To get list

I'm trying to maintain my cool, calm exterior in this madness! I love the holidays but I've got too many things on my plate this season!

Good thing is - I'm done with my holiday shopping and now I just need to pack for our annual Holiday Trek Across the Midwest.

I've got to pick up four things before our impending Holiday Roadtrip:

1) Mo's food- because where we're going, they've never heard of any pet food brand but Walmart and Purina. Welcome to the midwest!

2) A new tag for Daisy because her's was lost on a walk a few weeks ago. The second tag since June! She's like that kid that always lost their mittens.

3) Dramamine for Teagan because she has the worst car sickness I've ever seen in a dog. And it isn't pretty if she's unmedicated.

4) An air freshener for the car. Because nothing says "Christmas" like the smell of two dogs, a cat, and two humans sitting in a tiny car for 15 hours. Add in the possibility of dog puke and any food my husband eats, and rolling down the windows and enduring the frigid winter air doesn't seem so bad in comparison.

Toe Talk.

Teagan HATES getting her toenails clipped.

I know HATE is a strong word but I think it is suitable for Teagan's particular feelings here.

She hasn't ever gotten clipped to the quick, as far as I know, but regardless, every single time I clip her nails, she jerks her paw away and yelps and runs and hides in her crate. She always has, ever since she was a puppy. I try to do it once a month but it has become an ordeal.

I just put her in my lap and hold her and she shakes. SHAKES. Like- out of fear. If she even sees the clippers in my hand, she runs to her crate and hides and won't come out.

So traumatizing!!! For her and me!

So I tried to make it really fun and give her hotdog when the clipper is around but she just snatches the treat and runs away. Not fun. And I feel like a terrible dog-mom.

So I fell for the gimmicky Pedi-Paws thing right away. It was ridiculously expensive AND I had to get batteries.

I thought her suspicion of vibrating noises (my phone, the hairclippers, electric razors) would carry over but she overcame her suspicion with 15 minutes of hotdog and let me file her toenails with no struggle or shaking or yelping or running and hiding.

VICTORY!

Maybe now I should paint her toenails....ok...maybe not.

Maybe Santa Paws will make it up to them.

So with the holiday season approaching, you'd think we'd be busy dressing up the dogs in reindeer costumes and singing carols or something but we've been much too busy going insane.

I don't even have time for holidays this year. The dogs are thrilled.

Between finals, the hub's graduation ceremony and visiting relatives, sick people, working on my thesis proposal/thesis committee, end of the coaching season and planning a trip to Japan for next month, I haven't even THOUGHT about the holidays. Except to realize that we'll be in a car, with 2 dogs and a cat, for 15 hours in a couple weeks. OMG.

Needless to say, most of the shopping is being done online. And we've decided to scrap the cards this year. The dogs are going to get rawhides and blankets, nothing fancy. Sorry ladies.

However, just in time for our holiday visit with her cousin, Oliver Henry the puppy, Teagan has officially passed her Canine Good Citizen test. You go girl!

And maybe, one day, I'll get a picture of them remotely near the fireplace. Until then- wish me some sanity...and a little holiday cheer!

Black and Beautiful

Have you ever heard of black dog syndrome? I hadn't until I adopted my wonderful black lab mix from our area shelter. Definitely an interesting phenomenon and so sad!

http://www.blackpearldogs.com/

Teagan being a beautiful black dog.