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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / Friday Night Open Thread

Friday Night Open Thread

by John Cole|  June 12, 20095:00 pm| 127 Comments

This post is in: Dog Blogging, Open Threads

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Got home from work, opened the door to my bedroom to get Lily out of her crate, but there is no doggie there. I look up, and this what I found lounging on my bed:

I’ve taken the liberty of airbrushing out the naughty bits so we don’t have any NSFW problems. It looks like Lily is starting to get comfortable around here. That look on her face is one that Irie used to get all the time that I called the “woebegone doggie” look, and usually followed him doing something he knew he shouldn’t be doing.

We’ll just use this as an open thread with some quick hits:

1.) Game 7 of Pens v. Wings tonight. Set your clocks.

2.) According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

3.) Also via NPR, I heard a piece about Magos Herrera’s album Distancia last week and immediately ordered it on Itunes. It is outstanding.

4.) This is going to be one of those things I write that causes people to write in the comments- “OMG COLE, YOU WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING.” And, to be honest, that is true. But this still needs to be said- the last five toothbrushes I have purchased have inexplicably exploded in my mouth, leaving bristles all over the place. I have never had that happen before the past month and a half. And no, I have not changed how I brush. Why am I telling you this? Because it is my blog, damnit.

5.) Any suggestions for gum that is not bad for your teeth but tastes good now that I have to cut the xylitol out of my life?

6.) Also, does anyone know of a water bottle that comes with a bowl like attachment for a dog to drink out of. I’d like to be able to take Lily for longer walks once I get her strength up, but I need to be able to water her. Thanks in advance. And no, my google is not broken, I just know that you guys always have some sort of experience with what I am looking for and it saves me from making a purchasing mistake to learn from your experiences.

7.) What on earth is going on with David Brooks? Sometimes he seems completely and totally insane and writing from another universe, and other times I read him and he sounds like he is actually writing about the same planet that I call home. I just heard him with EJ Dionne on NPR, and he seemed thoughtful, reasonable, and sane. Any clues.

You are on your own. I’m going outside to get some air.

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Reader Interactions

127Comments

  1. 1.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    But they are doggie bits. I mean, I know we are a prudish country, but please.

    To that I have to say only this.

    Also, that’s not photoshopping, and isn’t obscuring dog nipple going to extremes?

  2. 2.

    Quicksand

    June 12, 2009 at 5:09 pm

    I think you should probably throw out the other seven toothbrushes in that Sam’s Club twelve-pack.

  3. 3.

    MikeJ

    June 12, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    I’d like to be able to take Lily for longer walks once I get her strength up, but I need to be able to water her.

    I often meet people with dogs on the longer mountain trails around here with backpacks full of water on the dogs. Like a camelback for dogs (although I don’t think they drink out of a tube like we humans do.)

  4. 4.

    Max

    June 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    Most dogs will drink out of a regular bottle if you pour it like a faucet. They’ll lap it up mid-air. I have a camelback thing that I use on long hikes and the pooch drinks from the hose with no problem.

    REI and others have collapseable bowls that will easily clip on your belt, if you think the above option is not ladylike enough for the fair Lily.

  5. 5.

    SarahLoving

    June 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    @AhabTRuler: I think it was a joke…l took it to mean he was highlighting the absurd nature of teh Prudez with the blur job.

  6. 6.

    grimc

    June 12, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    4) SonicCare. Yes, with its purchase price, cost of replacement brushheads and dentists urging you to buy one, it smells like a scam. But it’s not.

    6) http://www.backcountryk9.com/109/0/Products.aspx

  7. 7.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    @SarahLoving: This time I’m gonna put my money on John doing the best job that he could.

  8. 8.

    Delia

    June 12, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Aww . . . . Lily’s going Galt already. John’s a wonderful Dad.

  9. 9.

    John Cole

    June 12, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    @grimc: I already have one. I have a very elaborate tooth brushing routine worked out. I brush with a soft toothbrush. I then floss. I then use the sonic care. I then use the water pick, and then mouthwash. I do that in the morning and before bed. In between, I use a good old soft toothbrush.

  10. 10.

    Common Sense

    June 12, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    The illusion of the year.

    This is why failing 2/3 of the time is considered a crowning achievement in baseball.

  11. 11.

    jnfr

    June 12, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    We love our Sonicare.

    Poor Lily! Leave her nipples alooooone!

  12. 12.

    blahblahblah

    June 12, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    That photo of the dog reminds me of that scene in Brazil where a woman is walking a dog with criss-crossing strips of tape over her animal’s anus. I don’t think my employer would censure me for loading a photo of an unclothed dog. OTOH: they would censure me for loading a non-work related website, so it all evens out.

  13. 13.

    HumboldtBlue

    June 12, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    2.) According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

    Or to put it more simply — two of the greatest musical albums ever recorded. Both make my Top 10.

  14. 14.

