Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Bark louder, little dog.

This fight is for everything.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

Good lord, these people are nuts.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / A Dog’s Life

A Dog’s Life

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Mom and I took the critters to the park. I usually just let Lily run wherever, but when Ginny and Guesly come, we have to do it in the ballpark because it is fenced. Even so, Guesly found a hole in deep left field and managed to get out tonight.

Lily has a nice takedown about halfway through (she and Guesly play rough like that every day- they really are best of friends), and you can see “Rosie” in the foreground for a bit:

There was a super nice breeze.

Reader Interactions

135Comments

  2. 2.

    Jay in Oregon

    you can see “Rosie” in the foreground for a bit

    It begins.

    Who wants to bet that middle of June 2011 we’ll be seeing another anniversary pet post?

    And I say that with the utmost respect, John; the fact that you stopped for Rosie at all puts you firmly in the camp of Good Humans. :)

  3. 3.

    Doctor Science

    I’m surprised at how disinterested in Rosie Guesley seems to be. “A bitch, look, smell her butt, now LET’S GO!!” And Rosie seems to lack that FULL SPEED AHEAD quality so characteristic of JRTs.

  5. 5.

    Linda Featheringill

    Lovely video.

    It is not described as such in the Bible but I suspect that when the Garden of Eden was closed down, it was also broken up and scattered and is to be found in numerous little out-of-the way places. When we are lucky, we find a piece of the Garden.

    And a piece of Garden is where the video was made. If it is not the Garden of Eden all the time, it certainly was while the Little Ones were playing.

  6. 6.

    Violet

    What a lovely day out with the doggies. ‘Rosie’ is lucky she climbed in the front seat of your car, John Cole. The ballpark looks like a good place for them to run.

  10. 10.

    bkny

    damn, didn’t take her long to settle in; and lily and the cousins seem ‘eh, whatever … let’s play!’

  11. 11.

    PurpleGirl

    I really like the pet posts. Watching the doggies run about is sweet and good for our souls.

  12. 12.

    TaMara (formerly Bad Horse's Filly)

    Funny how they all seem like they’ve known each other forever. Hmmm, I guess this probably was a match made in those places we can only imagine, bringing a small lost dog and a man in search of sheets together on a lonely country road.

  13. 13.

    John Cole

    I don’t think Rosie is going to stay, guys. I just don’t feel comfortable with a JRT and Tunch. Tunch and Rosie were both on my lap a bit ago and sniffed each other, and there was no hissy or growling, but just the way Rosie looks at him makes me nervous.

  15. 15.

    wobblybits

    @John Cole: Keep an eye on it. It just may be your own fear instead of something being truly “up”. That said, in the end you have to be comfortable with it. (But I’m hoping she proves you wrong and has found a forever home with you)

  16. 16.

    HumboldtBlue

    I love how when he gets to the dugout it’s a safe base and Lily can’t tackle him until he comes off the safe base.

    Lily didn’t like the butt-sniff, however, “come on doofus, stop smelling her butt and let’s play!”

  17. 17.

    TuiMel

    And Rosie seems to lack that FULL SPEED AHEAD quality so characteristic of JRTs

    In this video, Rosie is decidedly no-speed ahead. Even for the short duration of filming, this surprised me. My JRT would have been in on the rough-and-tumble and all the frantic running about. But, he also would not have shared a lap w/a kitty cat – even one as formidable as Tunch – unless unconscious.

  18. 18.

    Cat Lady

    Finding lost dogs takes time and it’s only been a day – not everyone has technology and savvy. It’s wise to believe that the owner will eventually show up, and wise to think that it’s temporary regardless. My favorite words are “we’ll see”.

  19. 19.

    donnah

    I gotta say, that curled up tail on Lily is just the most adorable thing. It’s like a perfect little accessory.

    Thanks for the video, John. It’s good to see dogs goofing off and having a great time.

  22. 22.

    CaseyL

    I love Lily’s voice!

    Well, if Rosie turns out to not be permanent Cole material, there’s no way in sweet green Gaia that John’ll just dump her outside somewhere. At worst he’ll take her to a no-kill shelter (I’m assuming there are such places in WV).

    John, can you take animals onto campus? Are you teaching now? If you took Rosie to school with you, she might find another human to bond with there. Not with a student, but a member of the faculty or staff, I’m thinking.

    She does seem amazingly phlegmatic for a JRT, and one who may have been abandoned at that. How thorough an examination did the vet give her? Did you get an age estimate?

  26. 26.

    Mark S.

    I guess I’m just used to cats where when you bring a new one into the mix, there’s two weeks of hissing and moaning.

  28. 28.

    You Don't Say

    @John Cole: I had two cats and wanted to adopt a dog. So I brought home one dog for a two-week trial and he chased them relentlessly. He had them cornered on top of the dining room hutch for days. And my cats were big tough cats. I returned him to the rescue group after a week. Later I brought home another dog for another trial, an older dog who did not like the cats but left them alone. I felt safe with her even though I knew she didn’t really like the cats so I adopted her and all was fine. They got to like her and would rub up against her and she would quietly growl, but never did a thing to them.

