The Thin Man Cometh

Look what we got for Christmas! It's a movie starring my favorite actor, Asta! College Kid brought home the fourth movie of the Thin Man series, Shadow of the Thin Man. There are a couple of minor actors named William Powell and Myrna Loy in it, too, but we all know that Asta is the real talent in the film.

Here's a bit of trivia I found when researching this movie. After Nick (William Powell) gets off a merry-go-round, there is a close-up of Asta also jumping off the merry-go-round. If you look closely, you can see the straps and fishing line attached to Asta's legs. They used it to make him walk like he was dizzy from going in circles. There's also a scene where you can see a reflection of someone giving Asta his cues.

Yeah, as if Asta needed any help acting. He was a talented pup, and except for that little mishap where he nipped Myrna Loy for bothering him, a true professional in his movie career.

So when the ice and snow blows in later tonight, we're going to be curled up with some popcorn and fudge and watching my favorite film star in action. We hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, too!
~Tell

I'm Feelin' Mighty Woozy...

Yesterday started off nice enough. Instead of getting breakfast, we were asked, "Who wants to go for a ride?" Well, ask a silly question! Cap, Glynn and I jumped in the pickup for a trip to town. I rode shotgun.

We ended up at the vet's office. No big deal there, we like our vet and all the people at the animal hospital. They drew blood from all three of us, I guess to see if we had some. Then I was hefted up on the table and stood there wagging my tail, enjoying all the attention and hugs. There must have been a bee buzzing in the room, because the next thing I knew, I felt a little sting in my shoulder. That's the last thing I remember for awhile.

I don't know what happened next, but when I woke up I felt wobbly, my head was spinning, and I'm not at all certain I hadn't been abducted by aliens when I wasn't looking.

Cap and Glynn hadn't fared much better than me, so that bee must have been going around. Poor Cap woke up missing three teeth, which were getting pretty scarce in his mouth. His breath also smells better than it did before. Glynn just looked sleepy and didn't say much.

Now Mom has a photo of a dog that looks an awful lot like me getting a professional dental cleaning. All I can say is I don't remember that happening, so it couldn't have been me. Handsome devil, though. I'd like to meet him someday.

We didn't feel like eating dinner last night, but this morning we inhaled our breakfast. Cap grumbled over his bowl like he always does, and Glynn and I played switcharoo with ours. We got extra hugs, too, and were told we were the best smelling pooches around.

I hope Doc gets rid of that pesky bee, though.

~Tell

Home Again

We are very glad to be back home after the power outage. We were only in the dark about two days, so we were some of the lucky ones in this area. We were at the Pig Out Palace (I kid you not, that's what they call it) and saw about 75 men in trucks pull into the parking lot. They went inside and pushed all their tables together like an old logging camp, and boy did they chow down. Takes a lot of gumption to stand this cold weather, working hours in it like they do. Those linemen sure do have our respect, and thanks. It's a hard job.

The freezer held out good, but there was some funky stuff in the refrigerator that got tossed. Other than that, everything was just the way we left it.

The birds Petrie and Juliet were camped out at the doggy bed and breakfast place (yeah, they take birds there in a pinch), so things were pretty quiet around here until today. Now they're back home, and things are livening up. Juliet may not have a beautiful singing voice, but she sings with gusto. Kinda sounds like a smoke alarm. I hope they haven't picked up any new words while they were gone.

We're looking forward to the big soup and sandwich meal we have on Christmas Eve. My favorite is baked potato soup with cheese and sour cream, maybe some bacon bits if I can mooch some off the table.

Ah, life is back to normal.

~Tell

Hey, It's Mater!

Well, would you look what we saw while running errands around town. It's Mater, from the Disney movie Cars. You remember, "Yeah, like tuh-mater, but without the tuh." He's even decked out with Christmas lights. Mom just cracked up, which isn't a good thing to do while driving but she couldn't help it.


We've had some foul weather with ice here, and our house has been without electricity for two days. Last night we all went to Mom's office and slept there. That's the thing about being a boss, you can make yourself at home if you want to. We all dog-piled on the floor, and this morning the place looked like a squatter's camp with bedrolls and clothes thrown all around. What a mess. The Family is beginning to feel a big doggy themselves, so it may be a hotel tonight. I didn't mind at all, as dogs can sleep just about anywhere, but apparently humans get up a wee bit grumpy in the morning without their ususal routine.


