Borrowed from FiveSibes, property of the artist

Mama is still swamped and not helping with our posts, so please click over to FiveSibes and read up on Hero.  He has captured our hearts…  We’ll be crossing our paws that he gets the help he needs and has a great life!

Oh — and happy Thorsday.  Please forgive Mama if she fails to respond to your comments.  She and WordPress are having technical difficulties, and she keeps muttering about being busy… that is, when she’s at home so we CAN hear her mutterings.  Hrmph.

For the record, Dadaw’s no better, and probably worse about neglecting us.  We’re generally proud to say our Dadaw is the fire chief, but sometimes it really stinks and we miss him.   We hope your humans have their priorities straight and are more focused on you!!

Um… did we mention Hero?  Yeah.  We don’t have it so rough after all.  Poor little guy.  Keep fighting, dude!!

Anyway, we’re all up for the big Blogville Valentine’s Day Pawty!  We love kisses, so we’re all over this.  Of course, Sissy is already a self-cornated queen, but she’ll be in the Valentine’s Day Queen contest, and Gretchen just wants to be in the Kissing Booth and GIVE lots of kisses.   It’s for a good cause, so won’t you join us?

And happy Thorsday!  That means it’s almost Friday which means the weekend is almost here.   We plan on holding both Mama and Dadaw hostage this weekend so that they focus exclusively on us!

Sissy's harness of choice - Lupine no-pull

We are defying the odds!!  Sissy’s regular, quarterly eye exam went quite well.  We truly can’t say enough about the vets and staff at Eye Care for Animals.  With offices in 14 states, there’s a chance there’s one near-ish to you.  It’s worth the drive, I promise.

But you want to hear about the exam.  Sis is such a trooper.  She doesn’t even need them to hold her eye open anymore for the test.  She just mellows out and stares until they’re done.  It seems each visit has a take-away, and this one’s was that for canines, eye pressures peak in the morning.  (Cats, at night.)  It’s all part of their circadian rhythm…

There’s no magic window where at some point, we’ll be able to say, “We did it!!  The glaucoma’s gone!”  This is a commitment for the rest of Sissy’s life, which I do hope is another 10-12 years or so.  (Why yes, that will put her beyond the average basset life span.  Your point?)  As long as she has an eye in her head, we’ll be doing a drop every 12 hours and most likely, a third drop off of that 12-hour schedule on Monday, Wednesday & Friday, to help offset the irritation the other drop causes to the white of her eye.

She must be walked on a harness to avoid increasing eye pressures (yes, eye pressure increases with pulling when only a collar is in use but in a healthy dogs without eye problems, that’s not a cause for concern) without fail.  All of this is on top of her extensive list of food allergies – corn & chicken are accute, causing vomitting almost immediately, but she’s also allergic to basically every critter that walks on land too – and we won’t even mention her environmental allergens, which are almost non-issues in the grand scheme of maintaining the Queen.

What never ceases to amaze me is how Sissy takes it all in stride.  Heck, I get stressed out and worked up and upset and frustrated and… while she just shrugs it off, asks for extra treats, and keeps on being our sweet, funny, DIVA.

And don’t worry; Gretchen Greer didn’t have to suffer through the ride.  She stayed home and snuggled with Dadaw, and then helped him with chores around the house.  Sissy and I also stopped at Dog House Yarns where she made a new friend (a customer from Michigan with a basset neighbor) and checked out the sock yarn.  No, I don’t have photos because I was too busy saying, “No, no, leave it!” and urging her on her way.

It's MY tiara!!

It ain’t easy bein’ Queen. (Apologies to Kermit the Frog.) Mama had written up a great post for me…

Pardon me. Gretchen has informed me that first, I must wish you a very happy Thorsday. NOW I can get back to my explanation of the royal veto.

See, it’s Mango Minster time. Mama checked with Mango’s Momma to see if it was bad form for me to defend my title. (Gretch pointed out part of being a DIVA is having bad form sometimes. I don’t think that’s a compliment, but whatever.) The officials said “Why not?!” so Mama commenced with the entry.

Smart AND cute, no?

Luckily, Gretchen can read and stays on top of things like this. There are new categories this year, and while I’m sure I could have done quite well as an Adventurer, I could also have challenged as a working stiff, since being Queen is tough and I moonlight as Mama’s personal trainer…

Anyway, after Gretchen read all of the categories to me, I thought it was pretty dog-gone clear that the best show I have at defending my title is in the Cute category. After all, I’m stunning and all, but this wee one has cute all locked up, and if I may say so myself – and I have shoved Mama and Gg aside to take matters to paw – there’s nothing cuter than the two of us fur-girls snuggled up in a knot. Besides, even if someone thinks I shouldn’t win two years in a row, surely they can’t hold my title against tiny, precious Gretchen Greer… right?

So without further delay, here’s our official entry in the Too Darn Cute category.

We’ll start with one of my own puppy pictures. I’ve heard it said over and over, there’s nothing cuter than a baby basset. Mama never got a photo of me tripping over my ears, but use your imagination.

