I am living with Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

August 11/11 ...12:11 p.m.


Yes, and  they  have 4 legs.  By now you might know whom I am talking about, mad Max, our guest dog. As Dr. Jekyll he is very good and nice to have around the house (well, lets be generous and forget about food stolen from the table and a hole bitten into the linnen "horse" bread bag hanging at the radiator, and gobbling up the dried bread) but put him on a leash and leave the house with him, he turns into Mr. Hyde in a jiffy. First he loses his ears, as soon as he spots another dog about half a km away he is off like a thunderbolt, no yelling or whistling is of any use. He wont do any harm , but tell that the other dog and most of all the owner! Same thing happens with people with kids. He produces a kickstart before he realizes that it is a toddler,not a dog. Up to now with have been lucky with nice parents but I could not blame them if they would be upset.


looks like an angel

  Now, why don't I  keep him on the leash? There I have a problem , since my stupid accident in the fall last year my knee is not so stable any more and he is too fast pulling me  all over the places.


So we are always happy when we are back home without incidents and then Dr. Jekyll and me are friends again.

This is Good Bye

October 17/10

They called me Herr Hund very often, but actually my name is Shaylor and often my folks had to spell it out for a bit ignorant people. Friends, now I am in dog's heaven and the vet lady and my family were just terrific to help me get there, ate some honey cookies till to the end and went to sleep with my head in my "Frauchen's"  lap and when I woke up, imagine, there had been old Lander the horse and he is now very eager to show me around in my new grounds. Still miss my folks but there is so much here to see and discover, I am very busy sniffing around.! Don't think I am ungrateful, I still cherrish my memories from the time when I picked my family (up to today they think they choose me ) but I had been very cunning, when they inspected us, me and my siblings, I stayed in the background and only after my flock lost interest, I showed up and presented myself and of course my family regognized right away, what a smart dog I am. So I left with them in that big car and did I ever love to travel in cars till to the end, only then I could not manage to climb in any more, so for the last trip they had been taking I could not go along anymore and had to stay with mad Max, my friend and rival and I can tell you, being not so well off anymore, he could be a pain in the neck. Imagine, he ate my medication, the rascal!
Nevertheless, he is a good dog too and I wish him still a long and happy life and should he show up one day around here I for sure will show him around.

A dog's life in a way is short, but believe me, I enjoyed every minute of it, the seaside, the snow in the mountains and my beautiful home. But most of all I enjoyed my family and I am happy that I choose them.

Letter to our Guestdog

August 10/10....6:42 p.m.

Dear mad Max,

I know that it is not your fault! It is not your fault that , being a Labrador-Hovawart-Collie mix, the Labrador has taken the upper hand, in looks and in behavour. You are sweet and affectionate and you can not help it that you love the water. And I do NOT love a dirty smelly dog in the car and neither does Herr Hund, who growls and dislikes it more and more when you join him in the back of the car wet like a cat.  So we are now into the business of outsmarting each other, up to now you have won every time, I must shamefacedly admit.  First time it has been the river, lucky you,  second time I decided to take a walk on a path next to a fenced off meadow. You found a hole and the river.  Third time a big,  muddy puddle had been welcome and Herr Hund and Landfrau watched in amazement, how you lowered yourself into the mixture, like a camel lowering itself in the desert. But today I thought I had outwitted you, drove with the car to a path far away from the river, dry as death valley but you found a tiny muddy hole nevertheless and managed to put all 4 feet into it. Max , you are a genius and we have 7 more days to go and I am sure you will me show so much more muddy holes and water where I would have never have guessed that it excists. But aside from that I love you....Your  foster mother

SEASIDE

August 2nd/10.......8:56 a.m.