We're getting excited about Christmas. College Kid came home last weekend and put up a tree with all kinds of decorations and lights flashing. Now the bottom is blocked with boxes and bows so we can't sniff as close as we want to. This is good for Cap, as he gets a bit confused about trees being in the house and just what we're supposed to do about it. Silly old dog.


With all the news about the Montreal WFTs and their horrible situation, and pray that this will be resolved quickly. No dog deserves to suffer like those poor pups, and we have a special place in our hearts for all terriers. Even though we are camping out at the moment, we feel very lucky indeed. We're clean, groomed, well-fed and most of all, loved by The Family. That's the best Christmas a dog could have.
~Tell

Nat's Artwork

A few months ago My Girl started painting lessons, and now we're hanging artwork around the house. It's mostly still lifes and one fox (no, not a fox terrier, just a grey fox but you gotta start somewhere, I told her). We're waiting for the day that she'll paint a picture of us. Since I'm such a handsome devil, it should be a winner. I'm practicing my smile.

In the meantime, we're keeping an eye on Pappy's blog. Pappy's fellow is a painter, too, and has been busy imortalizing all of Pappy's bits and pieces on canvas and postcards. He has quite a collection of paintings on his artblog. If you haven't been keeping up with Nat Dickinson's art, it's worth checking out. You can even enter a contest to win a postcard with some of Nat's art on it. I have to say that Pappy is one lucky dog, being a model for so many pieces of artwork!

~Tell

How About a Hug?

Sometimes it's hard to understand why life throws us a curve, the way it did Ozzie, Romeo and their Mom last week. We want to extend our heartfelt sympathy to that family in their loss of David. Jen's words about their final day together was so touching, and we're sure that she will find comfort in the months to come by reliving those happy memories they made together.


A lot of people are surprised to find that pets can grieve the loss of a family member, too. Maybe not in the same way as people, because we don't understand the big picture like our humans, but we do feel a loss. We miss our usual routine, the presence of that special someone, and we pick up on the emotions of others around us.

Dogs are wonderful for giving comfort, but we also need comfort ourselves. We need the reassurance that we are still loved, and that things will get better with time. I guess dogs and people aren't all that different, after all, huh?

Give someone a hug today. You never know...
~Tell

Happy Thanksgiving!

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving here and abroad, or as My Boy says, a Happy Turkey Day!


This national holiday got the three of us thinking about the things we are thankful for. We have quite a bit to be thankful about. My happy thoughts for today are:

1. I love My Boy, who keeps me entertained and loves me bunches.
2. The game called Tug-of-War. I'd like to meet the genius who invented this game. I could play it forever.
3. Green grass. I eat it, roll in it, dig it up and spread it around.
4. That chickens feathers grow back.
5. Car rides with the windows rolled down.


Cap's list is a little redundant. It goes like this:
1. Squeakies.
2. A full dinner bowl.
3. Squeakies.
4. Back scratches.
5. And (here's a surprise), squeakies.


Glynn isn't very materialistic. Her lists only has two things, a forever home and Me. It doesn't take much to keep her content. A nice game of chase around the yard will put a smile on her face the rest of the day.


I think one thing we're all thankful for is that we have each other. Where else would three terriers get along as well as we do with nary a spat? I think we were made for each other.


Have a wonderful weekend!
~Tell

A Salute to Our Veterans

We want to pay honor to our veterans today and show them respect for the dedication and sacrifices they have made for the love of our country. Veterans have always had a special place in our heart.

A part of what makes my hometown special is our WWI Doughboy statue. It stands in front of our public library. It is one of less than 150 doughboy statues in our country and we're very proud that our little hometown has one.

So here's a big thank you for the men and women who have served our country. We're very proud to be able to pay tribute to you on Veteran's Day!

~ Tell

I've Got Mail

Today I got a surprise in the mail! Ol' Mike the Mailman brought me a package from the U.K. Mom said it was from my buddy, Jackson. Since this is my first actual contact with Jackson, I had to sniff it over real well. How interesting. I was almost as fascinated with the outside as the what it held inside.




