A day in the life of Bison

It's been a while

2010-01-25T22:46:00.000-08:00

It really has! Life has been really busy. In so many ways, busy is good. Busy isn't so good for dog blogs though. I've decided to switch gears and start my own blog where I document my photography. There will be plenty of shots of Bison and Lindsay, so be sure to stop by and say hello. Photography for me has always been enjoyable and lately it's been a stress reliever. Time for the stress to just roll off now......

It's been fun!

All in a days work

2009-03-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Days at the office should always be this easy!

While my momma ties up loose ends in the office, we decided to take a snooze. It's true we barely fit on the bed in the office but we make it work. In case you were wondering what that white ball was in the chair, it's Bella.

Where is Linus, you ask?

He has the couch all to himself!

I think he's on to something...hmmmm?

There is a hug, then there is a BISON hug

2009-03-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

My uncle Chris came to visit me and Lindsay with their new pup. I'll talk about Jackson later. For now, I want to show you how to hug family.

First, you need to ask me to give you a hug. Make sure to get in position to accept my hug. Jackson, watch and learn...I'm only going to show you once!

Ready? Here I come!

C R A S H!!

I land on your chest! Make sure to stay upright and not fall over. I am quite powerful!

Hug complete!
You complete the hug by patting me on my head.
See.... easy!

Sorry if I almost dropped you uncle Chris, I still love you!

Look out Cesar....

2009-03-18T08:19:00.001-07:00

Say H E L L O to Kristaki, the new and improved dog whisperer.

When it rains...

2009-03-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

...we get silly indoors!
It's just as fun to run up and down the hall, through my parents bedroom, jump up on their bed (while my dad is still asleep) and back down the hall again.
Hee hee...
We find plenty of ways to amuse ourselves when it's raining outside.

We want the doggie blog world to know that we haven't fallen off the blog wagon just yet. We'll be back with lots to say. We are so happy the Green Cats post sparked your interest in going green, too. We have more green ideas that we'd like to explore, stay tuned.

~Bison and Lindsay

The cats are Green

2009-01-28T07:07:00.000-08:00

"Say what?
When did the cats turn green"

"Last time I checked Linus was still orange..."

"...and Bella was still white."

Ah, my little naive sista. The cats are not actually green, silly! They are more eco-friendly now. The litter momma used to put in their litterbox was clay based. Not very good for our environment. Momma switched them over to World's Best Cat Litter which is corn based instead of clay. It's biodegradable, too!

Momma buys a big 34 pound bag of World's Best at Petsmart for nearly $30. Ouch..she should be buying me freeze dried liver but I'll let it slide. The good news is that one bag lasts Linus and Bella for 6 months.

"What? Only one bag for 6 months?"

Did I stutter? Yes, 6 months!

Then she pours World's Best into two jugs that housed the old school clay litter. At least they're good for something.

And to take this eco-thing a step further, momma said goodbye to plastic bags that used to collect what Linus and Bella left behind and hello paper bags. There was no point collecting biodegradable litter into a plastic bag that would never biodegrade, now is there? She folds up a grocery paper bag until it's low enough to fit as a recepticile for the littermaid.

See...this is how it fits in the littermaid. It actually holds more than the recepticles that originally come with it.

*I'd like to apologize for the dirty appearance of this litter box. The cats are not as clean and tidy as me and Lindsay. We leave no traces of poops! If my momma gave us the chance, she would never have to clean another litter box again.*

Linus: "Hey, I don't like you posting about my toilet use on your blog! Dude...you're gonna pay!"

Bella: "You better watch out. Linus never holds back on a threat."

"This is fascinating and all but I must catch up on my beauty sleep. Thanks for the lesson, Bison!"

Hey! I'm not finished yet!
I wanted everyone to know that their cats can also go green. Even if it's starting with using paper bags then switching litters later. Baby steps. There are so many biodegradable litters to choose from so choose carefully.

And this concludes my good deed of the day.

I can't believe it!

2009-01-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

I can't believe a picture of my sista, Lindsay won 2nd place in a contest at Flickr: Fur & Feathers with Attitute. My momma got a message last night and wanted to share with all you internet Lindsay admirers. I know, there aren't many of you. (hee hee)
She won second place for most expressive eyes. I'm still in shock! Thank you to those of you who voted for my sista!