    I’m sure you know whether or not she’s safe around Tunch and if she’s not, then you have no choice but to find her another home.

  29. 29.

    Tim

    @Violet:
    Not to be a downer or anything…I have a couple of dogs, and when I was visiting my parents in small-town Illinois where there was no proper dog park, I let them run around in the ball field. I caught some hell from two teenagers in a pickup truck, and subsequently the park maintenance guy, for having my dogs in the ball field. They were in disbelief that they had to mention this–as if I’d been tearing up the turf with an ATV or something. It’s not like I wouldn’t have picked up after the dogs if they’d defecated. But apparently chaw-spit is where they draw the line in terms of what they want to be rolling around in. So, based on that, a ball field may not be the perfect place for your dogs to play. It looked fun in the video though!

  30. 30.

    eemom

    @John Cole:

    you had a dog and a cat on your lap at the same time and all they did was sniff each other? I’d say that’s pretty impressive.

    Also, I think you should resist this breed “profiling.” She may not even be a pure JRT (not that I would know, I’m strictly a mutt person).

    Know it’s none of my business, but I personally want you to keep the doggie. If only there were someone like you for every homeless animal out there, this world wouldn’t suck nearly as bad as it does.

    And it really WOULD be good for Lily to have an in house doggie playmate. Dogs are pack animals, remember. It would enrich her little dog life to have “one of her own” to communicate with!

    k, I’ll STFU. For now……

  31. 31.

    Jules

    I have one dog who grew up with our cats and after 5 years she still chases the cats.
    Bell really just wants to play and the youngest cat may, if the moon is in the correct house and he is approached as the God he is, deign to roll around on the floor for about 5 min or so.
    And at our house a cat and dog may never sit on the lap at the same time.
    2 cats will not share a lap either without hissing and growling and hurt feelings.

  32. 32.

    bemused

    Cute bunch of doggies.
    John, is there a bar in the area where you found Rosie? Bar regulars know a lot about their neighbors & who may have lost a dog. Worked for me.
    Limbaugh has been on a extra nasty tear even for him since he got back from his 4th honeymoon. He made fun of Malia Obama copying Beck, said BP money will probably go to Acorn to buy votes & says hungry kids should go dumpster diving. His honeymoon either fired him up or made him extremely cranky.

  33. 33.

    MikeJ

    @eemom:

    Know it’s none of my business, but I personally want you to keep the doggie. If only there were someone like you for every homeless animal out there, this world wouldn’t suck nearly as bad as it does.

    Which is exactly why I hope he finds the owner or a good home with someone else. There’s a limit to how many JCole can take care of on his own and you *know* he’s going to continue to try to help every animal in need he stumbles across. Which is a good thing, but he can’t keep all of them forever.

  35. 35.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @eemom: Dogs ARE pack animals but their pack doesn’t have to be other dogs. My dog is in the family pack, under me and Mrs. Fuckhead but over the kids.

  36. 36.

    Violet

    @eemom:

    Also, I think you should resist this breed “profiling.” She may not even be a pure JRT (not that I would know, I’m strictly a mutt person).

    I’m no breed expert either, but based on the couple of JRTs I’ve known, this Rosie looks a little different from them. Maybe it’s just the fat, but she seems stockier and her fur looks a little longer than the usual JRT. The JRTs I’ve known have been all muscle up front around the chest and neck area. Rosie doesn’t look built that way. Maybe she is a mutt of some description.

  37. 37.

    TaMara (formerly Bad Horse's Filly)

    Tunch and Rosie got me thinking about some of the pet mixing I’ve done. One of my favorites was my alpha cat and the chinchilla. My alpha was pretty tolerant with my rescues, but when I brought the chinchilla home, she gave me a look that clearly said, “you brought a fucking rat home and you expect me to be okay with it?”

    One day, the chinchilla was out and exploring the family room under both my watchful eye and my cat’s. She was basically stalking him – not in the kill him way, more in the “let’s see what all the fuss is” way. Chinchillas are very laid back (and smart!), so he didn’t freak about it, he just kept exploring.

    Then, without warning, he quietly turned around, faced her, sat up on his haunches, reached out, took her face in his hand-like paws and rubbed noses with her. A chinchilla kiss. That was one stunned cat. She never bothered him again and I think she secretly loved him a little after that.

  39. 39.

    jeffreyw

    Annie loves our two cats, happy to sniff and lick em. Cats aren’t too happy with that but don’t run away. Buddy tolerates the kitties if ignoring them came be so described. Jack is OK with them, but on occasion they’ll be where he wants to walk and he is forced to bark em a bit and chase a little. The cats know he won’t pursue more than ten feet or so. Toby enjoys swatting Jack on the butt from his perch in the kitty condo. One big happy family.

  42. 42.

    eemom

    @MikeJ:

    I agree in the abstract, but so far he’s only up to 3. That’s not an unreasonable number.

    I am familiar with the “collector” phenomenon. It is very sad. But John doesn’t strike me as the type to fall into that trap.

