In Memory of Those Who Left Us in 2008

A lot of our dear toys did not make it to the end of the year with us. Mum says there are so many that she is not taking a picture of each of them and now they have to get recycled. So we decided to show the first to be de-stuffed and de-stroyed of the year and the last.

Mr. Squirrel was a good friend with limited stuffing. He fought the good fight but his size worked against him because he fit so nicely in the mouth. I tore him apart and Cooper licked his fur off (what's with that?). We kept him in the toy box long after he left us as reminder of the little forest animals that are just waiting to be de-stuffed.
Mr. Santa Ball was our last friend to move onto Stuffie Heaven. While he was with us for just a short time, he provided much entertainment and amusement. I thought I did a particularly artistic job of tearing off his smiling mouth so now he has the silent scream forever on his lips...or whatever is left of them.

This ends our short but colorful look at 2008. Mum says we have to list some of the good things of 2008 and our resolutions for 2009.

Dozer Edwards:

I am thankful for my family and all my chewies. I could do with a few less siblings but all things considered, they are not too terribly bad. Annoying but not bad. I am thankful for my parents having my leg fixed even if they used all the Christmas money to do it.

I am thankful for all my bloggy friends I have met on-line. I am not going to name them because I might leave someone out and then I would feel bad. So Howie PeePants in Texas don't frown 'cause I didn't point you out.

In 2009 I will be nicer to Cooper and not pretend I am yawning and sneak a growl in. I will be nicer to Dottie and not ignore her. I will try and share more. I will continue to blog with abandon!

Cooper Edwards:

As always I am so thankful for my family that rescued me and loves me. In particular, I love Mum because she gives me back rubs on the bed.

I am thankful for my brother and sister. Even though Dozer is very self-centered and rude at times, he does make me laugh. I am thankful for Dottie because she defines grace and silent love. I am thankful for two meals a day, all my vet appointments and toys.

In 2009 I will take more walks and lose the muffin top I have developed around my middle. I will try to be patient with Dozer. I will try and stay away from the burr bush so my fur stays un-matted.

Dottie Edwards:

I am thankful I was adopted by my new parents. I am thankful that Mum takes me back to visit my old owner, Betty. These "open" adoptions are good for the soul. I am thankful for food, shelter and unconditional love, even when I eat poop.

In 2009 I will take more walks and try to go a little bit further each time. I will try and eat less poop and not bark at 5:20am when I want to come inside after breakfast. I will try and put up with Dozer.
I will continue to be Cooper's friend.

We wish one and all a Happy New Year. We have all so enjoyed meeting our new friends and reading your adventures. You are not strangers, just friends we have not met in person. May you have good health and good things in the coming months.

Nancy
(Dozer's Mum)

Equal Time for the Lady - Dozer

It has come to my attention that while I have been taking naps that a certain older brother has been writing in our blog. Now the only reason his name is on this blog is because our Mother says it has to be. Left to me, Cooper would be writing his prose in the snow. But Mother says we have to share. That said, I would like to make it clear that I DO NOT have enlarged pores or giga-normous hairs emanating from said pores.

Mum says we have been ignoring Dottie and that we have to spend some time on her. So Mum took this video of Dottie on Christmas morning finishing a roaching session in the family room with most of our toys strewn around the room. What the video doesn't show is how bossy Dottie is to everyone. She is only ten years older than me and she just acts like she knows everything because she was a "show dog". She has all these fancy pictures of when she stood around with a bunch of ribbons. Dottie says it is because she has a tail and Cooper and I don't. Is that true? Mum says it could be and then she goes off laughing into the kitchen.

The picture below is Dottie at one of the shows with her "handler" - I am not sure what that is but I don't think I want one holding onto me. Dottie was a lot younger in this photo and now she has grey around her muzzle. But Mum says the grey is very pretty on her. (Women always back each other up.)

Okay, that's enough time on Dottie. Let's get back to something really interesting...ME! Except that it is late and Mum says it is time to climb into bed. Goodnight bloggy friends, see you later.

Facial Issues - Notes from Cooper

Is it me or does Dozer need to see a doctor? It looks like he has enlarged, black pores. I mean look at those spots! You could fall in and get lost in there (BOL!). And each of those craters has this giga-normous hair growing out of it.And he wonders why he isn't getting any dates? No mystery to this Cocker Spaniel! BOL! What? What's that Mummy? Those are whisker holes and the big ol' hairs are his whiskers? Well, maybe we can dye them or something. Or play connect-the-dots (BOL!)

Mum says no more joking about Dozer when he is sound asleep and can't defend himself. So all I can do is say good-night.

It is any one's guess what sort of Corgi dreams are running around in there...