Family Portraits

2009-01-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

My cousins came over to my house for a play date. It was a fantastic surprise!! My momma and Auntie Mary had an idea to get us all in a picture together. It's never been done before so why not? Right? Getting one dog to pose and look at the camera can be a challenge much less 6 dogs! At the same time, even!! Auntie Mary took the physical challenge.

My Auntie Mary put her training skills to the test! She rounded us all up on the couch for our doggie portrait. One of the small dogs kept ruining our picture by jumping off. Figures!! Me and Bruno were good boys and did everything Auntie Mary said. Typical angels!

"Lindsay! We're waiting for you!"

There were some malfunctions.

"Eeewwww.....someone scooted on the couch!"
Bruno: I swear it wasn't me!

Almost there but Gino blended in with the couch. He's totally camouflaged! If you still don't see him, he's to the left of Bruno.

Finally...our family portrait!

Bruno: Took long enough!
Bison: Wake me up when it's over.
This is the first but I'm sure it won't be the last.

Wishbone Who?

2009-01-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

Wishbone ain't got nothing on this mug!

As I stand here...

2009-01-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

I think, How long is this going to take?!

My pee is starting to turn into icicles!!

Lindsay loves to learn

2009-01-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

Hey Lindsay!

"What?!"

You want some treats?

"What's the catch?"

All you have to do is learn something. It's called "leave it". Bison knows this very well, I think it's your turn to learn.

"OK, what do I have to do?"

First, I plop a treat down in front you. But you can't eat it yet.

"What? I just have to watch it? Is it going to get bigger or something?"

"Mmmmmm....it sure looks delish! Have I learned "leave it" yet?"

No, silly. Watch for the hand signal I'm giving you. My four fingers are up with my thumb curled into my palm. This is your signal to "leave it". It looks similar to our "stay" command but a little different.

"Ok, watching you. Still watching you. I'm still watching you. Watching. How long is this going to take?"

I'll let you know.

Good job!! Now you can have the treat as reward for all your hard work!

"Score!! This learning thing isn't so bad?!"

See, Lindsay girl! I knew you could learn "leave it". Being deaf is no battle!

Naps are important!

2009-01-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been awaken from a nice nap? Then had your mom take pictures of you when you're not at your best?

Well it happened to us! Me and Bison were taking a lovely nap on the couch when...

...my momma woke us up for a bathroom trip. Can you believe it?! As if I want to go outside when it's below freezing temps to use the bathroom! When I'm in dream land, don't bother me. Seriously, does it look like I have to go? The bags underneath my eyes should be indicator that I'm pretty sleepy.

C'mon mom, I'm going back to bed!

Even Bison is too tired go.
Bison: Come back in a few hours and ask us if we want to go then.

Alright, I'll go!

Naw, changed my mind...I'm too sleepy!

We did have a nice Christmas

2009-01-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas was fun, my grandpawents came to visit us. They brought my cousins, Lucy and Max. I need to start by saying WTF is Max wearing?

My grandma: Why that's his diaper!

Why does a dog need a diaper? Isn't that what potty training is for?
Can you tell he is beyond embarrassment?

Anyhow, there was no way I was going to let Max live this one down. After all, he did annoy me! So, I did what any cousin needing a good laugh would do.

I teased him till he begged me to stop.

Max: Cousin Bison, it's not my fault that my momma puts this silly denim pamper on me! I really have no say. Please don't post about this on your blog. Please!!

Sorry buddy, I couldn't keep this one to myself.

On with the story...

The new family tradition is to make my momma's grandmothers secret tamale recipe around Christmas time. This recipe is complicated, tedious, and extremely time consuming! That's why my grandpawents came to our house.

Lindsay: Ok....me ready. What you need me to do?!

Momma: Thanks Lindsay but we don't think it's a good idea. Thumbs are an important qualification to be a tamale maker.

Anyways....

Two tables were set up in our romper room for the assembly process. My momma's station was across from my dad. Hey...someone had to take the picture for memories sake. Her important job was tying the tamales with string after my grandpa and grandma wrapped them up.

Some of the yummy ingredients that go into these delicious wonders are
turkey, special homemade red sauce, bell pepper, olives, almonds, garbanzo beans, and of course masa.

All ready to wrap.

The finished pile wrapped and stringed up.

Then...steamed on the stove for a few hours.
These few hours felt like a lifetime! We could not wait to have a taste.