One thing is for sure, Landfrau has been very much more of an early bird during our week of vacation at the seaside. We have been the usual crew, Herr Husband, grandson, daughter (delivering and picking up grandson) Herr Hund and myself.  We frequent this place in the Netherlands for several years and how time changes you notice, when you think about the "add-ons" which had to be carried along, like games, beach ball rackets and all that stuff to keep a kid busy. Now suddenly the kid is a teenie and the most important gadget is his laptop. And take Herr Hund - he loved to run next to the bike and we made extensive tours - nowadays all he is interested in is to trail my heels , to sniff around and to "tell" other dogs "look, I am harmless". But nevertheless - on account of him I have to get up early enough to walk him before breakfast and I am telling you - nothing beats a brilliant morning at the beach. A few other dog owners, a few horsebackriders  and aside from that you have the feeling you own that wide open space where the surf beats the sand.

So, it has been a nice time once again, but I also like it to be back home - I miss being spoiled but an eternal holiday would be boring too in a while, I suppose.

Herr Hund contemplating....

July 03/10.....8:25 a.m.

I am telling you, my people must be nuts. Almost every day they sit in front of that box they call "teevee "  and normally in that box there are people and sometimes even dogs and cats...oh, I love that! But nowadays all they are staring at are lots of little men running around with only one ball they fight about - they call that FUSSBALL - soccer for my english speaking friends - And there is that terrible noise coming out of the box, they say it is made by what sounds like "uwe seelers"(vuvuzela).  I try to tell them that I can not stand that terrible noise, my little ,flopping ears are sensitive - but no, they tell me to go and play someplace else.  I hope for sure, that the whole shenanigan will be over soon and my people go back to watching dogs and cats. I do not mind if they watch people, but without "uwe seelers" please.

Result of Insomnia

February 22/10....1:49 a.m.

Holy Smoke!

January 19/10....8:59 p.m.

..is what Herr Hund said and where is the tree ? when he smelled Landfrau baking X-mas cookies. Yes, you have not been misreading. A bit crazy , I know, baking X-mas cookies in January but there is an explantation to everything. There still had been sitting half a box of cookie mix on the shelf, and since these butter cookies are the favoured ones of our grandson, I promised him to bake another batch. - Now, poor Herr Hund, he is in for hard times now-a-days, the construction of our new levee has started with the clearing of all the old trees, orchards, willow trees and meadows. So he lost his roaming grounds and we lost beautiful landscape, which had been growing for ages. Well, safety first, but there are always two sides to a medal and it is a shame to loose all that beauty. - When I went for my shopping drive today, I promised Herr Hund to bring him a goodie, he once a while agrees to open the front door, but he has been lazy lately, but today he could not wait to let me in and he almost crawled into my shopping basket for his treat.

Aside from that there are not so many news, except I finally got my new glasses and you now can call me "eagle eye" - I am thrilled!

P.S. Above pics are before and after, the lonely willow is now also a goner - so sad.

Christmasdog - Reloaded

December 28/09...7:03 p.m.

Now for all my friends,who have been wondering how Herr Hund coped with the "first time in his life outside X-mas tree", here is my story and it is true I did not make it up. On the day of X-mas eve I started decorating our living room, setting the table etc. and had been watched continiously by Herr Hund, he was following me like a shadow. He eyed me when I was climbing up a chair to get his plate out of the storage place and from then on he kept returning to the place in the living room, where we usually had been putting his goodies. I tried to sneak into the basement to fill up his plate, thought he did not notice since he kept Herr Husband company in the living room. No way! Herr Hund spied me, came rushing into the kitchen, trying to have a glimpse at his plate. I told him that he would have to be patient still for a little while but when we startet our Christmas ritual, putting our christmas choral on the record player (no, we do not sing ourselves, that would be the end of christmas) he went haywire and started running around the table, whining demanding his plate. When he got it, he gobbled up everything except for a big bone, with which he kept running around the house, looking for hiding places.
So folks, you can rest assured Herr Hund did not have a problem with the Christmas tree sitting outside, which by the way was much admired by the family and friends and everyone thought it a brilliant idea not to have it constricting the inside space.

Season`s Opening

May 28/09......6:66 p.m.