    Brachiator

    June 12, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

    And the 60th anniversary of George Orwell’s 1984 (great tribute at the Daily Mail):

    Nineteen Eighty-Four was published in London on Wednesday, June 8, 1949, and in New York five days later. The world was eager for it. Within 12 months, it had sold around 50,000 hardbacks in the UK; in the U.S. sales were more than one-third of a million. It became a phenomenon. Sixty years later, no one can say how many millions of copies are in print, both in legitimate editions and samizdat versions. It has been adapted for radio, stage, television and cinema, has been studied, copied and parodied and, above all, ransacked for its ideas and images.

    And 1984 is also known as The Official GOP Playbook of Doublespeak and Dirty Tricks.

    Today is also what I call “Digital Doomsday,” as we officially transition from analog to digital over the air broadcast. Out here in Southern California, procrastinators are busting down the doors at Best Buy stores to get their hands on a converter box.

    It’s kinda interesting watching my Casio portable TV turn into a useless brick.

    Dogs have it so easy.

  15. 15.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    June 12, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    @Max: What Max said, collapsible bowls – get them at PetSmart or other. Works great.

    Also – I do believe Lily now feels at home. But I think we need a Tunch picture to balance.

  16. 16.

    Punchy

    June 12, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    Anyone know why the line in the Pens/Wangs game has exploded upward in favor of the Wangs? Is Malkin hurt? Crosby sprain his vagina?

    I’m going to take the Pens anyway (in Vegas, of course), so this’ll just increase my winnings, but methinks something is going on behind the scenes that the heavy hitters know about and we dont. It’s clear the Wangs should be the favs, but -210? Seriously? Yikes.

  17. 17.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    @John Cole: I fixed your picture fer ya.

  18. 18.

    greynoldsct00

    June 12, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    Obviously she’s more relaxed!!

  19. 19.

    grimc

    June 12, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    @John Cole:

    Geez, as if I didn’t feel guilty enough about my dental hygiene.

  20. 20.

    Trollhattan

    June 12, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    Awww. She’s turning into a li’l canine slut! That’s a “Rub my cute belly” command.

    You need a Gulpy:

    http://www.rei.com/product/753131

    Got one, it works once the dog figures out the tray is to drink from and not bite. Very handy during triple-digit season, and vastly better than keeping fido from the gutter water.

  21. 21.

    linda

    June 12, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    just got home and had to check in to see if there were any lily updates. … and am delighted to see one up.

    uh, i’d hazard a guess she’s settling in….lol.

  22. 22.

    gex

    June 12, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    As we complete our drive into California, where Obama’s voice stating that he is opposed to same sex marriage was used in robocalls to help Prop 8 pass, and on the anniversary of Loving v. Virginian in which the Supreme Court declared marriage to be a fundamental right, I feel gut-punched by what Obama did today.

    During the campaign he suggested he supported federal civil unions for gays that would provide all the rights and protections of marriage. Today he defended DOMA. Compared gay marriage to incest, justified denying us marriage so that governments could save some money, and suggested that we aren’t really being discriminated against because, after all, we can enter traditional marriage too.

    I should have voted for McCain. If the country insists on repeatedly fucking me over, I should have returned the damn favor.

  23. 23.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    June 12, 2009 at 5:30 pm

    Prolly the fucking Chinese screwing up our toothbrushes now. In other news, rare West Virginian describes elaborate teeth-brushing routine, met with skepticism, disbelief.

  24. 24.

    Kate

    June 12, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    http://www.sahalie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2989&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C7%2C1586&iProductID=2989

    I am told these work really well.

  25. 25.

    Common Sense

    June 12, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    Bittersweet Beatles story (I can’t blockquote so the following is pulled from the link):

    ————

    They were childhood chums. Then they drifted apart, lost touch completely, and only renewed their friendship decades later, when illness struck.

    Not so unusual, really.

    Except she is Lucy Vodden — the girl who was the inspiration for the Beatles’ 1967 psychedelic classic “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” — and he is Julian Lennon, the musician son of John Lennon.

    They are linked together by something that happened more than 40 years ago when Julian brought home a drawing from school and told his father, “That’s Lucy in the sky with diamonds.”

    Just the sort of cute phrase lots of 3- or 4-year-olds produce — but not many have a father like John Lennon, who used it as a springboard for a legendary song that became a centerpiece on the landmark album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

    “Julian got in touch with me out of the blue, when he heard how ill I was, and he said he wanted to do something for me,” said the 46-year-old Vodden, who has lupus, a chronic disease where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissue.

    Lennon, who lives in France, sent his old friend flowers and vouchers she could use to buy plants at a local gardening center, since working in her garden is one of the few activities she is still occasionally well enough to enjoy. More importantly, he has offered her friendship and a connection to more carefree days. They communicate mostly by text message.
    …

    Vodden was diagnosed with lupus about five years ago after suffering other serious health problems. She has been struggling extreme fatigue, joint pain, and other ailments.

  26. 26.

    gex

    June 12, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    Okay, now that I’ve got that off my chest (raving comment in moderation currently) I must say how please I am to see Lily coming around so quickly. I am so happy for her that she found herself a good home.

    I plan on purchasing a doggy canteen for Casey as soon as I get home from vacation. Fancier than needed, for sure, as I just bring a Gladware and a bottle of water whenever we go for extended walks.

  27. 27.