    Good heavens, the man was able to recover from Republicanism! That alone speaks volumes.

    Oh hi John. You don’t mind if I talk about you on your own blog, do you?

  43. 43.

    John Cole

    We had bags in case the dogs did anything in the field other than potty.

    And trust me- she is pure JRT. She looks a little beagleish sometimes because she is a wide load, but she is pure JRT. The behaviors, the mannerisms, down to the back legs that look like she is wearing pantaloons (all JRT’s look like they have on pantaloons).

    Let me put it this way. I had her on an extend-a-leash in the backseat. I went into the store to buy a soda. In 45 seconds, she had it wrapped around her hind leg three times, around the emergency brake, around the gear shift, and around the passenger side seatbelt. In 45 seconds. Jack Russell Terrier owners will understand what I mean when I say ONLY a JRT can do that in that amount of time.

  44. 44.

    John Cole

    Some perspective, people- I have a dog and a cat and a houseguest. I think I’m a few pets short of crazy fucker in a trailer with 84 cats.

  45. 45.

    WereBear

    John has already rescued her. What happens next is simply what is the best for all involved.

    As I’ve often said about the animals who have come my way; I may not be their destination. I might be just a train that gets them to the next station.

    But that is a good deed, too.

  46. 46.

    lamh32

    I’m begining to think my complex has some sorta no pet clause, or maybe a 1 pet clause, cause I have yet seen someone with more than 1 dog, and they must also have a no-cat clause.

    OT,

    Here I sit about to watch “Sabrina” the version with Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond, and Greg Kinnear, for the 3rd time since it’s been shown on HBO. What make this so sad is that I actually own the movie (both version; i.e. the original with Bogart & Audrey, and this one), so I can watch it anytime I want.

    And yet, I’m still sitting here watching as I type. Okay,

    I’m the least girly grily on the outside, out of all my siblings, but put me in front of a romantic movie and I can’t resist.

    I really just like this movie. It the reason why I find Greg Kinnear cute (I liked him when he hosted Talk Soup), and it probably the first time since Indiana Jones, that I like Harrison Ford as a romantic lead and not just an action star.

    I can’t honestly say which I love better, the original or the remake. They both have a place in my sad little romantic heart.

    Ahhhhh

  47. 47.

    mr. whipple

    I agree in the abstract, but so far he’s only up to 3. That’s not an unreasonable number.

    It would be unreasonable if it was lost women. :)

  48. 48.

    eemom

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    sure. I just think dogs can communicate among themselves in a way they can’t with humans, and that such a relationship enriches a dog’s life, and —

    OMFG. Am I actually having a polite conversation with Fuckhead?

  49. 49.

    Joseph Nobles

    Lord God, that really is a little piggy JRT. They can be pills and perhaps she got dumped, but it’s just as likely that she slipped her collar and got turned around somewhere. I know she’s got a good home with you, Cole, but if she still isn’t challenging any territory with the other critters, I’ll bet somebody is looking for her.

  50. 50.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Y’all missed it, I cannot believe that all you goggeh people out there missed it, (scene from National Treasure and EDT is coming to mind) LILY WAS PROTECTING ROSILITA, you didn’t notice it? Notice when Guesely goes up and sniffs Rosies butt? Notice when Lily tells Guesely off? OMG I can’t believe you missed it. “That is my new best friend and you are not going to mess with her” thank you.

  51. 51.

    Mary G

    @John Cole: But, but … she luvs you. She just hung out around your feet while you were filming.

    And if she and Tunch could share your lap on only the second day, it must be OK.

    And you could take Rosie to training and emphasize the “LEAVE IT” command.

    Tunch could take her. Too. Also.

    It’s such a sweet Cinderella story; small scared dog left alone in the middle of nowhere getting rescued by her Prince Charming.

    Only you can decide, though. I know you’ll find her a good forever home if you decide you have to, otherwise you’d never hear the end of it from us.

  52. 52.

    mr. whipple

    @John Cole:

    I think I’m a few pets short of crazy fucker in a trailer with 84 cats.

    Where is the line, though? We’ve got 5 cats, but what if we had 10? 15?

  56. 56.

    TaMara (formerly Bad Horse's Filly)

    @John Cole: Exactly. And everyone is different. Some people can handle a variety of animals, safely, cleanly and with the proper amount of attention and love. Others are set with just one.

    In my experience, my single dog and single cat were bored and needy. The happiest and most engaged my extended brood were, was when they had a variety of playmates.

    Right now I am dogless and I can tell you, my cats are unhappy about it and every time any friend brings a dog to visit, they are beyond happy to have one around again. Even if it’s just to torment. But mostly they want to rub up against and demand to be worshiped.

  57. 57.