Yes, my friends, our Herr Hund had been the one, opening up the season being the first of awn victims. That's what the vet said anyway and that usually they fill in much later in the season. Well, Herr Hund had to live up to his name, country dog! - Fortunately the thing sits or sat, one can not really tell, between his toes and this way has no chance of migrating. Amazingly our patient does not limp, otherwise he would be good company to his master. For the time being no bandage, just antibiotics and we have to wait and see. Maybe we are lucky and the thing does not have to be cut out. So, keep your fingers crossed for us!

The ultimative X-mas Dog

November 27/08 8:04 a.m.

Really had a good laugh yesterday. Each X-mas Herr Hund also gets his present from Santa. It's a plate with an assortment of dogs treats, which he is allowed to gobble up at his own time and delight. Of course Santa puts that plate under the tree and when we start our annual X-mas ritual, Herr Hund is the first one to rush into the room for his "present".
So ,stowing away my shoppings I had set a bag with the dog goodie packages at the basement staircase. When Herr Hund started sniffing at the bag, Landfrau told him to stay away,these were the goodies for his X-mas plate. I then asked him where his plate would be and he rushed into the living room right to the spot where we always put up our tree. Also, for a couple of years now, we have a hard time convincing him that it is not X-mas eve yet when we put up the tree and he sporadically goes and checks for his plate. -
This dog really is looking forward to X-mas - for him the spirit is right.

Herr Hund - Thinking

June 15/08 3:53 p.m.

6:30 a.m. - I will go and have a look - she still has her eyes closed!

7:00 a.m.- maybe a pat with the paw might help!

7:30 a.m. - she's awake, she's awake, joy, joy!

7:40 a.m. - she gets herself a coffee, maybe the fridge will be opened? shit, no luck!

7:50 a.m. - she takes a shower - booring!

8:00 a.m. - now it's for the breakfast goodies, wow, human food is so great!

9:30 a.m. - I will pester her a little,she should get dressed.

9:40 a.m. - she puts that delicious stuff on her skin, I will just get a little taste - lick! -

Why does she scold me every day again, she won't be able to kick my habit.

10:00 a.m. - she gets dressed -about time!

10:05 a.m. does she have to pick up the paper out of the mailbox,can't that wait? At least I am allowed along, will bark at some people passing by.

10:07 a.m. she gets her jacket and....hurrah,my leash, and will she take the bike?? She does...

jumping around with joy - my day is saved.

Houseguest gone

March 27/08 4:18 p.m.

Funny, it is so quiet around the house. I think Herr Hund likes the old routine, mad Max left reluctantly. For the weekend we will be gone and Herr Hund can join his buddy at daughter's home.
This is the last dog post! (for now)

The Rat Pack...

March 26/08 11:51 a.m.

...is a wet pack, guarding Landfrau's rubberboots, waiting for a "wet" walk. Last day for our houseguest, mad Max,who behaved very well (and learned fast!) ,so actually he should be just "Max" from now on, but let's not overdo it. Two big dogs in the house is for certain more dirt and uproar, but also funny watching the pack's competition. They get along well, except for Herr Hund showing Max sometimes "the way". - Looked into my last years’ blog at the end of March to check on the weather, funny in a way, like:" I know what you have been doing last year around this time". And I am still harbouring the same frust, mind you!

More about Dogs

Good Friday - March 21/08 11:57 a.m.

Sorry, it seems this is going to be a" dog blog"after all, at least for the next few days. Last nite our houseguest had been shown his guestbed-basket in our little entrance hall.Usually this is the place of basket from Herr Hund, but his has been moved upstairs,and since mad Max is trained not to climb stairs, Herr Hund very showoffy with raised head, is climbing stairs to the upper level, giving the impression of a first class air-passenger,moving to his privileged section, upnosing the common crowd. -
Took a "quite early" - again pretty rainy - walk with the pack this morning and met,you might not believe it, the legionaire with a new dog, even bigger than the previous one,but still young,so he can turn this one into a mean beast by himself.

Our Houseguest...

March 20/08 8:11 p.m.

...."mad Max", has arrived, so has the continious rain. Herr Hund behaves like a showoff kid, growls when Max dares to pick up one of his toys, he only has about a dozen. Took a rainy walk, the three of us.

Rubber Boots,Rain and rising River

March 16/08 2:21 p.m.

