117/365: Really, Diesel?

Klucker and I met the Nadeau's for dinner tonight.  I can't tell you the last time we went out for dinner, much less went out for dinner on a Friday night without kids outside of Columbia.  It's a pretty big deal for us.  We had dinner at the Fountain on Locust.  The food was good.  The ice cream was fabulous.  The company was incredible.  Excellent evening all around. 

We got home and I began getting things ready for tomorrow's ride.  I tend to forget things if I'm rushed, so I typically plan and organize ahead.  For some reason, I focused on the kitchen counter.  It's then that I realized that a bag of bagels was missing.  I love good bagels, so I buy a baker's dozen from Bread Co every two weeks and keep them in zipper bags to stay fresh.  It's a much better option than grocery store bagels.  However, recently I've had to buy bagels weekly.  Why?  The picture should tell most of the story.  Diesel has amazing reach and a love for good bagels that matches mine.  Leave that baggie any where near the edge of the counter and poof! it's magic.  Diesel makes them disappear.  The furry fiend ate four tonight.  He's been know to take on a half dozen.  I've been getting better and either keeping them in the pantry or at the very back of the counter, but our cleaners must have rearranged the items when they wiped the counter off this afternoon.  This dog and his bagel habit are getting expensive.

97/365: I Still Can't Trust Him Completely

I came home to this sight tonight.  I forgot to weight the lid of the kitchen trashcan.  Diesel-nator 10-5000, the ultimate chewing machine, reaked havoc.  I bought a pork roast at the grocery store today and repackaged it to freeze.  I then threw away the original packaging as well as packaging from other food.  I guess to a brittany/beagle mix, it smells like a feast. 

Diesel, in most ways, is the best behaved dog with whom I've lived.  He listens to me.  He crate trained easily.  But like most beagles, he's a chewer.  He's just a few month shy of being two years old, so there are still a few puppy ways left in him and this is one of them.  I guess I still need to work on my own training to remember to take the food trash outside or weight down the trash.

60/365: Doggie Bunkbed

I was fixing supper last night when Klucker called me into the living room for this sight. There they are, my ever vigilant watch dogs, manning their post. I really wonder how exhausting it is to be a dog. Diesel is in his kennel all day, so I know he's not getting any exercise. Daisy lays on her pillow by the back door; I can feel the warm spot if I check it when I get home in the evening. And for the most part, they both sleep through the night. Yet, at 6:00PM, here they are on the chair. They do have moments of fiestiness and barking, and Diesel does do squirrel patrol when he goes outside, but the laziness far outweighs those.

50/365: Scary Moment

This morning I was upstairs uploading the data from my run when I heard Daisy barking. Her "tone" was the one she uses when Diesel is in her food bowl. It went on for about 20 seconds before Boo told her to be quiet and leave Diesel alone. Of course, Daisy continued to bark. I yelled down to Boo to ask what was going on and about that time, the barking changed and Diesel's voice emerged. They were fighting. I jumped up and headed down the stairs yelling for Boo and Bella to stay away. I had instant visions of one of them trying to separate the dogs and getting bit in the process. I made it to the kitchen in time to see Klucker dragging Diesel by the collar into the bathroom. I pulled Daisy to the other side of the kitchen.

Boo was concerned because Diesel's food bowl had been spilled. I told him to pick up food and I was "lecturing" Daisy on trying to take Diesel's food. I let her collar go as I noticed a drop of blood on the floor. Just then she shook her head. It was as if I was in a CSI episode--high velocity puppy blood splatter went everywhere. I grabbed a paper towel and found the wound, the bottom of her ear was split. After attempts of pressure, ice, super glue, and cornstarch, Klucker finally got the bleeding to stop. Of course, I wiped down the kitchen three or four times during this progression.

So here is the wounded warrior. If you look closely at her right ear, you'll see the little tear. Doesn't she look pitiful?

3/365: The Diesel-nator 10-5,000 the Ultimate Chewing Machine

He looks innocent, doesn't he? How could you ever get mad at such a loving, cute face? I know it's hard to believe, but this sweet, big-eyed creature has killed: seven pairs of flip flops, 24 S'mores cups, three reusable shopping bags, countless kids' toys, three lunch boxes, five tupperware containers, and one backpack. And those are just the things I remember off the top of my head. To be completely honest, he has gotten better. Flip flops and food on the table are the only things he actively hunts right now, along with squirrels and bunnies, but I still don't trust him. What's really funny is that Diesel is actually a good dog. He listens to commands, stays at the foot of the bed, and goes in his kennel in the morning without prompting. He's loving and sweet and so incredibly cute.