Trust me… it was CUTE.

Anyway, that’s baby me and my brother Mugsy. Don’t miss the way I’m hugging him with my tail. I luvered him a lot even though I think I mostly got on his nerves.  I think of him sometimes when Gretchen is using me as furniture.  I can’t even pretend I wonder where she got that idea…

Then, there’s me and the baby, as we still sometimes call Gretchen Greer. Everybody say “Awwwwwhhhhh”.

Do your teeth hurt yet?  (Mama’s teeth hurt if something’s too sweet.)  Baby Gretch looks like a stuffy, no?

That’s Mama’s all-time favorite snuggly-girl photo.  It was her wallpaper on her Blackberry.  Gretchen says to tell you we snuggle like that just about every single day of our lives.

No, we aren’t related by blood.  I’m a Basset Hound you see.  I was registered as a lemon and white, but I darkened up as grew up, and Gretchen and I still look like a matched pair, even though she’s all Jack Russell Terrier.

This entry could last forever… in part because we really do have a lock on this cute thing.  Mama gets a big kick out of dressing us up.  I like crowns.  Gretchen likes frocks.  Call it what you like, but it adds up to cute… right?

And part of my charm is that I really don’t pay any mind to Gretchen when she leans on me, stands on me, etc.  In return, she tries not to look really grossed out when I accidentally wipe my mouth on  her.  (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge?)

We think we’re the cutest when we’re lovin’ on our peeps.  This is shot from Christmas Eve.  Mama wanted to show off our pretty scarves, but we thought she needed Christmas kisses!

What’s cuter than puppy love?!  We’re big on love.  Who doesn’t love love?

Oops!  We thought we were done, but Dadaw says no cute entry is complete without us in clothes.

Photo by Anita

What’s cuter than us stomping around in our tutus?!

Good luck to everybody else.  (Gretchen made me say that.)

This post is NOT a Mango Minster entry. It was supposed to be, but Sissy issued a royal veto… see the next post!

*****************************************************************

Sissy MM 2011

Mama here.  While the Mango Minster experience really was the balm that hurried on the healing (not HEELING – Sissy doesn’t do that) last year, we weren’t sure about entering this year.  I mean…  is it proper for Sissy to defend her title?  (Yes.  Mango Momma said so.)   However, we were still on the fence, because we’re still in mourning for Thor and…

Did I mention Sissy has a title to defend?  Unless you’re a first-time visitor here (and if you are, WELCOME!!), you know that when the officials at Mango Minster gave her the green light to try to defend her Best in Show title, the Queen DIVA, MM BIS 2011 put her foot down…

So here we go!

First order of business:  Happy Thorsday!  We dedicate this year’s Mango Minster entries to the memory of our beloved, departed grand gentle-judge, and to all the other MM associates who have crossed the bridge. 

Second order of business:  Details, details.  Please visit the official MM website.  The categories have changed.  The deadline to enter is February 5th. 

Given the new categories, Queen Sissy DIVA (her stage name, she says), BIS (best in show MM 2011) has decided to toss her tiara in the Adventure Animal ring.   For the queen, life is nothing but an adventure. 

As a pup, she hung out at work and met lots of people… and rocked the cute factor for extra treats.  (Ah… the joys of a family business.  Grammas are suckers!)

While still a pup, she ventured to the beach and discovered that hunting sand crabs and racing on the beach is pure bliss.

Photo by Anita 2008

To hear Sis tell it, she’s a great hunter who has traversed the globe sniffing and seeing great game.   However, many of you know that about a year ago, glaucoma took her left eye, and we’ve had to be very serious about keeping her on a short leash for her own safety.  I – Mama – worried it would break her indominable spirit, but other than a few hours post-op, she never checked up.

Purple cheetah courtesy of Digital Cheetah

Now you can tell folks you’ve seen a one-eyed, no-horned, furry purple cheetah eater.  Can any of the other Adventurer contestants say that?!

And she does it all in DIVA style, while wearing a tiara.  Sissy’s motto for this year is Life… Live the Adventure.

1-15-11 Our huntress back in the chase

Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Sissy’s left eye removal.  She continues to inspire us with her can-do attitude.  It is an honor to be her caretakers.  She reminds us daily that she’s not defined by her sight; she sees with her heart.

Courtesy of K9's site

Hey!  Sissy here.  I’ve been told I owe Auntie Nichole a public apology, but hear me out first. 

Yes, I stole the nearly WHOLE bag of K9 Granola Factory cookies.   No, I didn’t even intend to share them with Gretchen, but I spilled some in my grab and dash, so I think that makes her an accomplice or something, right? 

However, the strength of my case rests on the humans and their carelessness.  Dadaw and Uncle Cal knowingly left me – er, us – loose and unsupervised in a house filled with temptations.   I’m not known for self control, so they should have known better.

Then, there’s Mama.  She opened the treats, fed me – er, us – the treats, knew I – er, we – loved them, and yet still left them within my grasp on the edge – I do mean it! – of our treat table, in an unsealed bag. 

