JackJack Canine Explorer

Special Edition: May Wildflowers

My Top 10 May Wildflower Picks

April showers brought May flowers to my woods! I love this time of year when the flowers and leaves begin to bloom and grow in my woods. In Michigan, Spring can happen very fast. One minute the woods are bare, the next it is filled with leaves, ferns, flowers and so much more! I created this Special May Wildflower Edition, to share with you what is blooming in my West Michigan woods. I kept this list to my top 10 favorites – I hope it inspires you to get out and enjoy the springtime!

Wildflowers are all shapes, colors and sizes. They can be teeny-weeny like an ant or large and fragrant like you would find in a hooman’s garden. I created a sizing scale (as I see it) so you know what to look for as you go out on a wildflower seeking adventures of your own. The flowers are sorted into sections by color (my hooman helped with that part) to help you figure out what you’re seeing.

WILDFLOWER SIZE SCALE:
- Small dog nose (size of a dime)
- Medium dog nose (like mine – the size of a quarter)
- Large dog nose (larger than a quarter)

PLANT HEIGHT:
- At the Paw (ground or up to 2 inches off the ground)
- My dewclaw (3-4 inches off ground)
- My dogleg (6 inches or more)

#1 Trillium (white)

Height: My full dogleg (6 inches or taller)

Flower size: Bigger than a large dog nose

Trillium remind me of a flower you would see in the hooman’s garden. They are big and bold like a daffodil. Probably one of the biggest wildflowers that I have seen. I have found them growing on a wet hillside but also right along my trail in my sandy woods. Tri means 3 – so Trillium is easy to remember. It has 3 big petals and 3 big leaves to match.

#2 Bloodroot (white)

Height: My dewclaw

Flower size: Large dog nose

Bloodroot are cool flowers that don’t have leaves. They only have one big stem that stand straight up out of the ground like giant clovers. The one white flower is pretty fragile (don’t ask me how I know) and you will want to be careful if you snap the stem. It contains red juice that can cause a rash or blister skin. These are one of the first flowers out in my woods. They tend to bloom when it’s still pretty chilly out.

#3 Hepatica (white/pale pink/lavender)

Height: Paw

Flower size: Medium dog nose

Hepatica are some of the first to show up in my woods. They may trick you into thinking they are wood anemone but if you look close they have cool little white bits jumping out of the middle of the flower. One of my favorites that make me smile when I discover them hiding under trees in wetter areas of the woods. Mostly when I find them they are white, but I have seen them pale pink and even pale lavender (I think).

#4 Large-Flowered Bellwort (yellow)

Height: My dogleg

Flower size: Large dog nose

The Large-Flowered Bellwort is droopy and looks like it needs a drink. The leaves on the stem are pretty awesome – looks like they are sewn together. I find them close to the creek and growing in sandy soil.

#5 Marsh Merigold (yellow)

Height: My dewclaw

Flower size: Large dog nose

Found these along the creek bank (very close to the water). Grows in clumps so usually find more than one flower together. Leaves are dark, shiney and round.

#6 Swamp Buttercup (yellow)

Height: My full dogleg (or taller)

Flower size: Large dog nose

These look a lot like a marsh marigold but are taller and from what I’ve seen – usually two flowers to one stem. These guys are a bit late to the May party – they will most likely be blooming into June.

#7 Wood Anemone (white)

Height: My dewclaw

Flower size: Medium dog nose

I usually find these guys in groups but every so often one may be off by himself. They have 5 petals on the flower. These are usually sprouting in old leaves in the woods.

#8 Wild Geranium (pink)

Height: My dogleg

Flowersize: Medium dog nose

Wild Geranium are taller and skinnier flowers. You will spot them cuz their blooms are bright pink. These are just starting to pop in mid-May so they are a welcome to the woods after the trillium and a bloodroot begin to disappear.

#9 Jack-in-the-pulpit (green/purple)

Height: My dewclaw or my dogleg – lots of sizes

Flowersize: Like a dog snout 3 inches long or more

These guys have a cool name but are also pretty cool flowers. The “jack” is the little guy inside and the “pulpit” is the canopy over him. Sometimes these are all green, sometimes they are striped purple. I even found a cool white one! They are all over my woods but blend in so it’s not until I am just about to squash them that I see them standing there. I’ve seen them between 3 – 6 inches tall. I am not sure why – buit these guys always make me chuckle.