    TuiMel

    @Violet:
    Jacks come in lots of shapes and sizes and some variant of prey drive. Rosie looks a lot like a “broken coat” Jack named Bubba, who was the first JRT that I ever knew. Rosie’s tail really looks like Bubba’s tail. My first JRT did not know what to make of a neighbor’s cat, whom I referred to as (with apologies to all you cat people) his “cruddy buddy.” The cat did not run from him; he would just lounge about in what looked to me as an invitation to mutual acceptance or even “palship.” The Jack was absolutely flummoxed, and he left the cat be. My current Jack has been taunted by kitties who like to strut in plain site on the perimeter of his “reach.” He goes ballistic when he spots one; the cries of frustration sound so tortured. No clue what he would do if he could get to one. I once found him nose to nose with a baby possum, and he clearly did not know what to make of it. He was younger then, though.

  58. 58.

    HumboldtBlue

    I think I’m a few pets short of crazy fucker in a trailer with 84 cats.

    You’re West By God Virginia born and raised, you aint that fucking far off, son.

  59. 59.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @eemom: Well I disagree. The neighborhood teenaged Golden Retreiver comes over to play with Max and Max doesn’t have any time for him. Max has a pack and a purpose as a working dog. Dogs are bred over eons to serve man and that is what they do. Another dog just complicates everything.

  63. 63.

    Keith G

    It sure seems that Rosie is a lost pup. She is so well socialized to be with strange humans and other dogs, to be in a car and take a bath and to share the prized security of a lap.

    It seem that humans who would abandon a dog would have also engaged in other activities leading to anxiety or other troubling behaviors.

    Also, if she is indeed lost, it may not be from a “local”. Are there any parks or campsites near by?

  66. 66.

    HumboldtBlue

    (my surname is very Italian).

    Prego Italiano? That’s a funny surname, indeed.

  71. 71.

    eemom

    @TaMara (formerly Bad Horse’s Filly):

    I had a friend in high school named Tamara who pronounced it your way. Her father was Russian.

    Since then I’ve known other Tamaras who pronounced it TAA mara.

    I like your way better. Think it’s a shame when fine ethnic names get anglicized.

  74. 74.

    Chat Noir

    @CaseyL:

    I love Lily’s voice!

    Me too. The dawgs looked like they were enjoying themselves immensely.

    Thanks for the video. And everyone’s respective pet stories are such a welcome relief from the silliness that is our political/social discourse. You’re all good folks.

  77. 77.

    Keith G

    @John Cole: BTW

    We had bags in case the dogs did anything in the field other than potty.

    That does not cut it. I assume children use that ball field. Dog poo can contain harmful bacteria and parasites. Even if one thinks one has picked up all the crap, well, it ain’t so.

    While I am sure that the Cole dogs shit nectar and ambrosia, others are likely to be more foul. Most school yards and rec fields near me, want the dogs sticking to doggie areas.

  82. 82.

    eemom

    @stuckinred:

    yes, it is to weep.

    OTOH, since the Wall Street meltdown and the oil spill, people are finding better targets for their hatred than a poor old Washington lawyer who’s just trying to earn an honest living.

  83. 83.

    fucen tarmal

    in honor of bloomsday i recommend “i got laid on james joyce’s grave” by black 47, i always screw up links from youtube…

  87. 87.

    asiangrrlMN

    Awwww! I love the video. The dogs are romping and having a great time, and yeah, Lily is being protective of Rosalita. Cole, I know no matter what you do, it’ll be the right thing for all your clan. In the meantime, enjoy having your house guest around and gets lots of video. Oh, and TUNCH!

  88. 88.

    Restrung

    just to note that the contrast between Digby and JC today is umm.. remarkable. I’ll go read Digby and then say “self, go wash your mind out with some Cole, et al.” Just finished feeding a stray/wandering cat that keeps hanging around. A hungry one. nononono. No. Not in the house!

  91. 91.

    JL

    When they come to take you down (and may that sad day be far, far down that road we all walk) your mortal coil will be found surrounded by dozens of healthy, happy critters.

    That noted, some will of course grown hungry after your demise, and… well, let’s face it, they’re animals. Think of it this way– a little of you will live on within them for the rest of their lives. OK, until their next stool.

    You could do a lot worse.

  94. 94.

    ajr22

    All the dog talk around here has really increased my desire for a dog. I walk by the humane society in Chicago every day on my way to and from work, and am always tempted. However I live in a small apartment, and I’m always gone. How do people that work all day pay enough attention/take care of their dogs? I’ll pull the trigger at some point, I may just need to be patient.

  96. 96.

    Restrung

    hometowner Tommy Stinson (dot com) is making a solid effort for schools in Haiti. Learned that from Digby, who learned it from Rick Perlstein. It’s not dogs romping, but hey.

  97. 97.

    Cat Lady

    BTW, Lily is… confident. She’s home, in every sense of the word. She’s the dog she was really meant to be. She’s the queen of all she sees, and it’s because she’s been saved by love. It really does make my rescue cat lady’s heart sing to see another one of the FSM’s creature’s on the karmic path. Many blessings to you John Cole.

    May all beings be happy.

  98. 98.

    Keith G

    @John Cole: I hear ya (and stuckinred, too). And I have no wish to soap box.

    I was lucky enough to grow up on a small farm where the only poop problem I encountered was mucking out stalls.