    KRK

    June 12, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    Collapsible bowl sounds like maybe the way to go. An empty plastic tub would be the cheapest/easiest. Or I don’t know, Army guy, maybe a tin cup?

    So is the xylitol thing just about Lily? The dog poisonings I’ve heard of usually involve a dog getting into or being fed human food made with xylitol. Haven’t heard about gum being a problem. Even so, can’t you come up with a Lily-proof place to store your gum? I assume there are lots of other things in your apartment that would be hazardous for her to get into as well. As obsessed as you seem to be with oral hygiene, it’d be a shame to give up the xylitol gum.

  28. 28.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I think I have discovered the secret that Lily has been hiding from John.

  29. 29.

    Jim

    June 12, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I think REI makes a good collapsable bowl. She may be too old to learn to drink from the stream of a camelback or bottle.

    Is she letting you rub her belly?

  30. 30.

    gex

    June 12, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    John, I think that sugar-free gum that uses sorbitol or sucralose are safe for the pup. Google it to be sure, because I’m not 100% if I remember right from Casey’s scare. I just don’t keep gum in the house anymore.

  31. 31.

    Crashman06

    June 12, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    John, that thing about the toothbrush is really weird. I have never heard of that happening. Ever. Perhaps you’re just cosmically unlucky when it comes to dental hygiene products.

  32. 32.

    Duncan Watson

    June 12, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    I use a bowl from REI – http://www.rei.com/product/759618
    it fits easily in my pocket and on hikes and such I often end up giving water to other dogs as well as mine with it. Good luck with Lily.

  33. 33.

    REN

    June 12, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    I have also noticed Brooks tendency to be somewhat reasonable depending on the company he is in. He seems to act almost sane around Jim Lehrer too.
    His problems begin when he is alone at the keyboard. Then there is no moderation or filter for all his Reagan fantasies.

  34. 34.

    slag

    June 12, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    Looks like your bed won’t be yours for long.

    Confused: Are you cutting xylitol because it’s not safe for dogs or for other reasons? If because it’s unsafe, can’t you just keep her away from your gum?

  35. 35.

    Screamin' Demon

    June 12, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue.
    Or to put it more simply—two of the greatest musical albums ever recorded. Both make my Top 10.

    Yes, Kind of Blue is a landmark of modal jazz. And yet not even one-tenth as challenging to the senses as A Love Supreme, or even Miles Smiles.

  36. 36.

    Kennedy

    June 12, 2009 at 5:43 pm

    I’ve taken the liberty of airbrushing out the naughty bits so we don’t have any NSFW problems

    Yes, thanks for that. It more than makes up for the ubiquitous, giant-ass Pam Anderson eyesore.

  37. 37.

    J.

    June 12, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    Dog porn.

    Dog water bowl. Also this.

  38. 38.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    June 12, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    @slag:

    can’t you just keep her away from your gum?

    Haven’t you been reading the updates? The dog it out of control, in to everything. One day John is going to come home from wherever Johns go when they ain’t cruisin the dog buffet anymore and his bitch is gonna be laying back on the bed watching animal planet blowing big fat bubbles with his poison gum.

  39. 39.

    Lesley

    June 12, 2009 at 5:47 pm

    get a “Gulpy” for Lilly. It has a trough attached to the bottle. The trough snaps back to the bottle after use. Very convenient. That way you don’t waste water or have to bring a separate water source. perfect for hiking.

  40. 40.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 5:47 pm

    She really is a bad dog!

  41. 41.

    Punchy

    June 12, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    john, the xylitol thing for dogs is bunk. chocolate, however, shud never be fed to them

  42. 42.

    R-Jud

    June 12, 2009 at 5:53 pm

    Wait, are those satin sheets your dog is doing the come-hither pose on? Eeek.

    Also this:

    “That ‘guilty look’ on a dog’s face is all in the imagination of the owner, research suggests.”

    Currently, I have a cat draped across my neck and a baby snoozing on my lap (I also have long arms). Tomorrow I will run my first 10-miler in a year. Life is good.

  43. 43.

    gex

    June 12, 2009 at 5:55 pm

    @Punchy: Bullshit, you don’t know what you are talking about. My dog almost died due to Xylitol ingestion.

  44. 44.

    GeneJockey

    June 12, 2009 at 5:55 pm

    Awwwwww……..

    That’s what we Greyhound owners call “roaching” – legs in the air like a dead roach. A sure sign of canine contentment.

  45. 45.

    cs

    June 12, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    For the dog, you don’t need anything special. I take my beasts daily on this 3 mile, 1,000 foot elevation gain trail on the mountain by my house. For watering, I take 4 bottles, of the standard commercial water bottle size though filled with tap water to avoid the obvious waste, and I have this cheap small plastic bowl thats just barely big enough for both dogs to drink from simultaneously.

    The backpack is just a standard tiny, camelbak ripoff, and everything fits inside, snugly, with just enough room left over to fit two leashes for those rare times when the dogs get too happy and excited about finding a person on the trail and I have to hook them up.

  46. 46.

    Jon H

    June 12, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    John: for the water bowl, how about a baseball cap? (If possible, without any vent holes).