Afterward, we were all tuckered out. My pawents and grandpawents from preparing the tamales for hours and us for watching. Exhausting!!

Lindsay: I wasn't sleeping. I was just resting my jaws waiting to try the tamales. Are they ready yet?

Yeah, are they ready yet?! It's been like FOREVER!

Lucy: I think I deserve to be the first to try the tamales.

Max: I don't think so!!

Momma: Relax you guys! No dog will have any tamales! Understood?!

What?!?! We've waited this long and we can't have any tamales?! Mom, you're just saying that to the little dogs, right?

New Beginnings

2009-01-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a long while since I've posted to my blog. I wish I could say that I was vacationing at the beach eating meat pies but I wasn't. Darn! That would have been nice! I guess I just had the lazy bug?

This new year I've decided to *share* more. I'm starting by sharing this blog with my sista, Lindsay. She has lots to say and I think you will find her entertaining.

I have lots of things to catch you up on but for now I leave you with the image of me and my sista sharing a moment.

Happy New Year...here is to a great 2009!!!

Recreation time

2008-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

A dog and his bone is a beautiful thing.
I enjoy a good knuckle bone every now and then. Which reminds me, I haven't worked on one of these in a while. It's about time I have another!

Happy Friday!

Told you...

2008-12-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

...I always finish first!

Lindsay Witticism

2008-12-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

"Patience is highly rewarded at my house. But I'm only going to be patient for about two seconds. So give up the meat lady!"

Turkey update

2008-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't know that when my momma said we were going to feast on Turkey the day after Thanksgiving that we didn't include me and Lindsay. Momma, please be more clear next time.

We were invited but Lucy is still sick and possibly contagious. My momma was just keeping us safe. Ok, I forgive you!

So, I hear my parents and uncle Chris chowed down on grandma's famous succulent turkey. Ya think they brought me any? Nope. Who cares if there is too much sodium and other things that are bad for me. It tastes so good!
Apparently they were too hungry to even take pictures of the food. Geez...at least let me live through your pictures!

What my momma did capture is Lucy playing ball with my dad. That huge ball is her favorite ball ever.

Lucy: "Throw the damn ball before I.... Just throw it already!"

Max on the other hand was a bit weary of this huge purple swirled thing. Don't let that biker jacket confuse you, he's a softy.

Maybe a weenie even, he stayed away from my parents and uncle while they visited. Something tells me his fear might have something to do with this.
I don't know...just an observation.

What's velcro got to do with it?

2008-12-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

We have 2 dreaded baby gates in our home. They probably exist because of Lindsay! I'm the angel around here so, it's the only logical explanation!

Below is a video of another Rhodesian Ridgeback outsmarting his momma and opening the baby gate. We are a bunch of smarties, you know?

I just want you to know that we have the exact same baby gate and I learned how to open it soon after my parents put it up. That's right!

How did my parents prevent me from opening it when they're not home, you ask?

Velcro.

Yup, they outsmarted me and put velcro around the latch so I could not lift it with my nose.

It's just not fair!!

You call this Thanksgiving?

2008-11-27T18:24:00.001-08:00

It's Thanksgiving today and I want to know why we aren't having any turkey? Isn't that like a given!?! Me, Lindsay and my dad are bummed. Thanksgiving is not the same without yummy turkey in our tummies. I'll even spare my momma the work, she can give it to me raw.

OK OK......enough whining! We're going to visit my momma's parents and have a turkey feast tomorrow with our uncle Chris. Haha...pretty good pitty trip, huh?

Today we spent the day relaxing and we went to a new park that had livestock. My dad had control of my mom's camera for a while, so there are actually pictures of my momma in this blog post. He's sneaky like that.

When we first got out of the car we heard loud laughs and lots of them. I asked my momma who was telling so many funny jokes and she got this puzzled look on her face. Ooops, the sounds weren't laughs they were these funny ducks. Duh!

This park was HUGE! There was even a pier in the middle of the pond. My dad took a picture of us. Me and Lindsay were focused on cyclists zooming by us.

Lindsay: "Why must we always pose for a damn picture together?"
Bison: "I know! It's getting old!"

Pretty trees and leaves everywhere! My dad doesn't care too much for the zoom function.

Finally, my momma got control of her camera.