    I do remember a hs football practice when a sophomore wide-out made a sliding catch near the end zone. As he popped up, he loudly realized that grass was not the only organic material staining his jersey.

    He found his nickname.

  99. 99.

    RedKitten

    @John Cole: Yep. In a small town, there is no such thing as a “doggie area”, unless it’s a fenced-in part of your own backyard.

    I live in an area about the same size as where you live, and hated bringing Dreyfus for walks around the village, because everybody else let their dogs run loose, and they’d come up and bother Dreyf (who was geriatric and a tiny bit snappish). Things went badly on more than one occasion, until I hit upon the idea of the ballfield. It was great. I just closed the fence door behind me, took off his leash, and let him go.

    It is VASTLY entertaining to see a 14-year-old Lhasa Apso running hell-bent for leather across a ball-field, with his ears flying behind him, and that gigantic monkfish grin on his face.

  100. 100.

    Steeplejack

    @lamh32:

    Here I sit about to watch Sabrina [. . .] for the 3rd time since it’s been shown on HBO. What make this so sad is that I actually own the movie [. . .], so I can watch it anytime I want.

    I think there is some subconscious phenomenon where watching it when it’s “live” feels better than watching it when you know it’s just you. Like a weird faux-connectedness to being part of an audience. I have noticed the same thing in myself. I have tons of stuff saved on the DVR, but many times I will end up watching some “lesser” show on TV rather than a DVD or something from the DVR.

    Both versions of Sabrina are good. I have a soft spot for Julia Ormond. Seems like one of those actors who should have had more success. She is really good in Smilla’s Sense of Snow, which she did right after Sabrina.

  101. 101.

    Jager

    @You Don’t Say:

    When Mrs j and I came together (happens quite often) she had a 10 year old kitty and I had a 2 year old German Shepard. The dog trainer told me that as long as the cat had a place to get away, ours chose the top of a hutch, they would sort it out within 90 days. Like magic about 3 weeks after the first tense meeting they settled into a relationship that lasted for just over ten years. They did a re-enactment
    routine for years; cat would tease dog, dog would growl and jump up, pretend to chase cat, cat would get up high and give the dog dirty looks…Tunch and Rosie will get it straight. BTW that nice take down by Lily would cause some
    of the owners in our dog park to accuse you of having a “mean, out of control dog…a vicious beast that should always be on a lead”. Can’t figure out why some dog owners never understand dogs, what the hell, have fun and let them roll!

  102. 102.

    debit

    @ajr22: Honestly? You make time. You have to. Those 30 minute walks in the morning and the evening make up the best hour of Chloe’s day. She waits and waits for me to get home; I’m not sure how dogs perceive time, but imagine that wait must be terribly long to her.

    I’d been dogless for over ten years; told myself I didn’t want the mess, didn’t want to have to do the walks in the rain and the cold, didn’t have the time, etc. Now those 2 walks make up the best hour of my day too.

    And Cole, if Rosie will share your lap with Tunch I don’t think you have any worries. It took Chloe a couple weeks to settle in with our cats. Once they stopped trying to beat her up they wanted to be friends and couldn’t figure out why she gave them the cold shoulder. I did make sure she understood she was at the bottom of the pecking order. Cats rule. Now she’ll show her belly to them if they pester her enough.

  103. 103.

    Dee Loralei

    @RedKitten: My dog trainer told me that when dogs run it produces endorphins and so they get the original runners high when they are loose and free.

    He also told me that they might run away from me if I’m being frown-y, in order to get me to run so I can experience the same joy they have. The last time one of them broke free from me, I plastered a big happy exaggerated smile and laughed and laughed and acted as cheerleader-y as I could and he almost immediately came back to me. So the guy may know what he’s talking about. So maybe that is something that Dreyfus was feeling. He was finally able to run and run.

    John Cole, you are just such a good decent and caring guy. I wouldn’t mind buying you a beer if I ever got to West, By God, Virginia! Or if you ever get to Memphis.)

    And my favorite aunt retired yesterday after a gazillion years at the same bank. She says she wants a laptop and a lapdog and I’ve been researching different breeds for her. ( For some reason she doesn’t think my Goldens are actually lap dogs.) So if Rosalita is pregnant, after Tammie, I’d like 2nd choice in pups. I’ll meet you in East Tn. And then drive the baby to OK to my aunts loving arms.

  104. 104.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Okay, sorry, but FUCK!! Wearing a lovely new (bought on sale, but still) white blouse. Took enormous care all day not to spill coffee (breakfast) or salsa (lunch) on it.

    Dinner? Two words, and I bet you can guess them: RED WINE. Fuckettyfuckfuck.

    That is all.

    (Yeah, thanks Heloise, I did the soda water, did the table salt.)

  105. 105.

    Anne Laurie

    John, I have to agree, “Rosalita” (and my dog Zevon approves that name!) was/is definitely somebody’s beloved housepet, and I hope for everybody’s best sake that her person(s) will hook up with you soon. On the other hand, there are, as TuiMei says, some JRT lines that are less intense than the ‘classic’ type (compare today’s golden retrievers to the much more hyper flat-coat retrievers from whom they descend). If Rosie stays at your place, there is probably a more or less intense ‘Failure of Manners’ incident or 17 waiting in your future, as she goes from best-party-guest etiquette to potential-housemate rule-challenges.