Sleepy Sunday - Notes from Cooper

In preparation for our Sunday sleep-a-thon, we all decided to get a jump on it and have some test naps today, Saturday. As you can see, Dottie has taken the traditional "fall where you are and just go to sleep" pose. Once again Dozer shows that hanging his head snout down works just fine. Personally it gives me a crick in my neck but that's just me.
This is just embarrassing. Dozer has no sense of propriety and small children should probably have their eyes shielded from images like this. He says he sleeps like this to discharge heat build-up. We may never really know why he does it.

I prefer a lie down in front of the fake fireplace in Mum's craft room. It has a nice steady flow of heat and I can reach maximum heat absorption with little or no effort. Now if I could just reach the dials on the back of the fake fire I could turn it on and off at will.

The Santa Dance with Dozer

I tried to give this video as much holiday
flare as possible, but ultimately
it is Dozer's moment with his
Santa toy and its untimely demise.

Not for the Faint of Heart - Cooper

Mum brought home the cutest round Santa toy from Animal Crackers Pet Shop last night and I did NOT take it behind the chair. No, being the loving Cocker Spaniel that I am, I let Dozer have the new Santa toy.

But apparently Dozer has some anger issues that he needs to deal with (among other things) and he took the new toy into Mum's craft room and had his way with it. Now none of us can play with it because he took the neat noise maker out of Santa's belly, along with all of Santa's stuffing.

This is Dozer checking out the toy prior to disembowelment.
This is Santa as he lost his stuffing.
This is after Dozer got the noisemaker out of Santa's belly.
Although Santa is smiling, inside he is crying because his stuffing is being torn out out of him, fluff by fluff.

This is the beginning of the end..

I am sorry to say that Santa did not make it. Mum tried to save him but it was too late. Dozer spread the stuffing over a vast area and Santa's form was too badly torn to be repaired. Mum did remove the neat noisemaker so Dozer couldn't eat it (it was totally indigestible plastic with moving parts).

Mum says we are not to say anything about Santa being torn to pieces because it will upset small children. For that reason I think we should duct tape Dozer's snout shut so he doesn't start running around the neighborhood telling folks he pulled Santa to pieces. (He has this need for attention). So please keep this to yourself. I am compiling a small journal of pictures and notes detailing Dozer's descent into maniacal behavior for when the police come to arrest him. I don't want him to get out on bail.

Mum says this holiday is crumbling before her eyes, whatever that means.

Someone Call 911 - from Dozer

Cooper took all MY TOYS behind Mum's chair and he won't let me play with any of them. Not just one or two but all the good toys and bones too! This isn't fair and he won't let me come behind the chair and get any of them. And Mum is a total goose about defending my rights. I told Cooper I was going to call Santa Paws and tell him what a bad dog Cooper is and not to bring him any presents or to bring them and stuff them in my stocking. And Cooper won't listen to me, he just keeps chewing all the good bones. I keep circling the chair but I can't get back in there. No one here cares about me or my feelings. I want to pack my bags and leave but I don't have a suitcase and I have too many toys to carry (the other toys Cooper doesn't have slobber on).

So I got Mum's camera and took a really funny picture of Cooper when he fell asleep. He has his tongue hanging out and there is a big booger under his eye. And his eye is sort of open. Mum says Cooper is cute when he is asleep - I think he looks like a shag rug with a pink tongue. When he wakes up I am going to tell him he will never get a girlfriend if he sleeps with his tongue out. He's never mentioned wanting a girlfriend but if he did want one, he wouldn't get one 'cause I will show her this picture and she'll laugh at him. I really want my toys back! Cooper is supposed to be quiet and meek and now he has turned into a stealthy thief! Mum says to calm down and that it's not all about me. Well, if it's not about me then it can't be very interesting.

I am going to go to bed and make Mum snuggle with me and tell me how wonderful I am. I may limp to the bedroom to make Mum feel sorry for me. I liked it better when I was an only child.

A Frappin' Good Time - Dozer's Mum

Having been on cage rest "forever" (according to Dozer), there are times that Dozer has to burn off some energy. Since playing "fetch" is not in the cards and "tug of war" is frowned on, we usually play "disembowel Mr. Lambchop". Last night Dozer decided it was time to do the twirly dance with his rubber ball from Animal Crackers Pet Shop. Cooper and Dottie usually watch with total disbelief and some sense of wonder. If Dozer really gets moving he can make himself so dizzy he will fall down. This video is but a small snippet of his twirling dervish dance of death. I am happy to report that his ball suffered no real damage and Dozer slept like a log.

No animals were hurt in the production of this video.
One red rubber ball did suffer some dizziness and general wooziness.

Sleepy Sunday - Notes from Cooper

Tell me this not pathetic. Dozer on Dad's lap doing a header. And he makes fun of my neck positions? How can you sleep with all the blood rushing to your snout like that? Let's all be honest here, this is not good form on so many levels - it embarrassing for all canines to have an exhibition of this sort.