#10 Violet (purple/yellow/white)

Height: Paw

Flower size: Medium dog nose

I put these in the purple section but I’ve seen yellow and white blooms too. I found them in the sandy areas of the woods. They grow pretty low to the ground – easy for me to spot when I am sniffing around. They love the woods and bloom all through May and into June.

I hope you enjoy this special edition of my Canine Adventures and take some time this week to stop and smell the flowers. Keep your eye out for more special wildflower editions coming throughout the summer and leave me a comment or send me a pic of what you are discovering in your neck of the woods!

Bark at you soon – your friend,

Sharing is Caring

I was a houseguest friends! My hoomans took me to visit my Great Aunt Kay and my canine cousin Chloe. Chloe is about three times older than me so I knew that this was not going to be the chase-around-the-room kinda visit. Instead, Chloe mostly sleeps… until this last time…

It all started with my favorite pink squeaky ball. Turns out my hooman packed it for the trip and was squeaking it for Chloe! I whined quite loudly about this because it makes me very nervous when my toys are introduced to other canines. My hooman told me to “be nice” and “share my toys”. I do not like to share my toys, so I began to pant and pace.

My hooman tried to calm me down with treats (I could not eat them – I was too upset). Eventually she gave up and said, “Well Jack, sharing is caring and it’s time that you share your toy”. I was not feeling like sharing or caring, but since I consider myself a good dog, I did as I was told and watched painfully from the couch as Chole began to squeak. It raked my nerves as she carried the ball around the house. With every squeak I became a bit more unraveled. Sharing is hard!

As the day went on, Chloe kept squeaking. Everytime I went to play with the ball, she would jump up and take it before I could get to it. She ended up hiding it in her bed and kept it to herself the rest of the day. I felt like my chest was going to explode in frustration!

I listened to my hooman laugh at how silly Chloe was with the ball, and began to notice how much fun Chloe was having. She was actually chasing the ball around the room. As I mentioned, Chloe is not a “chase-around-the-room” kinda canine. This was very unusual for her – she must really love that ball!

As I watched her play with my favorite toy, that angry feeling I had inside began to melt. The hoomans were laughing at how cute Chloe was and I have to admit she was pretty adorable. Before I knew it, those annoying squeaks were making me smile too.

Turns our Chloe loved that ball more than I ever could. She never left it out of her sight. By the time my visit was over, I decided Chloe should keep my pink squeaky ball. I gave it to her because I knew it brought her joy. And ya know what? Giving her that ball brought me joy too!

So friends, as you head into another week – think about how you can spread joy. Find something that you love and share it. It might be kinda hard at first, but just share it and see what happens. You will find that when you share something you love, the joy flows right back to you!

Even though I am home now, I can picture Chloe squeaking that ball and it makes me smile. I wish this feeling for you too – after all sharing is caring right?

Bark at ya next week – your friend ,

Dog Tricks!

I was tricked this week friends. Fooled by my favorite hooman. It’s true! She started by using her sweet talk and saying fun words like “going bye bye” and “go for a ride”. She loaded the car with all my favorite clues – my leash, water, and extra treats. By the time she was ready to leave, I was bouncing all over the yard in anticipation. My ears flapped out the window all the way down the road. When we passed the dog park, I knew something was amiss. So I began to shake. My deepest fears were beginning to take hold. This is not the fun trip I was dreaming of – we were going to the VET!

Most of the rational canines I run with recognize the veterinarian’s office as the last place on earth they would like to spend ANY time at ALL – EVER. I consider myself one of those kinda canines. So when we pulled into the vet’s office and the car stopped, I lost all my senses – including my ability to understand English as my second language. My hooman was saying things to me that I did not understand because all I could think was RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

I won’t go into details (mostly because I blacked out a little and don’t remember everything), but I know we had to go into a small room with other hoomans who held me down and poked me. They stuck me with sharp things and pushed me with cold things. As my loose hair flew around the room, I gave my hooman my meanest, angriest death stare. I could not believe she betrayed me in this way! Finally I did what most canines want to do in this situation and I just SNAPPED! (I do not advise this behavior).

After I snapped, I had to be muzzled. It was slightly humiliating, but eventually it calmed me down. The vet checked my ears and then my heart. She gave me some medicine to keep diseases away and keep me healthy. She said that I was a handsome boy but could stand to shed a few pounds, and told me to cut back on the hooman food (whatever).