    Some of the water will soak in, but probably enough would remain in the hat to provide plenty of drinking water. Then you just pop it on your head and it’d be nice and cool for the walk home.

    Or rub beeswax or chapstick on the inside and it should be waterproof.

  47. 47.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    June 12, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    Xylitol just makes my dog run faster.

  48. 48.

    Karatist Preacher

    June 12, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    Get used to the sight of the dog on your bed.

  49. 49.

    John Cole

    June 12, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    @R-Jud: No, egyptian cotton.

  50. 50.

    Blue Raven

    June 12, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    John, I asked this in the morning open thread but realize it’d be better to ask where you’re probably still looking:

    How do you pronounce Tunch? Toonch (granting it’s a shorter sound than “oo” might indicate) or “rhymes with lunch”?

  51. 51.

    John Cole

    June 12, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    @Blue Raven: Rhymes with lunch, but the person he is named after, Tunch Ilkin, pronounces it TOONCH.

  52. 52.

    Anne Laurie

    June 12, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    That look on her face is one that Irie used to get all the time that I called the “woebegone doggie” look, and usually followed him doing something he knew he shouldn’t be doing.

    The smiling/but-looking-away/belly-up posture is Lily’s way of saying “I really LIKE being here on the Alpha Bed, the heart of the heart of my new home, but I’ll understand if you want me to go back to my own den instead, only please don’t get angry, just tell me gently. And if you don’t *mind* my climbing on the bed, I promise to be a very very humble goooood little doggie pleeeese?”

    She’s totally adopted you as the Ruler of Her Universe. Good for you, Mr. Cole!

    P.S. Our dogs all learned very quickly to drink from a ziplock full of water held in a “bowl” shape for them. Another reason we always carry a clean baggie or two. Lily’s not too big to do the same thing, at least in an emergency.

  53. 53.

    Jager

    June 12, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    I used to take my dog backpacking (when we were both more energetic) after the 2nd or third 3 day trip to the White Mountains, I had a brief burst of intellect and bought him his own custom fitted backpack at EMS. He carried his own food and water after that! Loaded him up big time for a 5 day trip in the San Juans, he kept looking over his shoulder at me with contempt! I told him if he didn’t shape up he’d have to carry his sleeping pad, too! He also has a lifejacket for days on the boat, he loves the damn thing!

  54. 54.

    Fulcanelli

    June 12, 2009 at 6:12 pm

    John, you photoshopped out your dog’s nipples and genitalia… Oh, never mind.

    Looks like she’s takin’ a liking to you and trusts you. She is such a sweet thing. She’s wanting a belly skritch… You’ll get the hang of the doggie daddy thing, yet. It’s addictive.

  55. 55.

    DS

    June 12, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    As others have said, collapsible water bowl. Get a couple so you can throw one in the car as well.

    For longer hikes and camping. we have the dogs carry their own water and food in packs. Just use a couple small PE bottles for the H2O.

  56. 56.

    Adolphus

    June 12, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    John,

    I am a bit late to this thread and someone might have already mentioned this or solved your problems.

    But for all your mobile doggy needs you can’t go wrong with Outward Hound products. They are the REI of puppy products.

    And a clever name to boot. I don’t think you can buy directly from them, but many online stores carry their products. They gave all kinds of portable water solutions.

    We swear by their leash backpack.

    http://www.petmountain.com/product/dog-bowls-feeders/515041/outward-hound-designer-bottle-n-bowl-bag.html

  57. 57.

    josefina

    June 12, 2009 at 6:14 pm

    My dog is okay with the Gulpy but she really prefers to drink from the bottle (or the hose, or the faucet…) so this gizmo works better for us.

    Lily is going to be the boss of you within, oh, a week.

  58. 58.

    Stacy

    June 12, 2009 at 6:15 pm

    Yeah, go to REI. They have some neat stuff for you pet, like saddlebags (what, like I’m going to carry your water? Carry it yourself, pup). I use a soft water bowl I got from there that you can crush up and carry with you.

    “That ‘guilty look’ on a dog’s face is all in the imagination of the owner, research suggests.”

    I read somewhere that it’s conditioning. Essentially, owner will come home, dog will have gotten into the garbage, and owner will flip out. This happens for a week. Being that the bad behavior is already past, the dog can’t connect the yelling to the getting into the garbage (if you don’t catch them in the act, you can’t correct them on the behavior. There’s no use, their mind just doesn’t work that way), so they start to learn “Oh shit, the car’s pulling into the driveway and I hear keys in the door. That means that crazy dude is going to walk in the door and yell at me for no reason again”. So they react to it, with fear or submission right when you walk in the door, bracing for the crazy yelling that follows that pattern, and that’s where the “guilty” look comes from.

    I thought it was interesting dog behavior. I also always liked how car chasers are constantly reinforced because the car always “runs away” from them in their mind, like they are big old bad-asses that chased the metal monsters off.

    Dogs are so awesome.

  59. 59.

    wagonjak

    June 12, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Gosh John, I’ve not read all the posts here, but my first thought was that you sounded like an old British maid who watches Benny Hill and Monty Python routines on her telly.

    Nobody in the US worries anymore if we see doggy “naughty bits”…otherwise we’d have our dogs wear doggie diapers!