She got a shot of the most handsome boy in the park.
Yep, I'm talking about me! If you look hard you can spot Lindsay behind some green/yellow foliage.

And us running with my dad.

Then we saw these funny looking animals. This guy was itching to have my dad pet him. He was practically sticking his head out of the gate.

I had to get a closer look to see what it was. It had two big horns coming out of it's head. That's weird!

This big guy was giving this guy kisses.

My momma thought he was cute. Hmmm....I don't see anything cute in that mug. You be the judge.

So, this is what a horse looks like! I always hear people comparing me to a horse. I really don't see the resemblance being that this things head is about as big as me. He was nice though.

Horse: "Did you bring the stuff?"
Bison: "What stuff?"
Horse: "Dude! You're supposed to bring me carrots! Newbies!!"

He liked massages on his nose. My momma said his nose was as soft as Bella's fur. Now that's soft!

Wow, this place was fun and beautiful! I guess it's good to take a detour from the normal Thanksgiving plans every once in a while? I can't wait till we have our turkey feast tomorrow though!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Oh, Happy Day

2008-11-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Something about the smell of squirrels and cats jetting through my backyard that gets me going in the morning.

It's a beautiful Day

2008-11-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

Today is going to be a great day, I can feel it!
Why? You ask.
Because Lindsay says so!
Anymore questions?

Inspector Bison

2008-11-19T14:04:00.001-08:00

It's that time again when my parents make our meals for the next two months. This time I'm taking my role of meat inspector very seriously!

"OK, momma...you got your shot. Now take this thing off of me."

"This isn't what I meant!"

...and food for all!

2008-11-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe when I found out there were other dogs and cats out in the world that don't have breakfast and dinner. Why? I can't imagine not having my RMB to eat everyday. Like momma says, not all dogs and cats are as lucky as me, Lindsay, and the cats. We have this kitty that comes to visit us at our front door every week. Sometimes it waits for my momma or dad by the garage door or passes through our lawn and slows down by the window to my momma's office. It's obvious the kitty is seeking my parents attention.

My momma can't resist the kitty's cutsie face

so she brings it some of our cats kibble.

The kibble was gone in the matter of seconds!! Made me wonder when it's last meal was?

We're not sure if the kitty is a girl or boy but judging by it's small size, we think it's a girlie!

She's become smitten with my momma.

She likes massages behind her ear. They make her fall asleep. Geez...who doesn't!

She doesn't have any tags, so we don't know if she belongs to a family. My dad thinks she belongs to the neighbors but my momma doesn't think so. How could a family let this sweet girlie walk aimlessly in the neighborhood where cars zoom up and down the street at high velocities? Much less without any tags!?

My momma would love to add her to our pack but Bella and Lindsay aren't too sure about an addition.

Lindsay: "Hey! Aren't you the cat that teases me on the other side of the fence?"
Girlie: "Yeah, I'm that kitty! What you got to say about it?"

Lindsay: "You are soooooo lucky we have this glass door between us!"

Girlie: "Oh yeah!! Take this.....and this! Hahaha...I still rule!"

Bella was watching girlie from the window sill. She wasn't too happy about my momma getting friendly with another kitty. When my momma came back inside Bella gave her the evil eye and then proceeded to throw up. You see, Bella suffers from kitty IBS. When she gets stressed out, she tosses her kibble. Poor Bella!

And I leave you with girlie's cutsie picture of the day...

I forsee my momma talking to our neighbors to find out if girlie belongs to them and then coming up with a plan of action for our sweet girlie.

The halloween hat

2008-10-31T07:15:00.000-07:00

My momma thought it would be funny to get a Halloween costume for Lindsay this year. She ended up getting her a hat instead. Me? I'm too cool for Halloween costumes, they're only for kids or dorks like my sister.

The hat is fitting to Miss Lindsay...it's a devil's hat...

"Do I scare you?"

No, not really. You look really funny actually!

"What? I'm supposed to look scary! What you mean I'm not scary?"

Some people might think you look cute. Me. I don't think so!

"Oh...I looks like a cutsie devil?"

"Check out my side profile...my big red bat ears."

"And...here is my model pose...oh, hello!"

Hey momma....I wonder how silly the cats would look in this devil's hat.

"Seriously?"

"Boo! I'm so scary! OK..take this damn thing off me now."

What about Bella? She's got to be subjected to this humliation, too!

"Hello."

"Rowr....me scary!"