All in all, it ended up being a good trick my hooman played on me. Turns out she did it out of love. Ya see, I am really important to my hoomans. They love me a lot and my whole family is gonna change when it’s time for me to go to that big dog park in the sky. So I gotta stay as healthy as I can – even though going to the vet is VERY scary for me. I go for my family. I stay healthy – so they stay happy. That is how I show them how much I love them back (that and my puppy eyes I give them sometimes).

So friends, if you haven’t been to your vet in awhile, it’s time to go. It can be confusing and scary. It will probably not be fun, but remember, you are not going for yourself. You are going to make sure you stay healthy for those that love you. I am just guessing, but I bet you are pretty important to your hoomans too. So if you have a lump or bump you should get it checked out, and if you haven’t been to the vet in awhile – just go for a check-up – cuz you’re pretty important to me too.

Stay healthy friends and I will bark at ya next week – your friend,

Tech No

Whelp you are getting me on a ruff day friends – my hackles are up and I am on high alert! The weather has been less than stellar in my neck of the woods. April showers this past week couldn’t be truer than here in Michigan. This weather has me suffering from not-enough-outdoor-time and I have been growling all week. Since I couldn’t really play outside, the second best thing to do is to curl up with my hooman and snooze the rain away. Unfortunately, it felt like whenever I went in for some cuddles – my hooman was using technology. Grrrrrrr!

I try my hardest to get right between my hooman and the tech to make sure she realizes that I am sitting here waiting for cuddles. I am at least 20 inches tall and a svelte 60 pounds (dont judge), so why does she prefer to be sitting with her screen, when she could be sitting with me in her lap?

My best buddy Nixin getting his homework done for Mrs. Graff.

I understand that technology has its practical purposes, like telling you a story, playing a favorite tune or if you’re like my best buddy Nixin, doing his homework for Mrs. Graff. But COME ON, rainy day snuggles should rank higher than checking your social media right? Lately, I feel like technology can get in the way of spending time with the ones you love. Spending REAL time – not REEL time together.

I first began to notice my second rate status earlier this week. My hooman came home and changed into her “fast shoes” and grabbed my leash. These are easy clues that let me know we were going out for a run. I was so excited – I hadn’t been out for a run in days. I jumped up and jumped again, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm!

She put my leash on and down the road we went! My ears were flapping in the wind, my tongue began to swing, and were going at a good pace – but then she stopped. My hooman stopped on the side of the road. She began tapping her watch, then her phone, then her headphones. She seemed upset because her tech was not working. Now, I am not a tech savvy canine so I started pulling, “lets go – lets go – lets go!”, I silently willed her. She COMPLETELY ignored me. I started whining and pulling harder. I was doing everything in my power to get her to get off the tech and back on the run. Then…she yelled at me to “wait”. Grrrrr!

Being yelled at made me feel angry. My hooman invited me to do something and then acted like I was bothering her when I wanted to do it. Why do hoomans choose spending time with technology over time with their loved ones? I am not sure I will ever find the answer.

Eventually my hooman realized what she had done and apologized for yelling at me. She gave up on her tech that day and we had a nice time together. But she hasn’t given up on her technology forever. I still have to squeeze between her and her tech, or jump on her to help her remember she needs cuddles.

So friends, as you head into a new week, I have a “Tech No” challenge for you. If you find you or your hooman spending too much time on tech, put it down and spend some time together. You might have to squeeze right between the hooman and the tech, but let them know you are there – ready and waiting to go on your next adventure – together.

Bark at you next week – your friend,

Trash Impactor

Woof – it was a long week! Earlier this week, I was able to get back to the dog park with my best buds, Nixin and Frank. My hooman hadn’t had much time for walks, so even a quick chase around the yard was just the boost I needed to keep my tail wagging until the weekend.

Unfortunately, when we got to the dog park, we discovered it was leading a secret life as a garbage dump! Broken toys, bone bits, bags and who-knows-what were laying all over our park. The wet, muddy, smelly (not in a good way) trash was everywhere. In Michigan, an interesting phenomenon happens once the snow melts… trash of all shapes and sizes begins to crawl out of the ground like zombies. It was really disgusting. So much so, that Frank suggested we organize a park clean-up. He said we could schedule it just in time for “Earth Day”.