I needed a little help opening the package (I'm a bit fumble-fingered at things like that, I usually tear in with my teeth). Inside were some gorgeous Forever Foxed cards. Since I have to live with a collector of all things foxy and wiry, there was much to-do over how lovely they were.

Straight away, we framed them and set them around the house. Since they're under glass, it's a bit harder to pick up Jackson's scent but I still know they're from him. My favorite is the artwork of my buddy sitting on the lounge. You know, if I squint a little, it sorta looks like me!

~Tell

Walk Around The Farm

Taking a walk around the farm is always fun. Of course, it would be more fun if we were turned off-leash, but Mom got tired of all the bare-bottomed chickens we left behind, so any time we go outside the yard she insists on restraints. Still, sniffing around the homestead is a great way to spend time because there's always something new to discover.

Here is Cap looking over one of the barn cats. All the female cats are named after flowers, and this one is Pansy. Pansy likes to roll over on her back and swat our noses. This is catspeak for "Bite me".After that, we travelled on and ran into another of the barn cats. Her name is Naked Lady. She pretty much told us the same thing Pansy did. Cats appear to have a limited vocabulary.

We met some new friends in the barn. These are My Kids' new show pigs. They are a couple of sweet girls but they don't have names yet. My Kids like to have cute names for the pigs for good luck. We've had a Tammy Swynette, Marilyn Monroe and Norma Jean. We even had one named Honeybuns. The mama of this litter is called Hamlet. Any suggestions?

After exchanging sniffs from the pigs (they sniff surprisingly rough for babies), we headed back to the house for naps. Exploring is hard work and we never quite get it all done. It's best to leave some for tomorrow.

~Tell

Wonderful Fall Weekend

We had a great weekend here. Saturday was Spa Day for us, and we all three got baths and haircuts. Then it was outside for a romp since the weather was so lovely. We got a surprise, too. New toys!

As I reached for my favorite, the tugging toy, Glynn whizzed by and bonked me on the head. Owww!

After a while I quit playing with the tuggy toy and left it laying. That's when Glynn stopped to take a sniff of it, and actually gave it a little shake. She's learning to play a bit at a time. Soon I'll get her to really play tug-of-war with me.

Cap, of course, picked the toy that makes noise. If it squeaks, it's mine, he always tells us.

Cap will guard that squeaky for the next two days like it is a treasured possession. It will take him that long to kill it and get the squeaky out, since the old boy doesn't have many teeth left, but he'll get it field-dressed in the end. After that, he loses interest in the hides, so they get tossed.


I hope the rest of you are enjoying this beautiful fall weather. It's our favorite time of year!
~Tell

A Sweet Award!

Thank you, Maggie and Mitch, for this awesome award! I feel so honored, and I think you're both pretty sweet, too!

Now I'd like to pass this award on to another terrier who deserves the best of everything. Summer has just found her forever home, so that's truly a reason to celebrate. Here's to you, Summer!

~Tell

The View From My Backyard

One of the fun things about meeting other dogs online is to see photos of them. Sometimes it's even more fun to look past the dog in the picture to see where he or she lives, the places they visit, the walks they go on, the gardens they dig, and oops...does that make me snoopy? Hey, I'm a dog! If I can't use some of my other senses to check everyone else out, I'll have to peek a little harder at the pictures.

I thought you all might like to see the beautiful autumn sunrise on our farm. We have lots of wildlife around here, and Dad got a great photo of a few whitetail does.

Gorgeous as they are, they're not much for making friends with us farm dogs. And boy, can they ever run fast! The first time I tried to buddy up to one, it disappeared over the ridge before I could say BOO. Still, when I think of all the critters around these parts, I like their quiet nature best. Sometimes, if I'm not paying attention, I don't even know they've slipped in for a visit until I find their tracks later.

I hope to see more deer in the next few weeks. They are eating all the acorns they can find around here this fall, putting on weight for the winter months. I wonder if Purina makes a deer chow?

~Tell

I've Been Pumpkinized

Somebody played around with the computer and put my handsome mug on a pumpkin! Pretty clever, huh? Go to http://www.glassgiant.com/pumpkinizer/ to get your own scary pumpkin face.
~ Tell

Better than Elvis!

