at the door.  The whimpering got louder and more persisitent until he FINALLY opened the door - well, it's about time - it is light out after all.  Then he had the nerve to get back into his bed - absolutely, positively out of the question - it is light out, and it's time to get up - even if it is 7:00 in the morning - I have no patience for people who want to stay in bed all day.  So I whimpered some more.  Then, a miracle happened - he patted his bed - that meant I could FINALLY get into a bed.  What a great compromise for both of us - he gets to stay in bed AS LONG AS I get to join him in his bed.  AMAZING - MY PERSISTENCE PAID OFF AGAIN!

Like I always say - and you've heard me say this before - never give up on your dreams.  I wanted to get on a bed, and after 4 years of hard work, I made it into a bed.  Also, use your assets to your advantage - manipulation like whimpering and sad eyes, or whatever your strengths are.  If it helps you reach your goal, do whatever it takes.  If it works for me, it will work for you.  Try it tomorrow, and let me know if it works for you.  I love laying on the bed - AT LONG LAST, I MIGHT ADD!

Baths and Bows (the type you wear on your ears)

Every two months, I get sent to Janet the Groomer.  My mom's friend, Paula, comes along to keep us company and to help out.  I have come to enjoy my bimonthly pampering.  Two issues I do have are:

1.  I like smelling like a dog!  Today at the dog park, I rolled in dirt, grass and poop.  I smelled amazing!  On top of that, it was raining, and nothing beats that wet dog smell.  Now I smell clean - like dog shampoo.  They should invent dog shampoo that preserves my natural dog aroma.  It's going to take me all week to smell like a normal dog again.

2. I am not a girly girl dog who wears bows!  Look at those red bows - it's not a natural look for a tomboy like me.  And, to make it worse, everyone makes such a HUGE deal over how beautiful and cute I look.  Then they want to take my picture, etc.  Look at this picture - do I look amused?  I think the message is clear - my face says it all - please, leave me in peace to recover from this humiliation.

 For the good news of the day, it was my dad's birthday - he's 55 years old!  Let's see - that's about 8 dog years.  Any way, he gives me lots of treats, and I love that!  I love him, too, but I especially love him when he gives me treats.

Like I always say, you deserve a treat today and every day.  Reward yourself for working hard.  Be thankful you don't have to wear bows on your ears.  Make sure to get dirty every day. Dirt connects you to the Earth, and it smells good, too!

Let's Play "Where is Gabi?"

My mom asked my brother, Andrew, to take a new picture for her phone.  After all, I deserve a space of honor.  Wouldn't you rather have a picture of your dog than a picture of your kid(s) in your phone? 
Any way, here's the picture.  It looks like it's a picture of a tree with a dog sitting on the lawn when it SHOULD BE a picture of me - front and center - with the tree in the background.  This picture is an insult and needs to be retaken.

Like I always say:  Perspective is everything.  Focus on WHO'S important in your life.  Everything else can stay in the background, especially when it comes to your family.  Also, remember dogs are VERY IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY!

Bunnies are the bane of my existence.

OK - I love bunnies!  I want to chase bunnies all the time!  Right outside my back sliding door - there are bunnies.  They are sometimes 1 - 2 feet away from me.  All that is separating me from the bunnies is a glass door.  I bark.  I jump.  I stand against the door.  And, guess what?  The bunnies just keep on nibbling grass, and they ignore me.   I'm big and scary looking, and they could care less.  What's the problem here?  Either bunnies are not the brightest bulbs on the planet - since they don't bolt upon seeing my impressive stance or hearing my loud bark.   Or, could it be that  bunnies are among the more intelligent animals?  Maybe they know that I am behind the window and cannot get them.  Can they really be that smart?  I honestly doubt that.

Like I always say:  Never give up on your dream.  Try your best every time.  I'm going to get excited every single time I see a bunny - even if I can never catch them - it's still worth the effort - every day, every time they wander by my window.  And, if you don't believe me, ask my family.  They'll tell you how high I jump and how loudly I bark every single time.  Seeing a bunny is never boring.  Every time I see a bunny, it's like seeing a bunny for the first time.  Try it tomorrow - make believe you're experiencing something for the first time, and you'll see what I mean.  There is something exciting to celebrate every day - like bunnies!

Caviar for Canines

Yum, yum, yum!  You never know what delicacies you'll find while sniffing in the yard.  One of my favorite treats is canine caviar - you would know it as rabbit poop.  For a dog like me, this is a delicious treat.  I mean, there are so many bunnies in my yard at this time of year so I have a constant supply, and I could eat it all day. 

Let's face it, what's so appetizing about fish eggs or pate de foie gras (goose liver)?  I mean, I'll eat anything because I'm a dog; I'll even chow down real caviar and pate, but I could just as easily eat rabbit poop.  Plus, it's free, and I'm sure it's nutritious.

Saturday has been a superb day - I've been outside most of the day.  I do love the great outdoors.  And, just think, being outside is free, too.

Like I always say:  The best things in life are free.  Enjoy every day.  Think like a dog, you'll be much happier.

Hasta manana.