Frank organizing the Earth Day dog park clean-up.

I wasn’t sure what Frank meant by “Earth Day”- so I asked my hooman’s google machine. I learned that Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a way to increase awareness about the environment. Each year on April 22, millions of hoomans worldwide celebrate the day with clean-up events. Having learned that, it sounded like Earth Day would be a perfect day to clean up our park! We told every dog, dingo, mutt, and mongrel to meet us at the park on Saturday morning, Earth Day 2023.

Now I am not intentionally an environmentalist. I mean, I suppose I like a clean environment – I never really have given it much thought. I just learned about Earth Day afterall! I appreciate my yard, the woods, and swimming in the Great Lakes, but not until my last trip to the dog park did I realize I need to pay a little more attention to the world around me.

I overheard that more than 1 billion hoomans in over 190 countries celebrate Earth Day every year – cleaning up dog parks all over the world. As it turns out, these dog parks are somehow all connected! Hearing this made me feel good – like I was part of something bigger than just my corner park. All of a sudden, the work of picking up oily black banana peels became even MORE important.

As I stepped back from my trash collection to survey our progress. I saw canines of all shapes and sizes working side-by-side. Hoomans were laughing as they piled trash bags into their vehicles. Pups were playing chase, and my park was looking beautiful again.

So friends, as we go into a new springtime week, let’s do each other a favor. If you happen to see garbage lying around, pick it up. If you have trash, toss it in a trashcan. After all, your world is connected to mine. So I will do my part, and you do yours, and together we will change the world, deal?

Bark at ya next week – your friend,

Dog Envy

Well friends spring break is in the rear view mirror (literally). It can be hard getting back into the daily grind after a vacation but one thing I look forward to after a long vacation, is seeing my friends. This week I met up with my buddies at the dog park to yip yap about what went on while we were away on spring break.

*Frank, me, and Nixin at our favorite dog park*

Nixin spent the whole week with his family. They stayed in town together and went on daily trips. Frank got to go to canine camp where he spent a full week trying all kinds of new activities. And, as you know, I went South to see my grand-hoomans, and had a great time playing in the sunshine. Yet… listening to my buddies talk about how much fun they had, makes me feel like I somehow missed out.

I kinda wish I had the same expereinces that Nixon and Frank had. Sometimes when I hear about what others have that I don’t, I get an odd feeling. One that is not angry enough to growl about – but gets me just upset enough to show my teeth a little.

This got me to thinking…

Nixin and Frank are without a doubt my best canine buddies. We chase and jump and sniff and have the best times together. We are also VERY different. They are both taller than me and have longer legs. Nixin is a Treeing Walker Coonhound mixed with a Labradoodle, which means he has a super soft coat and is really FAST. Nix was adopted from another family and still keeps in touch with his litter brothers and sisters.

*Nixin, Treeing Walker Coonhound Labradoodle and best buddy*

Frank is an Aussiedoodle, which means he doesn’t shed. Hoomans are always talking about how great that is – “no dog hair everywhere” (blah blah blah). Frank is a “pure breed” too – which means he comes from money and can trace his ancestry. He is SUPER CHILL and probably has the best manners out of all the dogs I know.

I, on the other paw, am a shelter dog. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – I just don’t run with my original pack. I also shed – A LOT. Sometimes, when I sneeze – my hair shoots off my body and floats all over the house. My hoomans have my hair in their bed, in their car, and on their clothes. So you can imagine, I do not get compliments on my beautiful coat!

Nixin and his long legs and Frank and his hair (not fur) coat sometimes gives me that teeth-baring kinda feeling. Why do I feel this way about my best buddies? Is it because I wish I was a bit taller, knew my ancestry, was a lot less fuzzier?

Truthfully…yes. Sometimes I wish I could be a little more like my friends. When I feel that way I try to remind myself that I am the one of the coolest canines in the history of dogness! I just have to find the greatness in what I’ve got and focus on what is special about me.

So, I am a short beagley “something” type of dog. I will never be tall, or a sleek purebreed with a fur-less coat. Ever. I can not change my breed. I can not change where I came from. I can only be JackJack the Canine Explorer. I may not have long legs – but I can JUMP! I have a family that loves me, and as for the doghair…there is not much I can do about it. So I try and find the positive. I like to look at it as leaving a little piece of me wherever I go!