    For Tunch’s sake, you may want to establish right now that Tunch gets sleep-with-John privileges, as does Lily, but Ms. Rosalita has to spend her nights in the basement (or a crate, or just locked out of the bedroom). The people bed is the Heart of the Den, and in my experience that’s the first place fights start when there’s a new ‘pack member’ and the last place where everybody is capable of settling down and relaxing once the challenges start. Even if Rosie is staying with y’all for the long term (and you’re right, that may not be the best solution), right now she is still Newbie Girl, and she will understand that as Probie she doesn’t have all the same privileges as the old hands. (Doesn’t mean she won’t whine or plead or even howl over the arrangement, but it “makes sense” to the canine mind as long as you harden your heart & introduce the idea now.)

    Because I would read Lily’s behavior in the video clip as “resource guarding” Guesley’s attention. She’s okay with the new girl, mostly, but she doesn’t want her daycare buddy courting her when he should be playing with Ms Lily, thankyewverymuch. If Rosie stays at Lily’s house for much longer, I’d assume Lily is going to start defending “her” most valuable household resources (starting with your lap, or the bed, even before “her” supper dish, I suspect.) Nothing that can’t be worked out fairly quickly — as long as Rosalita is willing to concede first rights, Lily isn’t so dominant that she won’t graciously accept Rosie as Dog #2.

    A dog invites another dog to play by folding its front legs, putting its head down, wagging its tail & sometimes barking or whining. To a cat, this reads as something between “stalking you like prey” and “about to commit an insane attack”. A cat invites another cat to play by getting its attention and then rolling on one side — which, to a dog, reads as “you have completely overwhelmed me with your mighty alpha-hood”. It’s a language comprehension issue, and like all such translation problems it can get ugly until both parties learn that the other ‘speaker’ isn’t doing these weird things just to be annoying. If Rosie can share a lap with Tunch, however briefly, she’s probably cat-savvy enough to make the translation properly, but extra supervision (and making it clear that Tunch always outranks Rosie, forever) is a good idea right now.

  107. 107.

    Cat Lady

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    That’s the story of my small little life. My tombstone will say “what’s that stain on your shirt?” The irony that will be lost on everyone but me is that up until my last messy breath I was SO SURE I was lookin’ sooooo goooood.

    +4

  108. 108.

    jl

    Sounds like a very nice dog that Cole found.

    I would not presume to tell any person who has to shell out time, emotions, and money for a pet, whether it should stay or go.

    So if there are some subtle dog-cat vibes between the new doggie and Tunch that make Cole nervous, then I would say the new dog has got to go asap.

    Let’s hope that it is not pregnant. It seems like such a nice dog that it won’t be hard to find a home for it.

    And Balloon Juice officials need to post official word on status of whether dog is pregnant. Otherwise we might have a scandal in the making which would require a blogger ethics panel. Just sayin’.

  109. 109.

    SIA

    Open thread eh? I’m not sure if I picked this up here on an earlier thread or elsewhere, but via Sullivan, Bill O’Reilly interviewing La Palin. She got really pissed at some point in the interview. I think he was messin’ with her. Enjoyable enough that I watched all 7 minutes of it. (Thanks Steeplejack – I get a kick every time I do the linky-link thang).

    Re dogs, I watched that little Lily-Rosie-G&G video 6 or 7 times. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

    ETA: Apologies in advance if the link is something that’s already been discussed.

  111. 111.

    jellyroll

    @Linda Featheringill:

    Lurker telling LF that the Eden comment was beautiful. Thank you.
    For those who scrolled past

    It is not described as such in the Bible but I suspect that when the Garden of Eden was closed down, it was also broken up and scattered and is to be found in numerous little out-of-the way places. When we are lucky, we find a piece of the Garden.

  112. 112.

    SIA

    @arguingwithsignposts: Yes, it’s a really, really bad voice, and an even worse brain. This is why I don’t worry about her ever being president. She can’t stand up to any scrutiny without reacting and thus exposing herself. There may be 18% (just guessing) who would vote for her regardless, but thank FSM that’s nowhere near enough.

  113. 113.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Cat Lady:

    Oh, I know. If I had the brains god gave a goat, everything in my closet would be that compelling dark shade that falls midway between burgundy and bittersweet chocolate.

    @SIA and aws: saw that interview earlier today (I think it first came to my attention via Newhounds) and I must say it was the most amazing cognitive disconnect being on Billo’s side!

  114. 114.

    Jackie IL -there seem to be two of us

    @ajr22: Dog walkers and doggie daycare. Very available in metro Chicago. They get to meet new people and new dogs. They play and get tired. (a tired doggie is a good doggie) You can stop and get groceries without feeling too guilty. You also get abuse from people who think you are ridiculous and dogs should live outside in a hut.

    My boys are happy and the critics can jump in the lake.

