Introducing Mr. Elwood

I cannot believe I have waited so long to show everyone my new best friend!
This is Elwood, but we call him Woody. As of today, he's about nine months old, but this picture was taken a few months back.

He's a nervous little guy, and has huuuuuge ears! He's all Corgi for sure.

Your friend,
Benjamin

Benny in the Wind

The wind was crazy today! The power kept shutting off at Mom's work! I only know this because I accompanied her to work today only to find out I was getting a bath...yuuuuck.

Hello February!

Boy it's been a while since I wrote!

For those still wondering, my bones are all healed and I'm doing great!

Mom and Dad called in quits in September and Bear went to live with Dad..I miss that little guy, but it sounds like he's living the life now.

Mom and I live in a cute apartment now. We're just a few minutes away from the dog park! Mom graduated from college so she has extra time to spend with me these days. When Mom gets ahold of a camera, I'll show you how handsome I am now!

Robert has moved to San Francisco which means I don't see Penny or Nickle very much anymore. The Corgi club is slowly drifting apart, however! Our friend Zach is very determined to get a Cardigan puppy! I might have a little friend pretty soon. Mom's stoked too.

I apologize for the lack of pictures, but wanted to let everyone know I'm alive and kickin', er, barkin!

Your Cardigan friend,
Benjamin

Bad to the Bone

Dear friends,
Benny had his surgery today. The doctor preformed an ostectomy on Benny's left ulna and took a bit of fat from his waist and put it into the surgical site to keep the gap in his arm from healing too quickly.


Click on the image to see a larger picture.

Mom had to leave Benny at the hospital this evening, but she really didn't want to. Although, she said if anything were to happen, the hospital is too far away to get to in an emergency. Doctor's orders: Benny has to stay.

Mom said when she was leaving Benny was still a little groggy from the anesthesia. The technicians made him a nice fluid bag with lidocane and ketamine, and he will be getting hydromorphone every 4 to 6 hours. Mom says he shouldn't feel too much pain then, even though bone surgery is some of the most painful to have.

Jake and I have been waiting at home all day for news on Benny. We can't wait until he gets home! Plus, Dad is away on work so we're missing him, too.

Keep Benny in your thoughts. We are!

Your handsome Corgi friend,
Bear

Bad News Benny

I'm sorry for the lack of posts as I have recently learned that I will need sugery on my elbow immediately. Mom noticed I had a limp and took me in to see the veterinarian and radiographs revealed my left ulna has stopped growing, while the left radius bone continues to grow and bow out.


Click on the image to see a larger version in a new window.

You can see the gap between the arm bones on the left arm is much wider than the right, and the end of the radius bone (the round ball) doesn't sit in the socket the way it should. The doctor said the right elbow is not as bad, but not ideal. The left needs surgery, and mom says I have to go.

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress. Until surgery, mom has me on a bit of a weight loss plan to keep my joints in tip-top shape. We ate the puppy food a little too long and I gained some weight because of it! It was yummy, though. Mom bought me a bag of Canidae and we are raw fed at night. Since learning about my joint issue, mom has bought lots of chicken feet for me! Chicken feet are a natural source of glucosamine and chondritin, and these will help my joints stay healthy. Dad bought me a life jacket so I can swim in the big pool and exercise without having impact on my joints.

Your limping friend,
Benny

We love payday!

Payday for mom means new toys for us! She bought us some Old Mother Hubbard P-Nuttier cookies!


Here's Jake trying to escape with the new goofy toy!

Mom didn't have too much homework this morning so she took us to Bear Dog Park but it was closed! So she drove out to another dog park, C-Bar-C, where we played with a Terrier mix and his mom. She was a really nice lady, she even threw our tennis balls for us with her Chuck-It stick! We also ran into a big Boxer named Lucas; we thought it was Jake at first but this Boxer had extra parts (testicles and a tail!) So it obviously wasn't Jake.

After the park mom took us by Petsmart to pick out a toy! Bear and I got the squishy Chuck-It ball and the goofy squeaky toy and Mom picked out the big tennis ball for Jake (since he didn't get to go to the park with us today). It was great! All the ladies loved my blue eyes and my calm demeanor.



I'm gonna go take a nap...maybe grab a cookie first.

Your muddy friend,
Benny

So chewy and tempting.

I am addicted to rawhide.

I was left all alone in the house today. No one to play with, no television to bark at...just me and my rawhide. Eventually mom and dad came home with Bear and grandma and grandpa came home with Jake and all was right with the world again.

Mom says she's going to try and give the vegetarian thing another go because her body "is not a cemetery for dead animals." However, I could go for a nice lamb shank right now.

I'm gonna go ask mom for another blueberry...

Your best Corgi friend,
Benny

Play all day, sleep all night.

We got to visit two dog parks today! Benny and I made lots of new friends, including a Cockerpoo (Cockapoo) who completely adored me! Her and I laid on our backs and gave kisses and rolled in the grass together. By the time we got back home I was starving! Benny wasn't so thrilled about his chicken drumstick dinner. I, on the other paw, was very eager to eat my raw meaty chicken drumstick.