    And all those black smears on your dog’s underside alarmed me at first…I thought she might have some terrible disease!

  60. 60.

    Richard Wang

    June 12, 2009 at 6:22 pm

    on dog watering.

    Hey baloon juice. Do what I do. get 2 qt size freezer ziploc bags, put one inside the other and roll the topsso half way down so openings are almost to the bottom. then just pour water in. The bags stay upright and is just the right size for a dog snout. much cheaper than a fancy dog waterer. and you can just carry one bottle for both of you.

  61. 61.

    Johnny B. Guud

    June 12, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

    More of a Birth Of The Cool man myself. But I won’t argue with the post.

    Two of the most signficant jazz records in the same year is astounding, but Miles definitely made the biggest impact on the genre. If I remember correctly, in Ken Burns’ “Jazz” documentary, Miles was none too happy that Brubeck made the cover of Time magazine, implying racism, which, most likely was the case. Interesting story, that.

  62. 62.

    CynDee

    June 12, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    Friends, those of you defacing photos of Lily, stop it now. Neither the innocent and beautiful Lily nor her generous daddy John deserve this. Nor do the other bloggers scrolling and clicking in hopes of seeing the sweet doggie. Everywhere you go on the net you are presented with the Face of Evil, the nasty visage of that mega-meany, life-destroying Criminal Cheney. Please, not here.

  63. 63.

    Phoebe

    June 12, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    I love this picture. Except for the bullet-hole-looking black things.

  64. 64.

    JS

    June 12, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    Hi John,

    Long time reader, first time commenter.

    Congratulations on adopting Lily. I’m commenting because it occurred to me when you said you found Lily in your bed, that this is odd dog behavior. If a dog hears you come in they generally will run to the door… to see what is up.

    I was wondering if you were sure Lily isn’t deaf?

    You mentioned she doesn’t bark, doesn’t respond to her name and apparently didn’t hear you come in.

    Have you tried making a loud noise while she isn’t looking to see if it startles her… maybe clapping your hands behind her?

    I hope it’s not the case… but it might explain everything.

  65. 65.

    Ked

    June 12, 2009 at 6:31 pm

    2.) According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

    Yeah, well, it’s also (roughly) the 50th anniversary of The Shape of Jazz to Come. I can take or leave Time Out, Kind of Blue is classic classic classic, but Ornette Coleman’s 1959 effort gets my vote for most worthy album from that pivotal year.

  66. 66.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    @CynDee: OK, I fixed it for you and it still looks better than the original black smears.

  67. 67.

    Tiparillo

    June 12, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    Exploding toothbrushes, hmmmm. Someone playing pranks on you? Exploding toothbrushes or explosive toothpaste? Of cource, Occam’s Razor requires me to suggest it could be dragon breath…..

  68. 68.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    Finally, a version suitable for framing!

  69. 69.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    June 12, 2009 at 6:57 pm

    Awwwwwwww! what a cute pooch!

  70. 70.

    Svensker

    June 12, 2009 at 6:57 pm

    @John Cole:

    John, are you OCD? You brush and floss BEFORE you Sonicare?

    Re: gum. If you chew sugared gum for 10 or so minutes, your mouth produces enough saliva to wash away the sugar that was in the gum. You only get into problems if you chew just until the sweet starts to go, then pop in a fresh chunk, thereby keeping the mouth awash in sugar. Per my dentist.

  71. 71.

    Earl Hathaway

    June 12, 2009 at 7:08 pm

    +1 for the collapsible bowls. Just make sure to flip them inside out after using or they get a really rank smell to them.

  72. 72.

    Violet

    June 12, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    I use Colgate brand toothbrushes and haven’t had any problems with them exploding. Maybe your brand changed manufacturers?

    I thought something was wrong with Lily’s lady bits when I looked at that photo. Scary black marks in all the wrong places. Yikes! Frightening fake doggie pvbic hair aside, she looks very much at home. I think Tunch better watch out. She may decide she’s in charge.

  73. 73.

    moe99

    June 12, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    Best chewing gum ever is Altoids cinnamon. It has xylitol in it. And it comes in a tin that dogs cannot open.

  74. 74.

    Ed Drone

    June 12, 2009 at 7:18 pm

    You need a Gulpy:

    That’s three votes, minimum. The plastic cup and ziplock are fallbacks, but you need a Gulpy.

    Ed

  75. 75.

    conumbdrum

    June 12, 2009 at 7:23 pm

    According to NPR, it is the 50th anniversary of Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It is also the 50th anniversary for Kind of Blue. Two of the best selling commercial jazz albums in one year.

    Two other classics, issued in the same year: Miles Davis’ immortal Sketches of Spain, and Charles Mingus’ magnificent Mingus Ah Um.

    The kicker is that Sony (owner of Columbia, who released all four of these albums) has just issued new 2-disc editions of every one, crammed with bonus tracks, rare photos and other useful arcana.

    And being a music store buyer, I got free promo copies of all four. Boo-ya, bitches.

  76. 76.