"Bison, it's your turn to try on the Halloween hat..." my momma says.

This hat is too little for me momma...I look ridiculous!!

Take this damn hat off of me! It's meant for little peanuts like Lindsay and the cats.

Everyone have a happy and safe Halloween!

Hard times call for desperate measures

2008-10-13T10:33:00.001-07:00

Bella first noticed a visitor in our front yard. I quickly went to the window to see what the deal was. Then I recognized this little guy in our tree. He's hiding behind a few leaves but I spotted him. This is the neighbor cat, I'm assuming he belongs to the neighbor but he may be a stray?

Then, all of a sudden....a squirrel starts running down the tree. OK, I see this kitties angle!

The squirrel is too fast for the cat, he's long gone. Before he realizes the squirrel is out of the tree onto the grass.

W....a.....i........t........
there's still a chance! The cat might have dinner tonight. This is the first time I see a cat chase a squirrel. I thought they liked birds? I guess squirrels have more meat?

Dang it!!
The hunt is still on. Now in the neighbors tree. I didn't hang around to see if the cat caught the squirrel so, he may still be hungry now?

This cat taunts Lindsay day and night. They play footsies through the fence for days! Sometimes he comes into our backyard when we're inside the house. Lindsay goes bananas. I always keep my cool.

Below is a little taste of Lindsay mania:

***The above posted pictures are my momma's attempt at taking pictures inside through a screened window. Not the best quality but they offer a fantastic story :)

Cats are trouble with a big T

2008-10-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

I knew the cats were trouble!! While my momma was studying for her Cost Accounting Exam today, Bella does this:

She made a big tear in the page when my momma went to take a break! Sure tape fixed it all up but that's not my point!

Don't let that innocent blank stare fool ya, she's a menace! And I have pictures to prove it!
"What? It was boring, I needed to sprinkle a little something Bella to spruce it up! I'm an angel!"

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 8

2008-09-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

I don't like puppies! There I said it!

I just don't like how small they are and how they always want to play. Not that I don't like to play, it's just that they don't know how to play right!

They smell kinda funny, too!

I really don't understand why humans think they're so cute? I definitely don't see it.

I especially hate when people bring them to my park!!

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 7

2008-09-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

While I'm having the time of my life, Lindsay usually watches me play from the sidelines like a granny. I don't understand why but she doesn't care much for playing with other dogs. She has to find a real connection before she lets another dog into her inner circle. She's complicated!

It doesn't take long before a little pig tailed girl walks up to Lindsay. For some reason they can't resist her size. I don't think it has anything to do with her being cute? I'm the cute one, right?

These girls can't help themselves, they have to give her a pat.

Keep your fur kids safe

2008-09-26T10:14:00.001-07:00

On the way to work today, my momma saw a dog that looked like me on the side of the road. She said it made her sad to know that a poor dog lost it's life in such a senseless way. The dog looked well cared for and probably escaped from it's home and wandered on to the road and was unlucky to be hit by a car.

Lindsay has been known to wander into our neighbors yard until my dad secured our fence with river rocks so she couldn't dig her way out. As I've mentioned before, Lindsay has a high prey drive. At the time she thought she was the family rat hunter because our neighbors had rats underneath their shed. So she dedicated the little time she spent in the backyard digging her way to them until she finally got herself through. I didn't know how serious the consequences are for leaving our secure home, next time I'm going to be a tattle tail and tell my momma!

Just a reminder to all you doggie parents to do your best to keep your doggies and kitties safe from the road. Cars are fast and little guys like us are hard to see at dawn or dusk.

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 6

2008-09-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ever get stuck in the follow the leader cycle?

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 5

2008-09-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

On with the Dog Park Adventures...

"You know GD Judo, Bison?"
No, what is that?

"It's when I position myself juuuuussssst right and Ju don't know what I'm doing..."

"...BLAAAAMMM before you know it, I'm in YOUR face! That's GD (Great Dane) Judo!"

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 4

2008-09-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hey...hey...hey guy, what's you're story?

"I was a feral dog once, rescued by that lady taking pictures next to your momma. I don't like humans very much. They scare me. Your momma looks familiar, I want to walk up to her and smell her but I don't want her to look at me or touch me. Let's just play."

Kay...you're it!

"Wait a second...you didn't give me a head start!?"

Head start? Head starts are for weaklings!