So.  I am indeed sorry I – er, we – no longer have our yummy specials from Auntie Nic and her pack, but it’s not my fault… riiiight?

Oh – and Gg says I have to say happy Thorsday.  She’s a bit of a focused, wet blanket, that one, but I – er, we – do wish you a wonderful Thorsday with lots of yummies and no “leave it!”s.

But I do wanna’ know… who is bad here?  I really don’t think it’s me, and while I’m all for dragging her down with me, we all know Gg and her bouncy self can’t hop up on a human-waist-high table.  I’m not denying I took the treats from someplace I shouldn’t have.  I’m just sayin’…

Unless this is your very first time here, you know that Sissy is a hot mess.  That’s said with all the love in the world.  She’s had anal gland issues since she was a puppy, and we finally figured out she has food allergies of a ridiculous degree a couple of years ago.  But that’s nothing compared to her glaucoma.  She is a very active girl living a very normal life, but that requires us to make our lives revolve around her eyedrop schedule, her vet appointments, etc.

So, when we got all proactive and bought/made new dog tags in the fall, I was a little sick when I realized that I should have put both vets’ office numbers on her tag, along with the note that she has glaucoma…

We have Home Again, and used their service twice – pre-glaucoma – when Sis had escaped and taken herself and once, Gretchen, on a big adventure.  The first time, despite also wearing a standard dog tag with a local phone number, the neighbor whose front porch she stopped on called Home Again, who then called me, so we know it works.

However.  That doesn’t alert anyone who might find her to her host of issues that require her to get back to us – or a vet – right away.  Enter DoggyLoot and their current offer for PetHub. 

It seems PetHub will assign each girl (because Gretchen does have environmental allergies too) a little smartphone scannable ID tag, so anyone with a nifty reader app can learn that Sissy is a hot, needy mess with people who love her dearly.

Now…  How many tags is overkill?  How many services do my dogs need to keep them safe, even though we fully intend to keep them on a very short, secure leash forever?

Thanks in advance…

Gretchen Greer here…  Since we’ve been abandoned a lot recently, we’ve had a lot of time to look back over the year.  Do your humans do that?  We also get thrown outside while Mama wraps pressies.  Very rude, I think, but I’ve also seen the wet paper tear from Sissy shoving her nose in the way…

One week before her left eye was removed

January was a very tough month at Haddon Woods.   Sissy lost sight in  her left eye on Christmas Eve, was diagnosed with glaucoma, and had her eye removed on January 10th.  This appears to be the last photo with both eyes, and it’s a good example of glaucoma warning signs.  The eye is not reactive (note how the eye ON the left of the photo is squinting but the already blind eye isn’t), it’s glassy and “hazy”, and it’s red around the white.    We’ve all learned a lot about glaucoma this year.

By February, things were pretty much back to normal.  We got to come to work with Mama & Gramma while all the guys went to school.  (*I* still have never been afforded any educational opportunities.  Maybe 2012 will be the year?!)

February also saw both of us have great success at Mango Minster.   (Look for the 2012 show to start soon!)  I won reader’s choice in my division, while Sis won her division and then worked the sympathy vote for Best in Show.  We’re all still suffering for THAT one, but it cheered her and Mama up considerably, so thanks to all the judges for helping turn the tragic tide of early 2011.

Photo courtesy of Mango Minster

Me rocking one of our prizes from Lapdog Creations

Everything was pretty normal until May, when Mama ditched us AGAIN (she left us for the first time EVER in January).  Don’t tell her, but we kinda’ enjoy it.  Dadaw gets us breakie from IHOP, and while we miss our walks, we love having Dadaw under our paws for a couple of days.

2011 was a pretty lucky year for us.  There’s the whole Mango Minster multiple wins, Mama won a few things at her gala (and from other contests), and we won several give-aways from Lapdog Creations. 

Sissy the lap dog at new friends' campsite this summer

We had birthdays, we met new friends, and we said good-bye to some big bloggy friends too.   Mama says that’s how life works… ebb and flow, ups and downs.  Personally, I like the ups.  The downs are sad, and I don’t like sad!

Best of all though, Dadaw taught us all a new phrase that opens all kinds of doors.  “… because she only has one eye.”  He uses it to excuse virtually anything Sissy does, to get Mama to walk us in the rain or cold, etc.  

Oh!!  I almost forgot…  we did finally get back to the beach.  (Thanks, Sis.  You ARE helpful once in a great while.)  Dadaw says we’re going back very soon.  Hooray!!  I can’t wait to chase the birds, and maybe Dadaw will take Sis sand crabbin’…

We hope your 2011 had more ups than downs, and we wish you a 2012 full of extra treats, long walks and whatever else wags your tail.

That's Sissy's signature...

Mama does let me help with wrapping, but not Sissy.  Something about drool and wet paper and more “Leave it!”…

Wishing you a merry Christmas and lots of treats and toys, and holly-jolly humans!