    LeaningTowardUndecided

    June 12, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    Holy return of the yuppies! Water bottles for dogs? Dogs find water and drink it. How many “dog follows family to new home 300 miles away after five years” stories are needed to understand a dog is not a four legged child?

  77. 77.

    oh really

    June 12, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    4)…the last five toothbrushes I have purchased have inexplicably exploded in my mouth…

    Maybe if you spent more than $0.38 for a toothbrush you’d have better luck. (That’s what the local, now defunct, Big Lots charged. I bought them to scrub bicycle parts and to get into tight places around sinks and stuff.) I’ve never had any trouble with Oral-B brushes. Even the brushes for their battery operated units, though expensive, last for the advertised and recommended time period.

    6) Also, does anyone know of a water bottle that comes with a bowl like attachment for a dog to drink out of….

    I don’t know anything about water bottle/bowl combinations for dogs and I wish nothing but the best for Lily, but this request must violate all kinds of “misuse of blog for personal convenience” guidelines in the latest Blogger Manual of Style.

    Poor Tunch. It’s only a matter of time before he goes on a hunger strike. (Then again, that probably won’t be Tunch’s chosen form of protest.) Talk about being ignored. I sure hope he didn’t see that comment about getting Lily being the “best decision” you’ve ever made in your entire life. Really incredibly insensitive!

  78. 78.

    Betsy

    June 12, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    My first thought upon seeing that picture was, “Dear God, the poor dog has a lot more health problems than Cole told us about!” Glad it’s just photoshop, not leprosy.

  79. 79.

    Trollhattan

    June 12, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    @Ahab

    You are one twisted individual. I have to now clean out my keyboard upon having reached the Cheney versions. Also.

  80. 80.

    beabea

    June 12, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    @John Cole

    I am rather in awe of John’s time-management skills. How does one human being go to work, run this blog, write those political posts, clean his apartment, walk Lily for an hour, brush Tunch every day, do that level of housecleaning, cook fancy meals, read and/or monitor/mock all those other blogs, watch all the games, and still have the wherewithal to do that tooth-brushing routine ??

    At least that twitchy airbrushing job (unless Lily has a very unusual arrangement of nipples) allows me to maintain a modicum of pride in my photoshopping skills .

  81. 81.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    June 12, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    @LeaningTowardUndecided: My dogs used to drink this sludge I grew my cattails in, so I thought just like you. That was until after a mountain hike my dogs came down with giardia – three Great Danes on expensive medicine and with horrible diarrhea. Ugh.

  82. 82.

    John Cole

    June 12, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    I have no idea how this rumor about my impeccable housecleaning got started. Just because I talk about my occasional cleaning does not turn me into Martha Stewart.

    Shorter John Cole- I’m not a neat freak.

  83. 83.

    ninerdave

    June 12, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    so we don’t have any NSFW problems

    Seriously, have we in this country gotten so uptight that people are offended by a dog’s anatomy?

    And yes Punchy, Xylitol is toxic to dogs. Snopes. I had no clue either.

  84. 84.

    John Cole

    June 12, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    @wagonjak: I was sort of just playing around making fun of the Bozell appalled by nudity crowd.

    Or so I thought.

  85. 85.

    Nicole

    June 12, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    Maybe a different color next time you photoshop? It just made her look like she had a lot of pubes and hairy nipples. ‘Cause that won’t make her feel more insecure at all.

    Our apartment building doesn’t allow pets, so there is no such thing as too many Lily posts, by the way. I need to live vicariously.

  86. 86.

    ninerdave

    June 12, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    @Nicole:

    Our apartment building doesn’t allow pets, so there is no such thing as too many Lily posts, by the way. I need to live vicariously.

    Volunteer at your local shelter!!

  87. 87.

    ninerdave

    June 12, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    @John Cole:

    I was sort of just playing around making fun of the Bozell appalled by nudity crowd.

    Totally went over my head, but it’s late on a Friday after a long week. So, that’s probably not surprising.

  88. 88.

    Betsy

    June 12, 2009 at 7:52 pm

    BTW, don’t know if anyone who was reading the earlier thread cares, but I emailed a very politely worded message to the restaurant’s email address about the lawn jockey. In what will be a shocking surprise to everyone here, it turns out people are a mite touchy about issues of race. Shorter restaurant owner:

    It’s not racist, it’s goofy! Also, you’re white, so shut up. My black employees said they don’t mind.

    Sigh. I responded by sending her some links about the history, and in the process discovered this museum, which looks kind of interesting.

  89. 89.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 7:52 pm

    I was sort of just playing around making fun of the Bozell appalled by nudity crowd.

    Hey, I am very offended by bad photoshopping (plus, I thought the Redskins collar was a nice touch).

  90. 90.

    Bvac

    June 12, 2009 at 7:52 pm

    What’s wrong with xylitol? I chew trident xtra care with recaldent. Peppermint.

  91. 91.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    June 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    That is exactly how I find my aging(13) black lab/who knows what cross on the bed when I get home from work. He has been with us since he was twelve weeks old when we adopted him from the neighbor. She is home John, and she knows it, it does my heart good to see it. PS) you will be sharing your bed with her within a week, and don’t lie and say you won’t cause you will, so you know just admit it now and get used to it.

