I've Been a Bad, Bad, Girl

I'm a dog.  I'm still on "vacation" at Gerri's house (where we had an earthquake earlier this week and today a hurricane!) while Alicia and Matt are soaking up the sun on their own vacation.  They've both been missing me a lot while they are away.  They called and texted Gerri to check in on me and she's told them how I've been playing "incessantly" and how I'm having such a good time.  I've been having such a good time with so many other dogs to play with that I've hardly even noticed that they aren't around!

But since I know they're feeling like they need a little Molly in their lives, and since I'll bet you do too, I'm going to share some photos that Alicia snapped of me weeks ago before promptly forgetting they existed.  Something tells me that seeing them now will both melt her heart and remind her that I'm not always perfect.

Alicia looked up from her computer, and there I was trying to
make myself comfortable on the chair. Where I'm not allowed.

If I can't see her, she can't see me!

Oops!  Pillow fell.  Maybe if I don't make eye contact.

She walked over and put the pillow back.  Still no eye contact.

Welp, she's got me now. Time to get down, I suppose...

But who wants to leave a blog post thinking about a badly behaving dog?  Not me!  So here's one of me sleeping peacefully on the living room floor...

Awsome Animal Videos: Geico Commercials

I'm a dog.  I don't watch too much television, but when I do, I'm always on the lookout (or rather hear-out) for dogs.  If a dog barks on television I immediately run over to the television to see if it wants to play with me.  It never does.

Watchin' the old "boob tube."

Recently, Matthew watched every single episode of Mad Men.  Several episodes feature either Don Draper's dog or some other random dog.  It kept me running back and forth across the living room from my bed over to the television for a few days.  And none of those dogs wanted to come out of the television to play with me.

But I digress.  This post is supposed to be about some of my favorite television commercials.  Who doesn't love the Geico commercials?  From cavemen to geckos, they are just spot on.  But my two favorite feature canines.

This recent one, entitled "Musical Animals" makes me laugh every time the dog howls/barks:


But this one, with both a dog AND a cat, is my absolute favorite:

1, 2, 3, 4, Let's Have a Puppy War!

I'm a dog.  And at 8 months old, I'm also still a puppy (though on my way to official doggyhood quite soon!).  One of my favorite websites to visit when I'm bored is puppywar.com.  If you haven't heard of it, it's a site where dog owners can upload pics of their pups and have their dog compete in a head-to-head cuteness competition with other dogs who have had their pictures uploaded.  It's a great time waster.

The only bad thing about the site is that I'm not on it.  Alicia has tried numerous times to upload my photo, but every time she visits the site there's a notice about how uploads are temporarily disabled while "changes to the system" are being made.  Sounds like a bunch of dog poop to me!  How can this site accurately claim to tell people who the cutest dog is if my picture isn't up? It makes no sense.

I mean, seriously!

Take, for example, this photo Alicia snapped of me just before I left with Gerri for my week's playcation:

Even though it's pixelated, poorly lit, taken from too far away and I was clearly not prepared to have my picture take, I still think this photo could have me winning a minimum of 50% of the puppy wars I'd enter into.

Can you imagine how well I'd do with one of my "professional" pics?

Not even my best pro pic.  I mean, seriously! Look at the cuteness!

That I have been thwarted from having my photo posted on puppywar.com is a travesty, a sham and a mockery.  It's a travashamockery!

P.S. Can you believe how much I've grown since my "puppy" pics?  I'm getting to be such a big girl!

The Dog Days of Summer

I'm a dog.  It's summer.  From what they tell me, summer is the time when families go away on vacation.  At the beginning of the summer, we went on a family vacation to Cape May.  I had a great time.  Now it's the end of summer and it's family vacation time again!  But I'm not invited.

Can you believe that?  They're going on vacation without me!  Leaving me behind to fend for myself.  A pup, on her own.  Well, okay, not exactly on my own.  I'm actually taking a little vacation of my own.  While they're enjoying the beach, I am going to enjoy Gerri's big fenced-in yard and play with other dogs all day, every day!

It sounds too good to be true.  But I sure hope it isn't.

Gerri has said that she will take photos and videos and email them to Matt and Alicia so that they can see how much fun I'm having.  These will, no doubt, show up on the blog.  And also no doubt, Alicia will call (or make Matthew call, because she'll be so nervous and feeling too guilty) and check-in on me, to make sure I'm eating my food and being a good girl and not missing them too much.

My bag is packed with food, treats, and medicine (toys, crate and bed are staying at home to ensure other dogs don't decide to steal and/or destroy them - and besides, Gerri has plenty at her house!).  Gerri comes to pick me up within the next hour.  Wish me luck on my first doggy vacation!

Mark My Words

I'm a dog.  Not just that, but I'm quite a good looking one.  I know you've heard it before, but it doesn't cease to be true, so I won't stop reminding you.  When people meet me, they often say things like "what a good looking dog" and "those are some great markings" or (to Alicia) "your dog has cow spots!"  All of these things are true.

Exhibit A: My markings.