The other day Dad was looking around Mom's office at all the wire fox terrier things she has collected, and he said, "You know, you don't have one picture of the kids here." Uh oh, busted. Mom didn't even realize how much her collection had taken over the work place, but there it was for all to see.





Nary a picture of the kids in sight, but fox terriers everywhere -- hanging on the wall, sitting on her 'puter, and dangling from her ears (actually, they are sillouette Airedale earrings but she passes them off as wires, don't let her know I told her secret). Hey, I don't see anything wrong with collecting what you love, and we all know she loves ME best!


So you can imagine Mom's excitement when she was browsing through a gift shop and came across a figurine of two little terriers peeking over a wall. Do these faces look familiar?

She wasn't sure they really were wires until she turned it around. Both dogs had little black saddles on their backs!

So off these little guys went to work so they can welcome customers into the office. I guess you can say Mom is totally hooked on foxy terriers, they're just everywhere you look around the room. Mom says they're better than a velvet Elvis (who she likes, by the way, but not THAT much!).

~ Tell

Here a Scritchie, There a Scritchie...

I learned a new word the other day while reading Gus' blog. He talks about something called butt scritchies. I'd never heard of scritchies before and wondered what they were, was it catching, and what does one look like? Not wanting to be thought of as a dumb dog, I didn't ask. I tried to look that word up but couldn't find it. I thought maybe it would come up in a conversation some day, and I would catch on.

As I was pondering this new word, I think Mom must have been reading over my shoulder (as she is prone to do at times). I heard her say, "Hmmm..." The next thing I knew, she had reached over and started scratching my back and rumpus. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! What heavenly form of patting was this? It felt wonderful, especially to a pup who has had a few itchies he couldn't reach now and then. I stretched my neck, wagged my tail and made a goofy face.

Cap jumped up and trotted over to see what he was missing. He's a bit nosey sometimes. Mom said, "You want a scritchie, too?" He had much the same reaction as I did. There we stood, grinning like a couple of goobers while The Family laughed at us.

Then it was Glynn's turn. As I may have mentioned, Glynn is a bit of a shrinking violet when it comes to people. She's just not used to cuddles. So when Mom gave her a back rub and butt scritchie, my little sis just about went into shock. She didn't know what to think of all this attention but she took it rather well except for the bug-eyed look on her face.

It's been several days now, and scritchies have become part of our routine. We are becoming absolutely spoiled to this new way of pampering pooches. It sure beats twisting ourselves into a pretzel to reach an itch, and everyone thinks we're funny when we get those silly smiles on our faces.


Today, as Cap and I swung our broadsides around for Mom to reach, we were surprised when Glynn walked up and quietly stood there, too. Quite a milestone for her. Brought a tear to my eye, seeing her pluck up the courage to join the group.

Way to go, little sis!
~ Tell

The Car Game

Seeing all the posts about The Car Game has got me thinking: What kind of car would I be? Something rugged and durable? Something sleek and fast? Expensive, sure. Common, no. But let's start with my roomies.

Glynn would have to be a classy little Ford Mustang convertible. It's cute, fun, easy to handle just like Glynn, and it would be perfect for someone who likes their ears flapping in the breeze while they cruise down the road.

Cap would be a old classic -- the 1909 Model T Ford itself (putt-putt). Antique, very sturdy and reliable, but he doesn't accelerate or brake quickly. Kinda explains the occasional body-slam he does when he's bouncing around.

And then there's me. I'd have to be something unique, eye-catching and smart, like a DeLorean! Yep, they just don't make 'em like me anymore, that's for sure!

This has been a fun exercise. If you haven't been tagged yet for The Car Game, consider yourself tagged by me and jump right in. What kind of car are you?

~ Tell

The Taming of the Roo

First let me say in my defense, a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do.

Mom likes to keep a flock of laying hens around, mainly for the eggs but also for pest control. They eat bugs, you know. Our last rooster was appropriately named The Big Bad. We don't know what kind of rooster he was, just came with the other chicks. Maybe The Big Bad's foul mood was because he was originally supposed to be a hen. Anyway, he became quite a menace with his stalking and flogging. There's nothing more startling to a dog minding his own business than to suddenly be whapped in the hineybowl by a flurry of feathers.