  116. 116.

    cckids

    Hi, newbie to posting, long-time lurker. Just wanted to chime in on the doggie issue–kudos to you for being a good-hearted man.
    Rosalita may very well be a lost pet- 5 years ago we lost our Pomeranian, Pixie, for 4 days–my son’s friend left our gate open & he was gone for about an hour before we realized it. Within 24 hours we had over 200 flyers up all over the neighborhood, had a cadre of my kids’ friends helping look, and STILL it was 4 days. The gentleman who found him worked at a nearby apartment complex–found him wandering there, Pixie went right up, thankful to hear a friendly voice–when he didn’t find an owner that evening at the complex, took him home for the weekend. He remarked that his family couldn’t believe how Pixie fit in with them & LOVED their cats (we’ve got 3 of them).
    He found us by calling the shelters–we’d taken flyers there too. He didn’t see any of our flyers, (!)
    We were amazingly thankful to him. Rosie’s family may be having a similar experience. Good luck to you all!

  117. 117.

    TuiMel

    @arguingwithsignposts:
    Palin:
    Word salad Annie. Gator’s got your grammar (and every other cognitive skill required for intelligent, intelligible speech). Usually, I try to avoid all things Palin, because her fans seem to regard any pub as good pub, and her continued celebrity lines her grifter pockets. But, the optimist in me hopes she hangs herself with performances like this. Perhaps she will have to jump the shark with certain elements of the American electorate one voter at a time…

  118. 118.

    mr. whipple

    But, the optimist in me hopes she hangs herself with performances like this. Perhaps she will have to jump the shark with certain elements of the American electorate one voter at a time…

    That’s fine with me. I’m praying she runs. It’ll be an epic fight as she rips into the other GOP primary candidates. I hope she wins the nomination, and will send $ if I can.

    And Obama will win 40+ states.

  121. 121.

    suzanne

    I’m excited. After my husband, daughter, and I get back from visiting my in-laws in Arkansas next week, the plan is to head to the Humane Society and adopt us a new doggie.

    I lost my Keeta (Siberian Husky) on Easter Sunday, and my heart is just….dogless. I adore my cat, but there’s just a hole in my heart that’s dog-shaped, yanno? Now that we’ve moved into our new place and have a lovely yard, and with a baby on the way, the timing just feels right.

    I’m kind of giddy thinking about it. ***squee!***

  122. 122.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    Get out yer Ya Ya’s. Today’s primo wingnut Zen

    WASHINGTON, June 16 /Christian Newswire/ — Today, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed, John Lewis and other members of Congress including John Boehner are unveiling a plaque honoring the efforts of Black slaves who helped build the nation’s Capitol Building.

    “It is appropriate to recognize the fact that our forefathers helped to build the Capitol,” said Alveda King, Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, and a leader of the http://www.prolifefreedomrides.com campaign. “Yet, much more needs to be done. For example, amending then passing HR 40 which calls for an investigation of the impact of slavery on our nation. The harmful impact of abortion needs to be included in that legislation.”

    “Here’s the part I don’t get…” said Day Gardner, President of the National Black Pro-Life Union, “How can Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and others flash their pearly-whites in front of television cameras supposedly to honor black slaves yet adamantly support the genocidal killing of the great, great, grand children of slaves by abortion? Right here, in the nation’s capitol, for every black child born–another is brutally killed by abortion.”

    Slavery is like, so about abortion

    Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

  124. 124.

    eco2geek

    Our next-door neighbor moved out 3-4 years ago and left her dog behind. It wasn’t cool that when she was living there, she left it out in the yard all the time to bark, since her yard was right next to the bedroom. It really wasn’t cool to leave it behind when she left. It kept hanging around, eating my outdoor cats’ food, but wouldn’t let anyone near it.

    Finally I stuck some “people food” in a cat trap (we’re talking about a chihuahua) and, sure enough, when I got home from work that night, there he was. Once inside the house and bathed, he was aggressively friendly. “Don’t leave me alone or I’ll chew through this leash and come find you” friendly. Maybe abandonment will do that.

    His size belied his strength, and he had a very piercing bark. We had a Siberian Husky at the time (sigh…) and didn’t want another dog. An acquaintance at work who already had one chihuahua agreed to take him, so I put him in the cat carrier and he charmed the office staff (and annoyed management with his barking) until the deed was done.

    Last I heard, he was riding around in his new mom’s lap while she drove.

  125. 125.

    That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal (JMN)

    @SIA:

    Yes, it’s a really, really bad voice, and an even worse brain.

    This is why FSM invented ball gags.

  126. 126.

    Anne Laurie

    @Jager:

    BTW that nice take down by Lily would cause some
    of the owners in our dog park to accuse you of having a “mean, out of control dog…a vicious beast that should always be on a lead”. Can’t figure out why some dog owners never understand dogs, what the hell, have fun and let them roll!