Took a long walk in the rain with Herr Hund this morning along the river banks. Volunteers had been already doing spring cleaning at the shore line, might be all in vain, if the river keeps rising and grabs all the collected stuff. I must say, Germans ARE pigs, looking at all the debris which had been assembled. Do wish signs would be put up like in the USA : LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS, although I doubt they would be of any use around here. Like I said, Germans are pigs.
Herr Hund, beeing "earless" again, took a beating from a big black dog. Told him, don't go there, but no, he has to approach every mean looking beast, wagging his tail like"look I'm friendly". Fortunately he has so much fur,that he is seldom hurt. I'm then stinking mad at him - and he knows it! -
So, next week we will have an additional "houseguest" ,mad Max, our younger daugther's dog. Daughter-family are off for skiing in the mountains. Another reason why I hope for better weather, two dirty dogs are easter bunnies galore.
And the dogs have no rubber boots.

Not surprised

courtesy www.shoeboxblog/com

March 13/08 11:04 a.m.

Now I know,why Herr Hund acts nutty sometimes! (ref.prev.post!)

About the Weather and why I would sometimes like to kill "Herr Hund"

March 12/08 4:20 p.m.

A heavy storm had been predicted for today, unbelievable,if you look at this morning's snapshot of our garden. Fortunately around here it had not been bad, we must have been lucky again,like "in the eye of the hurricane".

Now, for the second topic. Wouldn't you think that a dog, beeing walked for his daily"business" would go, sniff for a bit and then squat down for his poop? By no means Herr Hund. First the walk has to be long, very long, a pleasure if one is in a hurry. After a lot of sniffing and running around, finally a spot is chosen. This spot is beeing scratched as if Herr Hund had mutated suddenly into a cat,then - after turning around with ,as Landfrau calls it - let- down pants - for about ten times right and ten times left, he decides that it is not the right spot to leave his precious belongings and the whole procedure is repeated a few feet away. And if he happens to see another dog,he forgets what he has been about to do anyway and the ritual is started from the beginning.

Hey,guys, still want to get yourselves a dog?

Swinging the Paintbrush

March 02/08 8:47 a.m.

Should not let my other talents ly flat (blogging being one of them,haha) so Herr Hund had to be the model- victim once more on this stormy weekend. And there had been victims of some other kind,unfortunately. Had been eying big old trees during my walk with Herr Hund yesterday, telling them:"don't you dare!"

TheForeign Legionaire and his Dog

February 25/08 6:55 pm.

There is this really rough looking neighbour, shaved bald head, tatoos and an earring,whom Landfrau had been talking too occasionally. Still think one should not judge people by apperance. Now, the other day I met this guy and he had a dog,a doberman ,on a leash. Since I had "Herr Hund" along, we got into talking. Turned out the dog was 18 months old and had been in a family,which could not handle him. Mr.Legionaire told me,that he got the dog from the doberman society and that the dog was supposed to be a watchdog not a lapdog and that he wanted to teach him to be agressive. By that time my hair started raising already but it gets worse. He furthermore stated,that the dog was "gay",not interested in bitches in heat. When I asked him what gave him that idea ,he stated that the dog was trying to jump him. Well,told him,that this is a sign of dominance with dogs and that he should be careful. All the time the dog pulled and bit his leash and the man started to pull and scold him and threatened him with a big stick. Suddenly the dog started growling and jumping at the man. By that time I decided to carry on with my walk, did not want this ferocious dog having a bite of Herr Hund. Told the man good luck with his dog and to be careful. At this he gave me a high and mighty look, the big zampano he was. -
Last weekend during a walk the dog attacked the man and started to bite and maul him till he had been lying on the ground. A neigbourhood farmer managed to get the dog away from him with his tractor, otherwise the man might have been killed. He had been sent to the hospital and the dog was shot by the police on the spot.
So everyone in the neighbourhood ,especially the dog owners,are happy that the dog is a goner, I am glad for the dog, he might have had a poor life with the Legionaire. Hope this guy does not get the idea to have himself another dog,but he probably will.