Hey, you tricked me into stopping. The race is on!

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 3

2008-09-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

Damn, you're HUGE!

Whoa, you're tiny!

$%#@!*&$#%@&^!#! Don't ever call me tiny again!

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 2

2008-09-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

I finally get the rep of a cool guy around the park and my sista has to go and do this. She flexes her front muscles, puts the weight of all her body on her front legs, and pees!! Yes, she pees!! I don't know if she was showing off her mad muscle skills or if she wanted to take away my street cred?
Sisters are embarrassing!!!!

Dog Park Adventures: Issue No. 1

2008-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

We don't frequent the dog park but the times we do visit, we go to this park in a town near us. The dogs seem to be a lot more friendly here and their parents have a zero tolerance for nonsense policy. My momma likes this park for the no-nonsense policy--I like it because I have fun. Today was the first day we came this year, so, to let you in on all the fun I decided to make a Dog Park mini series. Wha la... the start to my mini-series. Enjoy!

When I arrived, I set my eyes on the dane. He was full of spunk and I knew we'd have a blast if we played together.

Hey, I'm Bison, my friends call me "Bis", wanna play?
Hello Bis! Hell yeah!

This guy was no averaged size dude! No no no! Most people think I'm a horse (thanks people!) but this little horse was covered by a giraffe. See my head and legs barely peeking through? Yeah, he's that big!

Betcha I can give you a head start and still catch up to you?

Wise guy, eh?

How 'bout we watch for new dogs coming into the park instead? I like to scout the new blood before they step foot into the park to see if they're worth playing with.

I'm game! Never done that before.

Pretty soon we were walking in sync with one another and finishing each others barks. We were doggie sole buddies!

Ok...this all got a little weird.

momma's little helper

2008-09-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today I helped my momma decide on a spot for the upcoming First Annual Family Portrait with my mom's side of the family. Excuse the corn rolls...I didn't have a chance to purtty myself up in time for the picture. Isn't this a perfect spot for a Fall family picture?
Although, I am a little confused because I read a sign that said no dogs as we left the park. How's that gonna work?
Wait...does that mean that I'm not in the family picture?! Momma, say it isn't so!!

sIsTeRly lOvE

2008-09-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Is when your sista lightly grabs on to your cheek and you in return give her a hug.

Then you know she really loves you when she gets a better grip and hides for shelter underneath you. It kinda hurts but not really because it's all about the love.

Holy freakin' hell...you know she really loves you when she uses all 12 pounds of her body to bring your head underneath your body. And jumps up and down a couple times, too! You know you're loved when the pain is so strong that you can't think of a maneuver to get yourself out of this predicament.

Yes, it's all about sisterly love.

Calling all models

2008-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I'm a model dog now. I don't know when it happened but I've been casted along with my sista to be my momma's models. I don't know about this!

My momma ordered a remote to take pictures when her camera is on a tripod. She said she wanted to get a feel for how it worked and she needed us to be the best models we could be. So, we posed. Hmmm....this shot's kinda crappy! Lindsay's all out of focus and the top of my head is cut off.
"Good to know" my momma says.

Yeah, this one is a winner! A shot of Lindsay's butt and me out of focus. OH NO!! This one is No good. You gotta tell your camera to always keep me in focus. I don't know, momma...I don't think that stupid remote is working.

Ummm....need I say anything about this one? Ok, I can't resist. You can't see our faces! Sure my elbow looks beautiful and Lindsay's hind leg is cutely turned out but...but...but...ok...it's interesting. Hey, what's up with all this hair on the floor? Is the roomba doing it's job to clean up after us? I think not!! Yuck! I'm sitting in my own fur that shedded. ewwww...
You need me to do what?
Alright, I'll stand. But just for a millasecond! I'm sleepy.

Seriously, I'm sleepy!
Why is it that Lindsay can goof off? And I have to lay here like a good boy and listen to everything you say?
"Because I give you treats for your hard work." my momma reminds me.
Oh, that's right. Ok. Let's keep this shoot going.

This shot better get me a jack pot treat. It actually came out nice! Well, probably because it's just me in the frame and I am very handsome!

Gosh, I really am devilishly handsome! This pose deserves a marrow bone thank you very much! I went for the distressed but still in charge look here. Did I nail it?