Even when I was in the shelter waiting for Matt and Alicia to pick me up, and had a "cone of shame" around my neck, people still thought I was cute as a button.  Two teenage girls got visibly upset when they heard I wasn't up for grabs and, in fact, would be heading to my forever home - which was not with them -momentarily.

Exhibit B: Wooing with the "cone of shame"

Typically, it's my large brown spots and pink/black nose and mouth that get all of the attention.  Today, I'm going to bring a little attention to a little known mark that people only get to see once they've gotten to know me.  It's not black. Or brown. Or pink.  It's not even a dog color at all.  It's blue!

That's right!  Anyone who knows me (and by knows me I mean has rubbed my belly - which I offer up fairly quickly for rubs and pets upon meeting someone) notices this mark right off the bat and asks about it.  They usually laugh and say something like "Why is there blue marker on Molly's belly?" A blue mark on a white dog? It's kind of hard to miss.

Exhibit C: Can you see it?

In person/dog it's quite noticeable.  It looks a lot bolder and brighter.  And no matter what Alicia or Matt try, it just won't go away.  We're pretty sure it's a medical marker that the veterinarian drew on my belly just before my spay surgery.  It wasn't there the first time I met Alicia and Matt at the shelter, but it was there when they came to adopt me after my surgery.

But medical marker is supposed to come off with alcohol wipes.  Or soap and water.  Both of these strategies have been tried, but to no avail.  Even time hasn't made this mark budge.  It's just as bold and bright and blue as the day I came home.  Weird, huh?

Party Like a Dogstar!

I'm a dog.  I love treats.  Usually, Matt and Alicia give me hot dog bits or frozen green beans as a treat.  And usually, I only get a treat in exchange for following a command.  But I lucked out when one of our neighbor-dog's recently had a birthday.  Birthday treats!  Who even knew these existed?  Not me.

Our neighbor, Kona Bean, who is some sort of brown mini-cocker spaniel looking dog, isn't really the biggest fan of me.  Whenever I see him out, I get excited and want to say hello.  He also gets excited, but with growling and sharp barks.  I don't mind it at all, but Kona's owner doesn't like his aggression one bit.  That's probably why I wasn't invited to the birthday party.

That's right; I'm a party crasher!  I could tell something was going on outside while I was stuck inside with Matt and Alicia.  Determined to get in on the fun, I annoyed Alicia until she decided she has no choice but to take me out for a walk.  Little she know that at the end of our walk we would "stumble" onto a dog party!

Kona's owner had invited a bunch of the neighbor-dogs that Kona actually likes to feast on some tasty treats from Dogma Bakery.  The party was just about to break up when we arrived, but there were plenty of treats leftover, and we were invited to take one each of the Bubba and Snicker Doodle treats.  After I ate my dinner, Matt and Alicia gave me half of the Bubba.

Sitting like a good girl.  Take a moment to note
how this pic shows off my muscles. I'm Strong!

Nom. Nom. Nom. Peanut putter brownie with carob chips.

The next day, while Matt and Alicia were out, I helped myself to the other half.  They left it out on the counter in a plastic bag, but clearly within my reach, so I assumed they wanted me to eat it. But they didn't act like they were so happy about my eating it when they came home and saw the plastic on kitchen floor.

But there was still one treat left.  This one they were saving for Ben to give me while they were away.  But that's also when I ate my bed.  So Ben didn't give me any treats.  Matt and Alicia felt bad for leaving me and making me sad and lonely by going to the beach without me and forcing me to eat my bed.  So they gave me the Snickerdoodle when they got home!

Before I ate the snack, Alicia presented it to me.
I sniffed the bag to ensure freshness. Just like a fine wine. 

Matt and Alicia don't seem to be rushing out to Dogma to buy me more snacks, but I really enjoyed the ones I got.  Kona should turn 7 more often!

And for anyone interested, I do do parties and would be happy to come to your party and look cute, wag my tail, lick toes, snuggle make everybody happy.  In return, I require treats.  Contact Alicia or Matt for availability.

I Made Ate My Bed and Now I Have to Lie in It

I'm a dog.  I ate my bed.

Matthew and Alicia left Saturday morning to go to the beach and they forgot to bring me with them.  They put me in the kitchen while they went to run some things to the car and didn't come back.  I can only assume it was an honest mistake and that they meant to take me with them.  Once they realized what they'd done, they sent Ben over to take me out and play with me while they were gone.  I like Ben.  But when he came over in the afternoon that told me one thing: Matt and Alicia were not coming back until tomorrow.

They'd left me in the kitchen with some food, water, my toys, and my bed.  I wasn't hungry or thirsty, and I wasn't really in the mood to play, so I decided that I might as well make some adjustments to my bed.  So, while Ben was doing his own thing, I very carefully opened the zipper.  I didn't want to hurt my bed, just take out some stuffing.  It seemed just a bit too fluffy.  Alicia's always doing projects around the house, so why shouldn't I?

Once I had the zipper open, I proceeded to pull out the inside.  I ate some of it.  The rest I just pulled out and/or tossed around.

Ben found me. He took the next two pictures.

That's me in the forefront; Bed stuffing in the rear.

See all that white wrapped around me? That's the inner mesh
case that holds (held!) the stuffing. Outside is fully intact!