Sometime last year, The Big Bad disappeared right off the farm. I suspect a chicken hawk, but no one knows for sure. For awhile, we had no crowing in the morning, no sneak attacks upon my nether regions, no archnemesis for me to keep track of. All was peace and quiet.

Then Mom brought home another rooster. This one is a young one, not quite in his prime yet, but I can already see the little wheels turning in his head. He keeps a beady eye on me and the other two dogs, glaring and plotting. He sounds the alarm if we get too close to his girls. He wakes me up at five in the morning. Ugh!

So, as I said, it had to be done. Oh, Ozzie the rooster could have prevented the whole thing by staying in the chicken pen where he belongs. But no, he has to fly over the fence every day and enter MY domain, teasing me with his long, gorgeous, flowing feather duster of a tail, so...

All Mom found was a pile of feathers. That, and a very disgruntled Ozzie sporting a bare bottom.

That's ol' Ozwinkle on the left. See, now his tail is even shorter than the hens (hee hee).

I hope Ozzie remembers this little lesson, and doesn't pick up the same bad habits as The Big Bad once showed. Dogs are to be respected, not used as sparing partners. After all, those spurs could poke someone's eye out.

~Tell

Happy Gotchas!

A couple of friends have asked about Cap and Glynn, and I realized I have been remiss in not introducing them. My two compadres say I'm hogging the blogging, so I'll tell how they came to live with us.

Glynn was found in the Tulsa dog pound. When her time was up, a nice rescue group got her and put her picture on Petfinder. The Family couldn't resist that face, so they filled out forms, got interviewed, had references checked, on and on until we were told to come and get her. Then a terrible snow storm came and the roads were closed for several days. Mom kept calling and asking them to hold onto that sweet girl, she would pick her up as soon as she could drive over there. It was hard to wait, knowing I had a little sis coming to live with us. Like waiting for Christmas!

Glynn was not very socialized, and she still cringes when someone reaches for her. I don't think she got a lot of cuddles before. She also had a long caesarean scar on her tummy, with stitches still in it. Her teeth were in bad shape. Poor girl, we think she may have come from a breeding kennel, but can't imagine how she ended up in a city pound so soon after having puppies. Where were the puppies, anyway? So many mysteries. Glynn won't talk about that time, she's just happy to be here with us now. She's like my little shadow, following me around. You should see the smile on her face when she's being ornery. Her favorite game is to nip me in the bum when we play to make me run faster. It works.

Cap's tale is a sad one. Dad saw him in the back of an animal control officer's truck. He was going to be put down because he was in such bad shape. The poor fellow only weighed 13 pounds, just skin and bones. His eyes were so infected they were bleeding. He's an older dog, so he was shaking when he stood up and wagged his tail. The animal control officer is a friend and he said we could have him if we wanted him, because he didn't think Cap would survive the cold night at the pound's kennel. Well, he didn't have to make that offer twice! Our vet warned us that he was so malnourished he might not survive, but Mom and Dad think every wire fox terrier is special and deserves a chance. After all, there's not that many of us around.

It was touch and go for almost a month, but My Family says it was worth all the trouble and expense. Cap is a whopping 23 pounds now, a bit on the chubby side. He really is a gentleman and has good manners except for being a bit grumbly over me poking my snoot in his dinner dish to see what he's eating. I guess he's afraid the chow might run out and he would get hungry again. No chance of that, I tell him. Have you seen the way we stock the pantry here?

As for me, I came from a nice breeder and was the last puppy in a litter of eight to be sold. The last one picked, My Boy says, but I feel like the pick of the litter anyway. After all, I have my own boy to spend time with, so life is pretty good all around.

So those are our Happy Gotcha stories. Maybe some of you have gotcha stories to share, too?

~ Tell

My Girl's Belt

Everyone in our family is very excited. My Girl has finally gotten her black belt in something called taekwondo. I don't know what it is, but when she does it, she can kick higher than I can jump, which is pretty high. She practices alot at home, and it's fun to watch. I like it when she yells out loud.

Now My Girl's black belt matches my black collar. Mom says between the dogs and kids, we should have the safest walkies ever. No one's going to bother us! Grrr!