How well do you know Benny & Bear?

Dear friends,
get to know us better by reading our answers to this fun doggie survey!

What’s your name? Benny!
What are your nicknames? Ben Jamin’, Benny Boy, Benners
What’s your favorite treat? Carrots, ice or Carob Chip cookies
Where’s your favorite place to go? To work with my mom!
Bacon or cheese? Hard to choose, but probably cheese.
Purebred or mixed? Purebred, but I don’t let it go to my head.
What’s your best trick? High five and roll over...oh, and speak! I can speak!
What’s your worst habit? Pooping on my walks, sorry mom!
What’s your favorite thing to do during the Summer? Swim in my doggy pool. Sometimes mom puts veggies in the water for me to find and munch on!
Do you have a best friend? My brother, Bear and Penny.
If you were president… Animal cruelty would carry heavier fines and punishments!
Squeaky Toys or Tennis Balls? Depends on my mood. Typically a tennis ball, though.

What’s your name? Bear
What are your nicknames? Bear Bear, Bearington
What’s your favorite treat? Hunks of raw chicken.
Where’s your favorite place to go? To work with mom, especially when Penelope is there, too!
Bacon or cheese? Gimme the bacon!
Purebred or mixed? Purebred.
What’s your best trick? No one tames this wild beast.
What’s your worst habit? Peeing in grandma’s bathroom.
What’s your favorite thing to do during the Summer? Chase tennis balls around in the big grass field and swim in the doggy pool.
Do you have a best friend? Penelope and Nollie!
If you were president… The pet food industry would have to make food by higher standard, including the abolition of the use of by-products and indigestable protein sources!
Squeaky Toys or Tennis Balls? That’s an unfair question. BOTH!

Corgi sleep over!

Penny came to visit us at home! We heard mom's car pull in the garage and ran to the door to meet her and surprise! She had Penny in her arms!


We went swimming!


And we wrestled until we couldn't wrestle anymore!


Benny enjoyed a splash in the pool, too.


Corgi smile!

We ate our raw meaty bones for dinner and Penny got her kibble and some cooked chicken breast. She loved the chicken bits! After we wrestled over the rawhide rolls we were pooped and fell asleep on the futon. Mom put Penny in her crate so she would be safe through the night. Mom says I'm old enough and trustworthy enough to sleep outside the crate with Benny now! We slept like a bunch of worn out puppies the entire night!

Mom says Penny might stay with us for a whole weekend soon! We'll see!

Your friend,
Bear

Penny is one of us!

Dear friends,
we'd like you to meet Penny!


Isn't she lovely? This is Penny, another Corgi we spend time with. She belongs to a co-worker that mom works with, so on special days we get to lounge around in a cage together! She's a vicious little thing! But we love her!


Awe, Pen-pen!


Here's a video of Penny chasing her dad! Look at those herding instincts. I think I'm in love!

Your friend,
Bear

Playing at the park

Mom doesn't have work on Monday mornings before school, so she tries to take us out and entertain us the best she can before she leaves. We spent a half hour or so romping in the park behind Dad's house. They bought us this goofy plastic squeeky "stick" to play fetch with. Personally I like the REAL wood fetch sticks better, but Mom is afraid I'll choke myself running with one. "Safety first!"

I think we're getting turkey necks for breakfast this morning! Gotta go!

Doggy futon

Hello friends! It's me, Benny, here to tell you that mom bought a new futon for us! Well, it isn't exactly for us, but she hasn't made a fuss about any of us sneaking onto it.

Her old bed was much too high for us, the Corgis, to jump onto. We'd have to wine and wine until someone woke up and put us on the bed. Jake, on the other hand, could make it atop the bed in a single bound. Mom and dad are accessible all hours of the night now! I just have to lick mom in the face until she wakes up!

Also, mom and dad bought us a new expensive toy and we thanked them by ripping it apart after just five minutes! I was trying to show mom how rough and tough I am. I don't think she was very excited about us destroying the toy because when she found out, she took it away!

Your friend,
Benny

Backyard shenanigans

Benny here, just posting some photos of the other night. We're busy reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire so we might not have any more photos for the next few days!


Sup.


Is it snowing yet?


Grrr baby!


Watch me jump, mom!


AHHHHH!


Goal!


I didn't do it!

Wild bear

Dear friends,
here are some extra photos of me, Bear, visiting and swimming at Bannister Park! Enjoy my cute face.

Your furry friend,
Bear


Here I am swimming through the grass.



There can only be one highlander!



Shhh! I'm hiding!


Here I am! When will dinner be ready?

Random Videos From July 2007

Bear speaking! We thought we'd post some videos mom had forgotten about! This first video is proof I was a fish in a past life!


Look at me go! Here's another video of Benny showing off his new trick! Mom and dad worked hard with Benny to help him improve his eye-mouth coordination. Looks like all that work paid off!