Ben called Matt and Alicia to tell them what happened.  They shook their heads and laughed.  I heard them through the phone.  I thought they would rush right home and apologize for abandoning me, but they did not.  Then, when they got home all they did was look at the bed and laugh some more before putting the bed back in my crate.

Originally, Matt and Alicia were going to make me continue to sleep on my now 2/3 full bed.  But, they were worried that seeing my destruction (Ben has nicknamed me Molly Mayhem!), I'd decide to pick up where I left off.  And I can't blame them.  I was planning to do just that.  

Anyway, they bought me a new bed.  A blue bed! 

Snuggled in my new bed.

I may even eat my new bed.  Only time will tell.

Good Dog: Rosie the Therapy Dog

I'm a dog.  Matt and Alicia are always telling me how I'm a "good girl."  They usually say it when I listen to commands, chew toys instead of household items or their limbs, and also when I poop outside.  I have a lot to be proud of, but Alicia shared with me an article about a dog named Rosie who REALLY has a lot to be proud of!

Rosie is a golden retriever who is trained as a therapy dog.  Most recently, she helped a 15-year-old girl testify against her father who raped and impregnated her.  The girl was scared to go up on the witness stand and even once she got there, she had a hard time.  Rosie sat with her in the court room (even up on the stand!) and gave her gentle nudges to help her testify.

I provide lots of joy to everyone around me.  Just looking at my cute face and seeing my cow-spotted body wriggle with excitement to meet people brings joy.  But I don't know how good I'd be in the court room.  Thank goodness for dogs like Rosie who make the world a better place!

To conclude, I am a good girl.  Rosie is a very good girl.

Finally, because I am not just a good girl, but also cute, here is a picture of me...

Home Sweet Home Adopt-a-Thon

I'm a dog.  If you live in the DC area and would like a dog like me (or even a dog NOT like me or a cat or gerbil, etc. - but who would want that?) you should head over to the Washington Animal Rescue League.  They are packed to the gills* with adoptable animals and are looking to get animals into their forever homes and make space for other animals that are awaiting shelter space.  This weekend they are hosting a 33-hour pay want you want adopt-a-thon.  It started yesterday, but it continues today at 8pm.  I know this is a fairly last-minute announcement, but if you read this and feel inspired you can:

1. Head over and adopt a pup (or other animal) RIGHT NOW!
2. Make a donation to help them take care of the animals at the shelter

*Well, they were.  These discount pups and kitties are moving fast!

Quoit a Minute!

I'm a dog.  I haven't posted in a while.  But it's not my fault.  I've had plenty to say.  It's just that Alicia hasn't had the time to type it up.  I sent her a clear message (more on that later) that it was time for this nonsense to stop and prioritize me!

Two weeks ago we spent the weekend in Pennsylvania.  First we headed out to Lancaster to stay with Matt's Uncle Bill and Aunt Susan who hosted the whole family for a weekend of eating and playing quoits!  As usual, I was the star of the show.

My adoring public of Cousin Emily and Dogmother Amanda.

I wasn't allowed on the chairs, so I made
this footrest my throne.

Alicia baked a tasty monkey bread that everyone drooled over and yammered on about all weekend.  Of course, when I asked for a piece I was told "No!" and "Not for puppies!" Typical.  I wasn't allowed to do any of the other eating either.  All I got was dog food. Lame. I did get to try ice though, and that was a lot of fun.  I came across a pile of it poured out on the grass and went about licking it and then chewing it.  I couldn't quite figure out what was going on, but it seemed to make me happy to chomp on it.  Alicia foolishly forgot to have a camera on-hand though, so no photographic evidence.

Puppy snuggles with Cousin Emily.

A belly rub from Cousin Lee

One thing I did get to do - for approximately 1 minute - was play quoits.  What? You've never heard of quoits?  Me neither.  It's kind of like horseshoes, but instead of playing with horseshoes in a dirt pit, you play with rubber discs on a slate board.  First, I watched to get a hang of the rules.

Then, when I was comfortable, I joined in on a game.  Here I am playing with Cousin Emily and my Dogmother Amanda.

I also got to meet D-Nute (aka Deric), one of the three (other than me) living Manutes.  He was very excited to meet me.  I was also very excited to meet him.

Molly Manute meets Deric Manute!

We stayed overnight and the next morning I joined the ladies on a walk in the country (aka around the neighborhood).  It was during this walk that I heard some strange low bellowing sounds coming from a barn.  I was very concerned and stopped in my tracks.  I tried to locate the source of the noise.  What was it?  Turns out it was "my people" calling me home to them.  We were walking by a dairy farm and it was the cows!

You probably can't see it, but there's a cow in that barn.

I was pooped after our walk.
(But I still went out for a 3-mile run with Amanda!)

It was an exhausting weekend, but it wasn't over yet.  Late Sunday morning we piled back into the car and off to Chalfont, PA to celebrate Ava's 9th birthday!

Oh, and remember how I said I'd tell you about how I let Alicia know it was time to start blogging and stop with all her other silly priorities?  Well, it's not later.  Yet.