Me on the other hand - beautiful form with a nice twist between the upper and lower extremities (keeps the eye moving doesn't it?) Once again, Cocker Spaniels rock Sleepy Sundays!

Snowy Friday! - Dozer

It rained yesterday and then snowed all night so we have about 2 inches of snow on top of ice. Mum was sliding all over the deck this morning. (Can you imagine how embarrassing it would have been if she had fallen and we had to call 911? "Hello 911? Yes, can you send someone to come get our Mother who fell on our deck and is wearing flannel, plaid pajama bottoms and a red turtleneck. She has rubber clogs on and her hair defies description. We'll be out hiding in the yard so no one will know we are related to her." She should get a ticket from the Fashion Police!)

 

Mum caught me in mid-roll on Da's lap last night. 

These are very difficult to do and still keep an eye on the television.

Coop is camped out in front of the gas fireplace for the day.

It's My Bark-Day - from Dozer

Today I am 4 years old (makes Mum a little misty-eyed). This is the very first picture Mum took of me. It was the night I came to live with her when I was just a wee 10 months old. Then I was a very happy only child. Cooper followed about 8 months later and then Dottie...well she arrived in January 2008. Mum's not sure where the time has gone but it has flown. Last night I got a bison bone, and this morning I got a cookie from the vet, my dental chewie, my Rimadyl and a vitamin chew. Birthdays rock!

And Chris from www.lickedtoys.com put my newest video up on his website (Mr. Lambchop doing the twirly dance). What a day!

Man Cave Violated! - from Dozer

Dottie has taken over our "man cave" and is using it as her second bedroom (the house is her first bedroom). This is disasterous and such an infringement on our manliness! Arroooo! Someone send help! How do we get this cow out of our cave? What if she wallpapers? Her cooties are everywhere now! Yeeecccchh!

Another Day, Same Old Ice - from Dozer

Brrr! We have freezing temperatures and ice here. Mum is going to try and go to work but she is waiting a bit until it gets light out. Dottie is being such a naughty girl - she goes outside to leave pee-mail and just walks a little bit out onto the deck and makes yellow snow ! She is supposed to get off the deck! BOL! Mum just laughs but I think it is just rude! And then my brother, Cooper, went and pee'd on the table legs of the table on the deck! What is wrong with these guys? What do we have the apple tree for? Me? I just walked over to Dad's bicycle that is against the house on the deck and pee'd on the front tire! BOL! Isn't leaving pee-mail fun? We think so!

Snow! Glorious Snow! ~ from Dozer

It finally started snowing - I mean real snow! It was glorious (and it still is!). Mum took us outside last night to investigate this white stuff that kept falling. Dottie seemed like a snowflake magnet, she had so much pile up on her back that Mum had to towel her off when she came back in. Dottie got real jazzed with the snow and started running around the yard like a maniac. She ate a lot of snow until Mum stopped her from scarfing down everything in sight!
See what I mean about being a "snow magnet"? Dottie is a sponge and it didn't even bother her. There's a drift forming on her butt! BOL!

We're thinking of making a sled dog out of Dottie. Dottie got into the piles/drifts of snow. She started jumping around and barking. I think the neighbors thought this was probably entertaining at 10pm at night! (Not!)

Cooper can go either way with the snow. He gets a little jazzed but he gets cold really fast, so he's in and out pretty quickly.
This is Coop and me checking out the first snowfall last night. We're making sure this is the real thing and not a bunch of styrafoam or fake snow flocking or anything.

Yup, this is the real thing. There was so much snow falling I had to close my eyes.

I started running up and down the deck like a mad man - I LOVE SNOW!

This is my snow day portrait. Mum let me play with the ball a little bit (just a little bit). I had a great time.

Oh No Rudolph! Hee, Hee

Mum loves CSI New York and this parody just cracked her up! Poor Abdominal Snowman (Mum's jokes with words are not very funny).

Rudolph and his team investigate the mysterious death of the Abominable Snowman.

CSI at the North Pole

Snowy, Sleepy Sunday! - Dozer

Imagine our surprise when we got up this morning there was snow on the ground! Whooo hoo! For Oregon corgis and cockers this is a rare playtime! We went outside with Mum at 5:30am and left messages and ate the white stuff. Dottie, being blind, took a little longer to get into the fun but once she felt comfortable, she was with us as we ran around the yard. Before we settled down for our traditional "Sleepy Sunday" we decided we would see how Mr. Lambchop was faring. We were pretty sure he missed us... We have him surrounded and in our clutches! Now let's see if he would like to play the twirly dance

All this fun was exhausting so it was time to settle down to some serious napping. I helped the boy with his Facebook encounters (below). I am guarding the door in case all those girls who think he is a hottie storm our doors.