Wishing everyone a safe Labor Day weekend!
Tell

Middle Names

Koobus tagged me for the Middle Name Game. I have to spell my my middle name and use each letter to describe myself. Hmmm, let's see...

T -- Terrific
E -- Engergetic
L -- Lovable
L -- Double Lovable (hee hee)

Now I'll try Glynna's middle name...

L -- Lucky
U -- Unique
C -- Cute
I -- Irresitable
L -- Lady-Like
L -- Luscious
E -- Easy-Going

Cap won't tell me what his middle name is. Since he usually doesn't get into as much trouble as me, Mom doesn't call him by his middle name, either. Some days I think she's going to wear mine out, though.

Now I'm tagging four other dogs: Scruffy, Lacie, Mackie and Luna! Have fun!
Tell

Learning to Walk

It's been awhile since my leash training, but I don't recall having any trouble learning the basics. I can heel, sit and down real good. I'm a little fuzzy on that "Come Here!" part, but otherwise I know what I'm doing. Cap and Glynn already knew their parts when they came here, so talking walks is lots of fun with us terriers.

But those poor Boer goats! I've never seen anyone have as much trouble grasping the idea as Leo and Cedric. They are practicing so they can go to the big show next month, but they just don't understand how to walk on a leash. Leo bawls and jumps high in the air, then stomps his feet when he comes down. Cedric, on the other hand, simply folds up and lays down. Sometimes he sprawls on his side, and a couple of times I saw him roll over on his back with his feet in the air like he was pointing toward the moon. How silly is that? My Girl hefts him back upright and they try all over again. After a few steps, Cedric pulls that fainting goat act again.

I tried to show him how it's done, and I told him that walking is lots of fun. We get to run around and see new things, wade in the creek, sniff the chickens (but I told him not to pluck any when Mom's looking), and all kinds of great adventures can happen at the end of a leash.

Cedric says he's perfectly happy in his little barn on the hill. I guess he's not the adventuring kind of guy. Leo just nods and follows Cedric's lead.

I don't know how that show is going to look next month. I think they may be too heavy to pick up and carry by then.

~ Tell

An Intruder in our House

There was a stranger in our house this week. The Intruder came right in the front door with the key, and started messing around in the kitchen. He was opening drawers, turning on the oven and moving things back and forth. He carried a lot of stuff in that smelled interesting, but we weren't allowed to sniff any of it like we wanted to.

The more he moved around, the more fascinating the smells became. He seemed to make himself right at home like he lives here (which he doesn't). He even put a sheet and things on the dining table and lit some candles. That's kind of a no-no in our house. We weren't sure what to do about that, since Mom and Dad and The Kids were all gone. Glynn said we should hide, but Cap said we should just watched him real close. I tried to win him over with my charm, but he wasn't paying much attention to us.

Pretty soon Mom and Dad came home from work. Aha, I thought, now they'll catch this guy in the act of whatever he was doing! This is something I want to see!

But it turned out that The Intruder was welcome in our home after all. Dad had set the whole thing up as a surprise to Mom for their anniversary. The stranger was a gourmet chef and had fixed a candlelight dinner for them. There was salad, red snapper, steamed rice and vegetables, hot bread with REAL butter, and pinoche with raspberries. No wonder our beards were drooly!

Mom was so surprised, she didn't know what to say. She was stunned, and as our Australian friends would have put it, gob-smacked. She told her friends later that it was fun, fun, fun!

Now, if we can just find someone to spice up our doggy dishes the same way...maybe some parsley, and a little twist of lemon on the side...

Tell

The Summer Itchies

It's the height of summer here and very hot. We run around the yard when it's cool in the morning, or in the evening when Mom sits on the porch swing. Glynn even play-bowed for the family a few times today. It's been baby steps getting her to open up to people. She's just not too sure about all this snuggling we do, she thinks we're nuts sometimes. But give her some green grass and open yard, and just watch her go!

There's a big tub of water outside for us. Cap and Glynn like to drink from it, but I think it makes a great pool to cool off. I've even tried digging a hole in the bottom to find more water, and that always makes My Boy laugh.

I've been reading several blogs lately that talk about itching and scratching this time of year. Today, two terriers ask me about my secret to staying itch-free, so I'll share it and hope it helps someone else.