So friends, as you head into another week, try not to compare yourself to others. It sounds waaaay easier than it actually is and you may find yourself baring your teeth from time to time. It’s natural to want what others have. Just uncurl your lip and think about all the things that you DO have. The trick is not to wish for something different or more, but rather enjoy all that you have been given. Who cares if you got a little dog hair on ya? We all do!

Bark at you next week – your friend,

P.S. My weekly canine adventures post on Sundays. If you want to be the first to read about my canine adventures – go to my home page and sign-up!

Be Quiet!

April has arrived…so you know what that means? SPRING BREAK! Time to pack up my dog biscuits and water toys and head south. This year I am headed to see Mammers and Poppers – my hooman grandparents. They live a long LONG car ride away.

My hoomans have been scurrying around getting out all their summer gear. They crammed as much of it as they could into their car along with me and we hit the road. We started driving one day and when I woke up the next day – we were still driving! I didn’t really mind it so much though cuz the further we drove – the bluer the sky seemed and the grass was definitely greener! I sniffed around all kinds of dog parks from Indiana, to Kentucky, and through Tennessee, then Georgia, then back to Tennessee – as we kept the car moving south. Eventually we stopped, and when we did my grand-hoomans hugged us a big hello and welcomed us to the “sunshine state”.

At first I wasn’t sure what we were gonna do in this very warm and sunny new place – but soon I was introduced to all kinds of new sites and smells! Turns out the water here is salty (do not drink – repeat – do not drink) and the creatures here are strange! I saw a crab chasing a minnow, a dolphin chasing a kayak, and an alligator chasing a dog! Maybe that last one was just a dream – but there are alligators here and they do not seem friendly (don’t let their smiles fool you)!

Turns out spring break helps me to wave one last goodbye to the cold dark days of winter and gain a new perspective on my world. While I was snoozing in the carport listening to the snow birds talk about tennis leagues and golf games, I got to thinking about how great it felt to just be quiet. My whole body began to unwind and felt a little lighter. The sun seemed to melt away my icy irritations that I didn’t even realize I had locked away. All of a sudden the stress of those squirrels eating all the birdseed didn’t seem so important. Come to think of it – most things I get upset about back home didn’t seem that serious at all.

As I let the sun melt away my winter agitations, I had to ask myself – why am I constantly on high alert? It seems like when I am home in Michigan I sleep with one eye open just in case that man with the boxes shows up and I need to BARK at him to get off the porch. I mean…the guy with the boxes really isn’t hurting anyone. I do not think that his delivery is designed to personally offend me. Yet – I do get offended. Outraged even! Seems silly now – taking such offense to a guy just doing his job.

At home I can get my hackles up at just about anything. Once I was at the dog park and a puppy was spooked by a big dog (his name was Thor – you know the type). That puppy started whining and crying so I decided to start howling! It is embarrassing to relive that moment, but I literally ran around the dog park howling as loud as I could. My hooman was yelling at me to calm down but I just could not get a grip. I am not sure why I was so upset. Now I am looking out at the blue sky watching very large birds fly over oddly shaped trees and I can not remember why I was carrying on.

As the ocean waves roll in and the sun dips into the water I got to thinking about those squirrels and how I left the bird feeder unsupervised. And then I realized…I don’t really care. I mean – if the squirrels eat the birdseed then I guess they get a little fatter. Those are the consequences of their actions. Why do I feel the need to point out to the squirrels’ their silly mistakes. These problems don’t seem so urgent like they did just a car ride ago.

Interesting how I needed a long car ride and time to just be quiet in order to realize how uptight I was at home in my everyday life. My overreactions to problems that didnt even concern me are almost embarrassing (the puppy was fine – he was just being dramatic). As my time here in the “sunshine state” comes to a close – I decided to make myself a promise. When I get back to Michigan, I am going to try and take more time to be quiet. I am sure I will need to remind myself of this often, but I’m sure the van guy who drops packages on our porch will appreciate this new me.

So friends, whether you had a chance to get away on spring break or you’re sticking to your daily grind, take a minute to just be quiet. Hopefully you don’t find yourself howling around the dog park for no apparent reason – but if you do – that is ok. Just recognize it and start again tomorrow. Try not to take offense to people that are just doing their daily thing and maybe go take a snooze in the car port until the urgency to overreact passes.