Dottie took over the linoleum forest, as is her usual spot. by my food dish.
I need some privacy so I am not going to look at the camera right now.

Oh Cooper wanted you see him outside in the snow. He's actually lifting his leg on the garden box..why? Just because he can! BOL!

Brrrr! It is verwey cold here! - Dozer

The temperature has dropped dramactically here and we are only going outside for minimal doodies. Brrrr! Here is that picture Mum took of Dottie with the Christmas hat on - see? She won't even look at the camera!

Send Police Fast - Dozer

Cooper is a thief! He has taken all the chewies and Mr. Flea behind a chair and won't let me have any of them. He just licks Mr. Flea but I tore the stuffie's front leg off so it is mine! This is not fair and Mum will not take charge and get me some of the chewies or my Mr. Flea. I think Cooper has gotten too big for his britches because of my time of incarceration. Howeee in Texas, send a Texas Ranger quick!

Finally Christmas Starts! - Dozer

It was no mean feat but I finally got Mum to get the Christmas cards ordered. We missed being in the DWB's Christmas card exchange but there are still family and friends who depend on a visual reminder of us each year. Mum sat on the bed with her laptop last night watching The Librarian while I helped her look at pictures and decide which showcased my stunning good looks best. Oh yeah, and Cooper and Dottie as well. Mum took pictures of each of us in Christmas hats but Dottie wouldn't let herself be photographed - she'd wear the hat but then she just looked down at the floor. Mum said a dejected elf was not going to work so we went with portraits instead. Mum had some sort of snowflake design for the background but I nixed that. Come on! Men do not do snowflakes. We compromised on the plaid which reminds us of our Scottish roots and which really set off my eyes quite nicely. If you would like a card you have to send us your mailing address. You can contact us through out blog and then we will send you our real email address - Mum really hates programs that harvest email addresses. Someone did that last week and her Spam box had over 2,750 emails, none of which had any redeeming qualities or mentioned dog food. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Sleepy Sunday - Notes from Cooper

It was another rainy, grey, foggy day...(sigh). We all decided that this was a day to sit around and watch television (History International, HBO, and TBS to name but a few). Dozer found this position to be comfortable and he says I have neck issues? I think not. I think he was dreaming about the Christmas Parade and his starring role (not!) - see picture below. We're so embarrassed about Mum's hat that we won't even admit we're related to her. Where does she buy these monstrosities?
Dottie went for the big picture and spread out in the family room. She is still blowing fluff and looking like one continuous bad hair day. It doesn't seem to bother her so I guess we can "blow" it off.

I decided to do a corner sleep so no one could creep on me, nice draft under the door too. Mum keeps saying I am getting a little tubby but I think the camera adds ten pounds (doesn't it?).

It is time for bed (finally!) so good-night and catch you later. Love, Cooper

I Won't Go! - Dozer

Where is human decency? A gaggle of children in England sent a bunch of teddy bears into space (and one doesn't even have a helmet on) to see how their suits hold up. Are there no laws against this sort of abuse? The next thing you know they will be sending corgis up to see if we can fly! And I don't see any oxygen tanks - what are they supposed to be breathing? Good wishes? I think not!
Who do I call to stop this insane behavior? ASPCA? Who represents stuffies? I will go check with Jackson.

This is a good funny to start the day!

There is webcast called "Cooking for One" which stars Katy. On this particular episode her eldest sister Karen gives her some really helpful tips. In chiffon. And she says things like "You want to appear the way you want your food to appear." Or "You need to always wash your hands even though you are cooking for one. Even though all the germs are your own."

These are the outtakes, which even not knowing the people had Mum rolling around the floor like an idiot. Apparently it does not take much to amuse our humans.

The Queen's Visit - Dozer

Things were going so well with the visit from Her Majesty until Mango showed up and let loose with one of his famous farts. Suddenly the Queen had "another engagement" to get to and left. Our chances of getting knighted have disappeared in the fog of Mango's fragrance.

"Does anyone else smell something.....well, Mango'ish?"

Please Rise for Her Majesty the Queen

Oh my goodness, the Queen of England has stopped by! I am incredibly touched she would take time out of her busy day to discuss my cousins who live with her at the Palace! I have always said her Majesty was a lady who knew her dogs and knew them well! I'd like to thank all the little people who made this visit possible, Moco, Nottie Scottie, Willow, Wally, Mango (and Mango I haven't forgotten that snide remark about my squared off butt!), the Corgi Girls, Emmitt, Howie Fartie Pants, Pei and others. Remember to curtsy or bow when HRH comes by to shake your paw!

At Least We Aren't This Messy

I believe this video speaks for itself. (Mum take note please)

Dozer

Ultra Kawaii - Messy Pets @ Yahoo! Video