I guess all those sucky shots were worth this really good one. Ok, your remote is working fine and thank you for showcasing my beautiful ridge. Are we finally done?

Love is...

2008-09-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

Taking a nap with your momma right before you go to bed...

and watching the tube with your dadda while keeping his lap warm, even though it's 100 degrees outside.

My auntie Mary saves lives

2008-09-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

When auntie Mary and uncle Ryan were on their way to our house, auntie Mary spotted this little thing that appeared to be a dog in the middle of the street. Had my auntie not jumped out of the car and stopped traffic, this little Chihuahua would have been killed by a car!! My auntie saved this little girls life!!

We don't know her name but what we do know is that whoever her parents were, did not care for her!! Her nails are so long, she cannot stand upright. It must hurt her poor little paws. She's so skinny, it doesn't look like she's had a square meal in a long time.

But boy is she tiny. She must not weigh more than 1 pound!

I have to admit, even though I think I'm the cutest guy there is, she really is a looker. Check out her beautiful big round sultry eyes and long pointy ears. Ok, she's REALLY cute!

She shivered so much, auntie Mary though she might be cold. So, my momma gave her sweaters that were Lindsay's. Before Lindsay wore them, Vinnie used to strut his stuff in them, too. Ha! We keep it in the family like that.

Damn, this girlie is ready for a trip to Tahoe!
It did the trick, she instantly stopped shaking. In fact, she started to fall asleep in my auntie's arms. Poor girlie probably hasn't felt the love of another human.

So now the question on all of our minds, what will her name be? What will The Dogfathers morph their name into? This little girlie is lucky my auntie Mary saved her life. Check out my cousins at their blog for updates on her progress.

Impersonationville

2008-09-05T22:41:00.001-07:00

I was sorting through pictures when I came across a laugh fest tonight. When we went over to Bruno's house for a play date, my momma brought her camera in case we dogs did anything funny. Yes, we're our parents entertainment during the evenings. While we were outside, uncle Ryan and Gino decided to play impersonations.

I didn't know what they meant at first. Was uncle Ryan the sheriff? And Gino his prisoner?

"Hold up 'em paws!"

Ummm....hmmmm.....this is a tough one. Was he impersonating my momma when she's mad at my dad? I don't know!

Then, he did THE one impersonation that almost made me cry with laughter. Here is Gino impersonating Jabba The Hutt. Damn! He's got this one down to the look in Jabba's eye!!

"Who am I? Who am I? Heee heee"
I asked my mom, "what up with all these blurry pictures?" She said she couldn't stop laughing while uncle Ryan and Gino were putting on their show. So all the shots had lots of camera shake. Oh well. They still made me laugh.

I fear her

2008-08-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

The bully's I've been waiting for finally came in the mail today. Why am I not happy?
Need I spell it out for you? "L I N D S A Y" Yes, Lindsay is being a drama queen. She doesn't want me to move an inch while she works on her bully. As if I'll break her concentration. C'mon!

So, let me get this straight. I have to lay here with a bully in my mouth, remain perfectly still, and not chew it?

"Yep, that's right! And keep quiet, too! I can hear your thoughts, you know?"

Wow, is she for real?

Ok ok, you're totally serious.

I can't believe I have to put up with this! Momma, why can't you tell her she's being a butt head? A big one!

Must I always be patient? Here I am anxiously waiting for Lindsay to get bored of her bully and walk away a while back. Don't feel too bad for me, I finished mine at least ten minutes earlier. My momma says I deserve a medal for my patience and good behavior. I'll take another bully instead.

In good company

2008-08-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're the best couch potatoes you've ever seen. My sista and me share one cushion on the couch. She likes to snuggle as close to me as possible. Too close for my comfort so I look away.

Yeah, talk about smooshed!

Lindsay really gets into my momma's shows.
"Ay, dios mio!"

"Not happy that you just changed the channel right in the middle of MY show!"

"Forget it...I'm sleeeeeppppy...."

The night ends with one of us practically spilling over the side.

Uncle Chris at the scene

2008-08-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

My uncle Chris watches over the residents of San Francisco as a police officer. Recently he was captured by a photojournalist on the scene of an ugly event.

Here is my uncle....the first baldy (is that rude? sorry.) from the left:

Our family is proud of your courageous effort to put your life on the line for the rest of us every day. We love you and want you to always be safe.

Working hard? Or hardly working?