Bark at you next week – your friend,

Spring Training

Spring has sprung in my Michigan woods. The crocus are blooming and the spring flowers are starting to pop. And I am about ready to pop too! I’ve gained a few lbs over the winter – those dark days and cool nights had me munching on a few too many milk bones. I noticed my collar is getting a little tight too!

So – I decided it is time to shed this winter coat and get moving! I am 100% in spring training mode! I signed up for a 5k to keep my training on track so I stay motivated, recruited my brother hooman to be my running partner and keep me accountable, and I have been getting extra sleep so I have all the energy to RUN RUN RUN!

Training started this week when my hooman came home. He got my leash out which is my clue that we are headed out to the road! I was so excited (normally I am not allowed near the road). We started with a little warm up. The fresh smells had me eager to explore but I knew I had to FOCUS. After the warm up, my hooman picked up speed and I had to keep up. I started galloping, then my heart started pounding, I started panting. Then I felt kinda sick.

Maybe I am not a runner dog, I thought. Maybe I am a couch dog. My stomach kept churning while my hooman kept running – pulling me down the road by my leash. Regrets filled my mind – all those milk bones in bed. Why did I beg to lick the hooman plate EVERY NIGHT?!

My legs were burning and I couldn’t catch my breath. That is when I decided to stop. Right on the side of the road, I put on the brakes. I am done, I thought. My hooman began pulling on my leash – “let’s go!” he commanded, “let’s go!”. Nope, I thought – spring training can shove it. My tongue was hanging out the side of my mouth and I was tempted to drink the dirty water in the ditch. I was desperate! I wish I wouldn’t have been so eager to sign-up for a 5k. What was I thinking? A 5k is like 3 miles!

Then I realized – I can’t just stop. I gotta at least get off the side of the road. So I scooched toward my hooman and LEANED into him, hoping he would get the cue that I am not a runner dog. I think he got the hint because he squatted down next to me and rubbed my ears until I could get my breath back. He was saying really nice words too (I think they were nice words – they sounded like nice words anyway). Then my hooman turned toward home and slowly walked me back to my familiar woods.

The next few training days were pretty much a repeat. I panted and felt sick most of the days. We would run but then we would walk. All the while my hooman would say nice words to me. We had to do that quite a bit until I could get the hang of it.

I had to make a lot of sacrifices too. My hooman interrupted a lot of my naps – telling me it was time to “go for a run”. I noticed he cut back on my milk bones in bed too, but in the end all the sacrifices were worth it. Our 5k race is coming up and I am proud to report I can run THREE full miles and only stop to mark a mailbox every now and again.

I noticed that sometimes when I am eager to try something new, I tend to over do it- sprinting out the door anxious for a new adventure. Then when it gets to be too much – I want to stop and quit. I’ve learned I have to pace myself, the secret is to keep moving. Having a friend who will say nice words really helps too.

So friends, as we head into this new season, let’s spring into action! Find your motivation to get moving and shed your winter coat. If you sit, stay and lay down all the time – you may find yourself unable to get up! I hope you get out and get moving this week – if you do – you may find out you are a runner dog just like me!

Bark at you next week – your friend,

Cheers to the Old Dogs

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland and since my hoomans are Irish I guess I am too! So on this day, I would like to take some time to honor all those old dogs who walked before us and blazed the trails to make it a bit easier for us young pups.

Sometimes it is hard for me to listen to the old dogs. They can be soooo quiet! I love to jump up and BARK BARK BARK my outrage as LOUD as I can (especially when that guy in the van puts boxes on our porch). But not old dogs – nope. I once saw an old dog just look out the window at the van guy – didn’t even growl. Now that is self control! If I just THINK there is an intruder I am sure to let my hoomans know ASAP!

Sometimes, when I get too loud in the house, the family will start to tell stories about Great Grandpa Kirby and how quiet he was compared to me. Kirby was my hooman’s first family dog. He was an Irish black lab mix, born on St. Patrick’s Day in 2004 and lived well into his TEENS! From what I’ve been told, he was a pretty quiet canine, and only barked when he had something important to say.

*Great Grandpa Kirby Fishing – Summer 2018*

I guess he used to take himself fishing for hours and go on long walks alone. Can you imagine? Why would any dog want to wander around alone – I have no idea. If I want to go for a walk or want any kind of attention at all from my hoomans, I sit right in front of them and STARE. If that doesn’t work I get as close as possible and put my nose on their blankets and STARE HARDER. Works every time. (See the pictures below as a guide for you young pups).