    To be fair — which, I agree, some dog owners are not — a “nice take down” can be scary when one dog is big and the other is small. I trusted my first 10lb papillon to play with my friends’ Irish setters, afghan hounds, aussies & great danes, as long as he had access to his airline crate. When the big dogs started playing too hard, Galley would zip into his crate & give everybody a chance to calm down again; my friends called him “the referee” because the other dogs started to depend on his time-outs as an indicator that everybody needed to chill. Our current three papillons are all rescues — Zevon likes other dogs okay but he’s a chronic escape junkie, Sydney is afraid of dogs he doesn’t know, and Gloria is the kind of high-alpha (spayed) bitch who lifts her leg over the boys’ messages — so I’m a lot more paranoid about supervising them even in a small-dog-only playlot. And, alas, for every paranoid owner in the big dogs’ pen who “protects” his dog from having any fun, there’s at least one clueless idiot who’s explaining that her overstressed, hyper, unsocialized 100lb lab/akita/pit mix is “just playing” as it threatens the other dogs & dog owners with its hackles up and a full-bore fear-snarl.

  127. 127.

    Zuzu's Petals

    @SIA:

    She could probably barf on camera and her followers would think it brilliant:

    I think this was Sarah Palin’s best appearance to date on Fox News as a pundit. She was very strong and powerful at times, giving indication that if she were in command she would be able to handle this mess and come up with plans to keep the oil at bay. She is really starting to sound presidential.

  128. 128.

    eco2geek

    @Anne Laurie: We don’t take our 100 lb. akita to the dog park because she interprets any off-leash dog coming up to her as aggression and reacts with a growl. It only took one quick test to confirm this. (The beagle who was on the other side of the dog park fence during this experiment probably had its self-esteem lowered but otherwise was not harmed.)

    It only takes one aggressive dog to clear out a dog park. Usually the owner isn’t clueless, he/she just doesn’t give a damn.

    I can’t imagine a lab being in the same category as pit bulls and akitas, though.

  129. 129.

    Anne Laurie

    @eco2geek:

    I stuck some “people food” in a cat trap (we’re talking about a chihuahua) and, sure enough, when I got home from work that night, there he was. Once inside the house and bathed, he was aggressively friendly. “Don’t leave me alone or I’ll chew through this leash and come find you” friendly. Maybe abandonment will do that.
    __
    His size belied his strength, and he had a very piercing bark…
    __
    Last I heard, he was riding around in his new mom’s lap while she drove.

    Blessings be to you for that happy ending! Chihuahuas, like most toy dogs, were bred to bond with people… and, alas, to be noisy; one of their original functions was to serve as a biological personal alarm. Dumping a Chihuahua in the yard & ignoring it is like forbidding a Golden to fetch things or not letting a Lab swim — why the hell would anyone want to do something that cruel & stupid? (I know, I know: People are idiots. SATSQ.)

  130. 130.

    Anne Laurie

    @eco2geek:

    It only takes one aggressive dog to clear out a dog park. Usually the owner isn’t clueless, he/she just doesn’t give a damn.
    __
    I can’t imagine a lab being in the same category as pit bulls and akitas, though

    It can be hard to make an exact distinction between ‘clueless’ and ‘careless’. Just as every parent believes his baby is cute, smart, and talented, too many ‘dog parents’, even the experienced owners who should know better, assume that their precious Fluffy has only the best possible motivations & manners. We almost stopped attending one obedience group because of a malamute who really wasn’t safe around other dogs — she persistently ‘teased’ all the smaller dogs, males as well as females, and briefly got banned for attacking an elderly Newfie (she was “always fine” with the other three Newfies in the club, but went after the arthritic one who couldn’t defend himself). But the malevolent Mal’s owner was a pillar of the club, a longtime donor and constant volunteer, who’d trained her other earlier Mals with no such problems… which made it even more ridiculous that she kept defending her dog’s sneak-attacks as “just being exuberant”.

    As for the Bad Labs, yeah, you wouldn’t think it would be an issue — but at least here in New England, there are a lot of Lab/Pit and Lab/Boxer and Lab/Akita crosses, partly because Labs are so dam’ common and partly because idiot breeders think they’ll get a puppy with a Lab’s trainability and a ‘protection dog’s’ drive. Not to mention that as with any other very popular breed, there are going to be a certain percentage of untrustworthy specimens, and even a tiny percentage of a huge pool ends up a big number. My experience over the last 20 years (and I’ll admit I’m prejudiced) has been that the current pet-shop puppy-mill backyard-bred Labrador has gotten bigger and dumber and more hyperactive and generally harder to civilize, and a hundred-pound musclehead with canine ADD can be as dangerous as any “attack dog” even if it doesn’t mean any harm. (Also, of course, they should stay off my lawn, these darn kids!)

  134. 134.

    Barbara

    Coming late: I would love an already trained and friendly lap dog, and I would seriously consider taking Rosalita, if the current canine occupant of my dwelling is certified as sufficiently stable — he is small, but kind of crazy, and so taking prozac under the supervision of a veterinary psychologist. Then again, I got my current dog in West Virginia, from a lady who bred “only for friends and family,” a statement I have increasingly come to doubt over the years I have had this dog (a Welsh corgi, not a JRT). Anyway, I hope you continue to post about your house guest.

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