  92. 92.

    spudgun

    June 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    Ventured forth from lurking land ‘cos I couldn’t resist a couple of comments…your “airbrushed” pic of Lily freaked me out at first – I thought she had some kind of horrible skin disease! It’s just dog nips; it’s really okay! Sheesh.

    Also, I really like Eclipse gum – it contains aspartame, not xylitol, and it comes in minty and fruity flavors. Lasts quite a while too.

    Okay, back to lurking land.

    P.S. More Lily and Tunch pix, please. Thank you.

  93. 93.

    shelley matheis

    June 12, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    Air-brushed? For a second I thought Lily had rolled around in a bunch of dried prunes! LOL

    And as everyone has asked me when I’ve gotten a new dog….”Has she barked yet?’

  94. 94.

    beabea

    June 12, 2009 at 8:07 pm

    @John Cole

    Even if you only clean occasionally, I still wonder how you fit all that other stuff into your day. Seriously.

    I love how here at BJ, I get insightful political commentary, music and food ideas, dog advice, and motivation to get off my lazy a**, all in one place.

  95. 95.

    Krista

    June 12, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    BTW John, that is some seriously impressive dental hygiene. Your chompers must be blinding! Keep it up, I say.

    (I’m a bit fussy when it comes to teeth — I once went on a blind date with a fellow who was perfectly nice, but spit strings kept forming, stretching and breaking on his teeth while he was talking, and I was so grossed out that I couldn’t bear it.)

  96. 96.

    TenguPhule

    June 12, 2009 at 8:13 pm

    Seriously, have we in this country gotten so uptight that people are offended by a dog’s anatomy?

    Yes.

    SATSQ.

    Next thing you know, we’ll be trying to ban sexually explicit games in other countries that will never come to the USA…oh wait, too late.

  97. 97.

    shelley matheis

    June 12, 2009 at 8:16 pm

    That was until after a mountain hike my dogs came down with giardia

    Ah, memories. Remember when my dog, Clemmie contracted that , from drinking standing rain water and/or eating god knows what critter-remains she found in the back yard. Ditto to the very nasty diarrhea. When I got her to the vet, was charmed to hear that I should be careful, it’s very communicable to humans.

  98. 98.

    CaptMaggie

    June 12, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    I came here for the excellent political commentary but I stay for Lily.

  99. 99.

    JL

    June 12, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    After scanning the comments, it appears that lily no longer needs to be photo shopped. She’s perfectly fine, nipples and all. The black dots are scary.
    Tunch is named after a football player who immigrated to this country when he was two. I’m not even going to make a comment about naming a cat after an immigrant. (whoops! guess I did) Tunch actually does look like a football player though.

  100. 100.

    Peter J

    June 12, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    I’ve taken the liberty of airbrushing out the naughty bits so we don’t have any NSFW problems.

    I’ve taken the liberty to improve it further so that it blends in with the nice ad on the left.

  101. 101.

    HyperIon

    June 12, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    TBogg shows pics with Bassett penis.
    And tells people to get over it.

  102. 102.

    auntieeminaz

    June 12, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    @AhabTRuler:
    I’m not the only one who laughed hysterically at this revised version of the picture am I? The Redskins collar was a nice touch, also.

  103. 103.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    June 12, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    @spudgun: Don’t lurk. Join the party, the more the merrier!

    @Betsy: Nice customer service there. Chalk it up to Live Free or Die mentality and wish them well. Though I’m questioning how many black employees they actually have.

  104. 104.

    beabea

    June 12, 2009 at 8:34 pm

    @spudgun

    I unlurked for the first time yesterday, and here I am again…now that I lost my fear of it, it’s hard to resist.

    I like Eclipse too, although I like it less when I contemplate Rummy’s involvement with aspartame. OTOH, the magnolia bark extract does give the gum a certain je ne sais quoi.

  105. 105.

    Betsy

    June 12, 2009 at 8:49 pm

    @Bad Horse’s Filly:
    I love the idea that the best way to evaluate whether it’s racist is to ask your own employees, the ones that depend on you for their paycheck and working conditions. It’s like a prof I know who asked his seminar students (before the grades were in) how they liked the class, and then reported, in total seriousness, that they all loved it. The evaluations told a slightly different story.

    ETA: Oh, and also, I loved in the email where she said that everyone else who complained about it was also white, so as to imply that this made our complaints somehow less legitimate. That it might indicate that it’s pretty DAMN racist if all the white people are noticing seems not to have occurred to her.

  106. 106.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 8:51 pm

    @Betsy: Yeah, I regularly tell my employer that I think that her idea of goofy is highly offensive and callous.

    @auntieeminaz:

    I’m not the only one who laughed hysterically at this revised version of the picture am I?

    God I hope not, otherwise I’m slipping! I did have inspiration.

  107. 107.

    Betsy

    June 12, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    Am I going crazy? I thought I read a comment or two that followed my last one, and now they’re gone…Perhaps it’s time for me to get a glass of wine.

  108. 108.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 9:05 pm

    @Betsy: No, I edited in a link which had a certain word for cat in it, which then sucked my comment into moderation warp.

  109. 109.