If you want to get your hooman’s attention – sit directly in front of them and STARE.

If that that doesn’t work, move closer and STARE HARDER.

Anyway, I guess old Great Grandpa Kirbs musta been pretty courageous to wander around the woods alone. I think that’s how most old dogs were back in the day. They didn’t have memory foam beds, Kongs, or even Chewy.com. It musta been pretty ruff. Wandering alone was probably their only entertainment!

From what I hear, ole Kirbs had manners too. I guess he didn’t beg at the dinner table or take and shred-up used tissues out of the trashcan. I try really hard to have manners but sometimes that hooman food looks so good – I just can’t look away! Don’t ask me about the tissues. I know it’s wrong – I just can’t help myself.

I suppose us young pups could learn a few things from old dogs like Kirby. Like, only BARK BARK BARK when there is a good reason; and that it’s ok to venture out alone as long as we come home when called; and last but not least (cuz I’m really trying on this one) to use manners.

Although I never met Great Grandpa Kirby, I’m grateful he was here to love my hoomans first and that he taught them to be good canine caregivers. I can tell he took good care of them and that they still miss him – because when they tell his stories – they smile but in a kinda sad way.

So as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this week friends – let’s take a minute to honor those who came before us by filling our days with patience, curiosity, and good manners. I am sure we all know an old dog like Kirby – someone who was here for a little while, taught us a whole lot, and then left our world a better place. CHEERS to the old dogs for all the love, laughs, and lessons they gave us while they were here. I have some pretty big tracks to fill – but I hope Great Grandpa Kirby would be proud. Happy trails my friend!

*Kirby Derby Dexter Doodle Colby-Jack Rainy Day Moore (2004-2018)*

An Irish Blessing for Old Dogs

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your tail.

May the sunshine warm upon your whiskers.

May the rain fall gently in your woods.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you by the paw in His hand.

Bark at you soon – your friend,

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Diggin In

Today I decided to DIG! I find it so therapeutic to crunch my paws through the icy top layer of snow and dig into the dirt. Nothin better than a deep dive in the dirt to make this canine explorer feel alive! As I was digging, I got to thinking about March and everything I love about the springtime. The birds chirping, the mud filling my nostrils, sunshine on my shoulders – all of it felt like spring was cheering me on to keep digging deeper and deeper. It felt so good!

It wasn’t until I was about waist deep when I realized that my hoomans were probably not going to be in favor of this type of therapy. While I am an extraordinarily superior minded canine, even I can not hide the fact that I dug a three foot hole and am a white dog full of black mud. The problem loomed. You know that feeling in your stomach that hits you like you ate a whole cake when you only meant to eat one piece? That is exactly how I felt. One minute I was on top of the world and then next – sick as a dog (and I hate that expression).

“Why me!” I cried to no one listening. The stupid birds were still chirping and the sun was blinding me. I was going to be in so much trouble. It would be so easy just to bury my head in the dirt – but I knew I was going to have to crawl out of this hole eventually. I was gonna have to make that long walk up the driveway full of mud and shame when only moments ago life was so great and I was so full of joy.

Sometimes we all get carried away – caught up in the moment – even when we know better. But we gotta do the right thing and own our behavior and sometimes – even apologize. So if you find yourself digging yourself in deep this week – and you just aren’t sure how to get yourself out – take my advice and stop digging! Go to your favorite hooman and ask for help. Even if you have to sit in a corner until the mud dries, it is better just to own your mistake than to dig yourself in deeper.

In the end it worked out for me. Ya, I got scolded a bit and had to go to the dog spa, but it wasn’t the end of the world. As my hooman wiped my muddy paws, I smothered her face in sloppy apology kisses. She ended up laughing, then hugging, then she ruffled my ears and said “silly dog” (which sounded a lot like I love you).

So friends, as we head in to this first full muddy week of March, I just wanted to let you know there is no hole too deep that you can not climb out of – you just have to stop digging. Sometimes you may be in deep. Sometimes you can’t hide the mud. Just stop digging, ask for forgiveness and apologize. And if someone you know has dug themselves into a hole, then comes to you muddy with their tail between their legs – show some kindness, help them clean themselves up and call them a silly dog.

I’ll bark at ya next week – your friend,

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An Irish Blessing for Old Dogs

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