Five years ago, my first summer wasn't so fun. I had what some terriers call "The Summer Itchies." The irritation was terrible and about drove me insane. I scratched, I chewed, I rolled, then scratched some more. I had awful raw places and couldn't seem to stop. My hair fell out in patches and my skin was beet red. Dad finally said, "If we're going to have a dog that scratches, let's do something about it." We went to Doc's place and he drew a little blood for a test tube. I'd like to say I was brave about it, but I was just a wee pup back then and Mom had to bear hug me to be still. Doc sent that tube off to a lab and we waited to see what they could find.

About a week later, Doc looked at the test results and said I was the absolute worst case of allergies he'd ever seen. There was a whole page of pollens, weeds, trees, bugs and food ingredients on the bad list. Everything I touched, ate or even sniffed seemed to be on that paper. Everything but cats. I can have all the cats I want and not break out at all. Imagine that.

The lab made up two bottles of medicine especially for me. Has my name printed right on them, too. I get two shots on the first day of every month all year round. At first, there was only a little improvement, but after a few months I wasn't scratching at all, and my hair started growing back. Life was good again, I can tell you!

Mom puts a little sticker on the calender to remind her that it's my "shot day." Now that I'm a grown terrier, I know to stand still for the injections, and I always get a treat afterwards. It's only a tiny needle and I don't feel it at all.

So if there are any dogs out there that think this might help with their own itchies, I'd be glad to tell them more about it. There's also a link at the bottom of my page so you can look at the lab's web site and even write to them. They're always glad to hear from me and ask how I'm doing every time Mom calls to get a refill. They must be dog people there. They always remember my name.

~ Tell

A Chip on Her Shoulder

The Family thought it was a good idea when I got microchipped. In fact, they decided that all three of us could use a chip on our shoulder, so Mom gathered up Glynn next and took her to see Doc.

They sure got a surprise when they did. When he scanned Glynn's shoulders, she already had a chip! They wrote the number down and talked to Mom about it, and she brought Glynn home to decide what to do next.

If someone gave Glynn a microchip, that probably meant that she has a home somewhere. Is there a family out there wondering what happened to their little dog? Mom and Dad and My Kids talked about it alot. They came up with about a bazillion reasons that Glynn should stay with us. The main reason seems to be that we love her and don't want to let her go.

But they finally decided, hard as it was, to do the right thing. Mom said if one of us got lost, she would want us back and would be worried sick until we were home safe. Painful as it was to do, Dad called the microchip company and told them about Glynn.

It only took less than a minute to find out that no one had reported Glynn missing. In fact, her number had never been entered into the database. Who would go to the trouble to chip a dog, then not pay the few extra dollars to make sure they keep her safe? Since Glynn never talks about her past, we have no way of knowing.

Mom went ahead and told them to register Glynn with our family, so now she's here to stay. We're all very happy about it, and relieved! We didn't want to let her go. Cap and I love our little Sis.

Sometimes Glynn sits out on the grass, looks up and closes her eyes, and just soaks up the sun. Mom thinks she makes a very pretty little yard ornament when she sits still like that, but I wonder if it's because she's happy in our home.

I know we're all happy to have her here to stay.

~ Tell

For Dear Oscar

This poem is for my friend, Oscar, who left us too young...

HAVE YOU A DOG IN HEAVEN?
Have you a dog in Heaven, Lord? And do you pat its head?
Does he sit up and beg each night before he goes to bed?
Does he look up with shining eyes when he sees Your smilling face?
Does he wag his stubby little tail when he wants to run a race?

Have You a dog in Heaven, Lord? Is there room for just one more?
Cause my little dog died today; he'll be waiting at Your door.
Please take him into Heaven, Lord. And keep him there for me,
Just feed him, pet him, love him, Lord,
That's all he'll ask of Thee.

by Jean McColgan

Funny-Looking Friends

Today Glynn and I were checking the barns and we stumbled across a couple of strange creatures. I knew My Boy and My Girl had been spending a lot of time at the little barn up on the hill, but I didn't know what was in there.