Okay, this was a mean joke mom played on Jake and me! It's short, but silly.


Enjoy!

Summertime goodies

Benny here!
Being the wonderful dog that I am, I have decided to let all of you in on a few secrets of mine! Here are some products and ideas I use to keep cool during the Summer months!



1. Chilly bone. You can find these bad boys online or at Petsmart! You simply wet them down and then freeze them! They're flavored, too. This is a fantastic Summertime treat.

2. Frosty Paws. Our family is very anti-Purina products, but this was the only way to get the idea across. Frosty Paws has made an "ice cream" treat for dogs. We love the idea, but don't agree with the ingredients used, so we've made our own version of the Frosty Paw!

You need:
a small jar of turkey or beef flavored baby food
a 6 oz cup of plain yogurt
a tray for making ice cubes

Add the turkey/beef flavored baby food with the plain yogurt, mix and freeze in the ice cube trays! When completely frozen, simply take out a "cube" and give it to your dog! Ikea makes larger flexible ice cube trays for bigger cubes...you know, for bigger dogs!

You can try any flavor baby food as long as it does not contain onion, onion powder, raisins, prunes and try to avoid garlic.

We also recommend using plain yogurt and honey! These are healthier ways to give your dog an "ice cream" type treat without the gross additives and preservatives found in commercial doggie "ice cream" treats! Avoid feeding human ice cream! This contains lots of sugar that isn't necessary or healthy for dogs to consume.

3. Zoom Groom! When a bath is necessary, mom uses a Zoom Groom to scrub down our coats. It feels really good! It's best to use outside or in a tub you don't mind having lots of hair in. It removes a lot of loose hair from every layer of the coat!

4. A doggie pool! This is my very favorite part of the Summer season! Mom bought us a child's pool from Wal Mart for a little under $10! We were nervous to use it at first but after we realized we weren't going to drown in it, we have had a blast using it ever since. In fact, I think there are videos of us using our pool on this blog somewhere...

You must be sure to watch your pups around any kind of pool, and make sure any pieces your dog may chew off need to be thrown away immediately!

5. Classic Kong! You can't go wrong with a Kong! Our favorite stuffing for a Kong includes:

Solid Gold canned dog food
or
Chicken gizzards
or
Organic peanut butter

You stuff a whole bunch of any of those items into the Kong, freeze the Kong with the contents inside, and then give to your pup & watch him go nuts!

We AVOID the treats Kong prepares for these toys. The Kong company make cans of squishy stuff to fill the Kongs with, but mom thinks they are full of gross ingredients and prefers fresh vegetables or high quality wet dog food instead.

Other great Summertime ideas
Mom will fill a bowl of ice cubes for us and we run back and forth grabbing ice cubes and munching on them!

Remember that dogs need fresh cool water at all times! Also, mom makes it a rule that we're not allowed to play outside if it's hotter than 90 F degrees, UNLESS we have a cold kiddie pool or shade with lots of COLD water. Heat stroke can and will happen to dogs left outside in the heat! Be considerate to your pooch and look after his well being!

Sincerely,
Benny

Silly Bear

Benny Visits Bannister Park

Look at me go!



Love,
Benny

Bust out the kiddie pool, we're going swimming!

Summertime is the best! Swimming, freshly baked cookies & playing outside!


Gimme that toy!


He isn't really as innocent as he appears.


Benny, protector of rope toys.


Sniff, sniff.


Fishin' for cucumbers.


Caught one!


Benny catching up on current evets.


Mom! My bandana is on backwards!


You'd be surprised at how delicious a leaf can be.


Standing at the peak of Mt. Woodpile


Waiting patiently for our special cookie...aaaany second now.


And just like that, the cookie is gone! Gosh, they were delicious. Thanks Woof Creek Barkery!

Splashin' around, havin' some fun

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Bobbing for cucumbers!

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We love being outside!

Benny here! Thought I would share a few pictures from our romp in the front yard tonight.


Benny & Bear enjoying the nice green grass!


Goooo Jake!


Mmmmm grass.


We're all smiles today!


Fight fight fight!


Jake had to stop the crazy antics for a drink of water.


Weeeeee!


Sluuurp!



The whole thing was exhausting!

Benny and Bear

This is me at 5 months old next to my new little brother who is just 7 weeks old! We're adorable, obviously.

Mom drove 100 miles (200 miles round trip) for this little guy! So I guess I've got a little brother now...besides Jake. Technically Jake isn't REALLY my brother, but who cares...this just means there are more grubby little paws out there trying to get my cookies and toys.

On a less exciting note, Jake has a bit of a cold and we're very patiently waiting for him to get better so we can play!

Will work for cookies

The first session with the "trainer" last night was not fun at all. She doesn't believe in "treat training" so no matter how many times I followed orders, I didn't get a cookie! I would turn my butt to her and she would tell me I was being a rude puppy. Hey lady, no cookie, no sitty!

I'm due for another shot tomorrow...I better get a really yummy cookie afterwards.