    Betsy

    June 12, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    OOOHHHH, ok. Glad I’m not totally losing it. One can never be too sure.

    Yeah, I regularly tell my employer that I think that her idea of goofy is highly offensive and callous.

    That’s probably how you got your new job, amirite? (Congrats, BTW.)

  110. 110.

    jl

    June 12, 2009 at 9:22 pm

    Brooks: That is his gig, dude, it is part of his act. Put a reasonable face on whatever GOP hackery is requested for the day, but from a supposedly “reasonable” perspective. I think he very carefully keeps track of his ‘reasonable days” and “wingnut days” in order maximizes his effectiveness.

    Toothbrush quality crisis: I have noticed this too. When will the worthless corporate media get on top of this scandal?

  111. 111.

    Tattoosydney

    June 12, 2009 at 9:57 pm

    @AhabTRuler:

    I fixed your picture fer ya.

    I was expecting pasties, but yours was better….

  112. 112.

    Tattoosydney

    June 12, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    @Anne Laurie:

    “I really LIKE being here on the Alpha Bed, the heart of the heart of my new home, but I’ll understand if you want me to go back to my own den instead, only please don’t get angry, just tell me gently. And if you don’t mind my climbing on the bed, I promise to be a very very humble goooood little doggie pleeeese?”

    Yep, that’s the one.

  113. 113.

    Deborah

    June 12, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    My father got our dog a pony pack (130 lb great pyrenees, so dog packs didn’t fit) and would pack a water dish in one side and a canteen in the other.

    Camping and hiking stores sell little collapsible water dishes, which is probably more what you need–you can shake it out and put it in a pocket or small pack. Check REI. This page has a few.

    Oooh, page 2 has exactly what you describe, a bottle with a fold-on dish.

  114. 114.

    OriGuy

    June 12, 2009 at 10:01 pm

    Toothbrush quality crisis: I have noticed this too. When will the worthless corporate media get on top of this scandal?

    Ralph Nader’s not doing anything right now. Unsafe At Any Stroke

  115. 115.

    Skepticat

    June 12, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Looks as though Lily has figured out that she’s home.

    You had me a tad confused with the John Ashcroft action on the photos. Next time please use black rectangles so it’s obviously censorship rather than leprosy.

    I hope Tunch is getting short shrift only on the blog.

  116. 116.

    BC

    June 12, 2009 at 10:11 pm

    Toothbrushes are probably being made in a fireworks factory in China, John. You are just getting the ones closest to the gunpowder in the manufacturing process.

  117. 117.

    asiangrrlMN

    June 12, 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Sniff sniff, precious Lily has come so far in such a short time! It is great to see.

    P.S. You can do the blurred out thing instead. I find it more disturbing to see dog sans bits than dog mit genitalia.

  118. 118.

    tcolberg

    June 12, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    I have also noticed the duplicity of Brooks. I watched him on Jim Lehrer’s show long before I read anything from him and it’s like night and day.

  119. 119.

    apikoros

    June 12, 2009 at 10:21 pm

    John,

    [email protected] mentions it, but today is also the 42nd anniversary of the issuance of the decision in Loving vs. Virginia

  120. 120.

    AhabTRuler

    June 12, 2009 at 10:29 pm

    @Tattoosydney:
    @asiangrrlMN:
    For music tonight I can finally provide you with an example of Themroc, as I have constructed a video.

  121. 121.

    Anne

    June 12, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    Another Gulpy recommendation. And that picture is way cute.

  122. 122.

    Ella in NM

    June 12, 2009 at 11:09 pm

    I’ve taken the liberty of airbrushing out the naughty bits so we don’t have any NSFW problems.

    It’s not real?
    Thank Jeebus Frickin’ Christ!

    At first it looked like she has some freaky, east-cost killer fungal infection.

  123. 123.

    Tattoosydney

    June 12, 2009 at 11:39 pm

    @AhabTRuler:

    Nice.

  124. 124.

    AhabTRuler

    June 13, 2009 at 12:26 am

    @Tattoosydney: The only new Japanese thing I have is Chara, not really dance & I still don’t know how I feel about her.
    OTOH, I have been listening to Goldfrapp lately, especially this.

  125. 125.

    AhabTRuler

    June 13, 2009 at 12:34 am

    And also this. The video is terrible, but the beats are vicious.

  126. 126.

    Mister Colorful Analogy

    June 13, 2009 at 1:09 am

    @Trollhattan:

    You need a Gulpy:
    http://www.rei.com/product/753131
    Got one, it works once the dog figures out the tray is to drink from and not bite. Very handy during triple-digit season, and vastly better than keeping fido from the gutter water.

    Seconded; the Gulpy is a good option. My ex gf’s dog loved drinking out of it, and it fits everywhere a standard hoomun drink container fits.

  127. 127.

    noncarborundum

    June 13, 2009 at 11:14 am

    @tcolberg:
    He actually sounds reasonable in print from time to time. I find myself nodding along as I read and wondering whether Brooks has finally come over from the dark side. But he always throws in at least one “but I’m really a wingnut” sentence, as if to reassure his right-wing readers that deep down he’s still one of them.

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