At first I smelled something odd, so I looked inside. I'd never seen anything like these fellows before. They were white with red heads (like me), and very long ears. Funniest-looking dogs I've ever seen. I slipped through the fence and went right up to introduce myself to them, and they ran! Hey, they must want to play, I thought, so I bounced right along with them. We had fun romping together. They said their names are Leo and Cedric, and they are blue-blooded Boers. My Girl and My Boy are going to take them to shows this fall.

Glynn wasn't too sure about them and she just sniffed a little. She's a little shy like that. When we got back to the house, Cap said he didn't believe us at all.

Yeah, I guess it is something you would have to see for yourself.

Take care, friends, and stay cool this summer!

William Tell

In the Dog House, Again (sigh)

Yaaarrr, mateys! As you can see, I'm feeling a bit swash-buckly today after having my picture taken for my friend Jackson's beard and mustache competition. It was great fun -- lots of furry doggy faces in those photos. Congratulations to the winner, Pappy, and his outstanding mustache! Mom thought to enhance my good looks by dressing me up as a pirate. Just call me Captain William Tell Whistlebritches.

We had an exciting weekend at the farm. I managed to slip out the gate again and plucked another of the laying hens. I never kill any, just denude them. Mom got mad and called me a "chicken-pluckin' dog". Then she said that my escapade was one too many, and that someday I'm gonna get lost out there in the big wide world. So she took me to the vet and had me microchipped. It didn't hurt a bit, and now I beep when I'm scanned. Mom said it's too bad I can't be implanted with a GPA chip so she could track my whereabouts when I go AWOL. I don't mean to cause all this trouble, but I just can't seem to help myself. When I see an opportunity, I go for it!

As for the little speckled hen, she's not speaking to me today, and the rooster is keeping a beady eye on the flock. I guess this means I'm in the dog house for the moment. I try not to let it bother me too much, though. They never stay mad at me for long. I guess it's my good looks?

It's another rainy day outside with lots of thunder. Good day to stay indoors with the kids. Stay safe, wiry friends, until next time!

~ Tell

Visit to the Vet

Today I went to the veterinarian for my yearly checkup and boosters. I tell you, I get to see a lot of that guy because Mom's such a stickler for those kinds of things. It's not too bad, though. Doc seems to laugh alot when I'm in the room. Anyway, I got a good checkup, and he even did an ECG reading on my heart to make sure I had one in there and it was working the way it should. We got to bring a printout home.

I also got a cool bandana when we finished, because I'd been good and sat still on the table. And, of course, a doggy biscuit. I know where he hides the treats so I went to the desk and sat pretty until they gave me one.


I made some friends in the waiting room. There was Maggie the Beagle, Chingy the Pekingese, and then there was Leah. I had a hard time figuring out just what she was, until her owner called her a Labradoodle. Huh? Anyway, she was pretty and friendly and I made puppy-dog eyes at her. I think she liked me back.

Then it was time to leave. I told Mom to hurry and load up! I love riding shotgun.

We took the long way home because riding in the pickup is my most favorite thing in the whole world. I got so excited that I drooled in someone's purse (sorry Mom).

All in all, it was a great day. I think Glynn missed me, she got real excited to see me come home. Cap said he didn't much care one way or another, just as long as we let him snooze.

Have a great weekend, friends!

Thanks, Friends!

Thanks to all my terrier friends for the encouragement. I'm a bit slow at this blogging thing, but I've had loads of emails offering support and advice. Wow, I can't go wrong with this much help (we hope!).

The thunderstorms this week have made the ground soggy, just right for digging. My Boy is waiting for things to dry out so he can mow the lawn. I try to stay out of the way when that happens. How can one small boy make so much noise? At least I know it won't happen today. The thunder is rolling outside and getting closer as I type. Good day to stay indoors with Mom.

My Boy's Poem

I'm thrilled (and humbled) that My Boy wrote a poem about me for a school assignment. It's been published in a hard cover book, too! Here it is:

My Dog, Tell

I got a present from my mother.

It was better than a brother.

It's a puppy I call William Tell.

He was the last one the breeder would sell.
He has little black polk-a-dots,
He chases squirrels and barks at rocks.
He is my dog.
I love him lots.
My silly little dog with spots.

He describes me pretty good, too, except for the silly part. Who's silly? Anyway, Mom bought a copy so we can all read it together. I like hearing my name.