2008-08-14T22:09:00.001-07:00

We like to hang out in the office while momma works.

Lindsay watches the window to make sure no dogs pee on our front lawn. She knows how much my momma hates that. Our lawn isn't an open field for stragglers to relieve themselves...wish the neighbors knew.

"Somebody's gotta keep a look out. Need help with anything? I just learned how to file."

"Bison, it would be nice if you didn't lay in front of the cabinet I'm opening and closing a billion times," my momma tells me.

Ooops.

"Nah na nah na naaaaaaahhhhhhh...you're big butt has to lay on the floor while luscious, petite, mwwwaaaa gets the comfy chair. Bet YOU would like to know how nice it is to be spoiled? Guess you'll never know," Lindsay says as she taunts me.

Wait. Could it be true? Is the little runt on to something? Is she more spoiled than me? Is she privileged in ways that I can only dream about?

Nothing to lose sleep over.

Today was the day...

2008-08-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

...I realized I'm not a pupster anymore.

Everyone goes on and on about how big I am. I never really thought so. That is, until today. I went to put on my favorite collar that Auntie Mary bought me for Christmas a couple years ago and it didn't fit. It has my name stitched on it in beautiful white block letters. It reads BISON with grace. Here I am a couple years ago sporting it.

I don't know what happened? Seriously! I haven't been eating that many cookies lately. Well, I have been working out--running and doggie push ups. My neck must have muscled out or something? I was pictured wearing it last November for our family Christmas card. See! Don't ask why my cuz Dane is all up in my butt. I really don't have a good excuse.

So, I've decided that my sista, Lindsay should inherit my lovely collar.

Who cares that it's too big on her and will likely slide off when she runs laps in the yard? Who cares if it says BISON across the top?

She should feel damn honored to wear it around her neck!

"Wait...is this my new collar?"

It feels good to give back

2008-07-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I volunteered with Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue (RRR). I went to a couple's home who were interested in adopting a Ridgeback like me. It was my job to make sure the dog placed with them would have a nice cool place to sleep in the summer and warm in winter and get plenty or exercise during the day. I searched high and low to ensure this home would meet my standards. And of course it had to be a safe and loving home.

On the way there we drove 10 miles through windy roads. I about tossed my breakfast. I didn't but felt like I could. It took forever and a day to get there but when we did I was impressed. The couple didn't have a front or backyard, they had a park with a house in the middle of it!! Geez...plenty of room for a big guy like me to romp around. The couple had a small dog the size of Lindsay. She was alright--just like my sis. There was also a cat like Bella watching me. I wanted to get up to say hi but my momma didn't let me. So the cat came up to me to say hello. I was a good boy and just sniffed her back. She was nice.

I'm happy to help RRR anytime. It sure feels good to help my fellow Ridgebacks.

When I was done with business, I decided to stop by City Hall. I want to make changes in this town. We need more pet friendly places around here. I want to be able to walk in a store and get my favorite lamb snack. Is that too much too ask? haha! Just kidding. My momma thought it would be funny to get a picture of me in front of City Hall. We live on the edge like that. Can you tell I'm dying of laughter because we're being so silly.

That was fun momma, next time you have to take me to the capital!

This will never happen

2008-07-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

I don't care all that much for barking.

Thanks Holly!!

It must be nice to be FEARLESS

2008-07-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

After reading about Bruno's fear list, I got to thinking about if my momma was keeping a list for me. I think I can speak for my cousin Bruno when I say, it's not that we're scared--we're just cautious. There's a difference, you know! So momma, if you're reading this I just want to make it clear that when the Roomba comes near me and I quickly jump out of it's way, it's not that I'm scared of it. I'm just moving so it can clean the floors really good. I know how you hate dirty floors. Oh, and when you turn on the hose in the backyard and you think I'm hiding on the other side of the house. I'm not really hiding, I just don't want to get my paws wet because I don't want to track mud in the house. See momma, I just want to keep the house clean for you... I do listen.

Then my sista comes along and screws up my cover. She's not scared of anything!! Well, with the exception of Bruno. I don't know why? How can anyone not love that face and want to wrestle 24/7??

Today when my momma got on the treadmill Lindsay decided she wanted to get on it, too. No, let me check this thing out to make sure it's safe! She didn't analyze this moving contraption at all!!

She just jumped on...

And walked...
And walked some more...for about five minutes!!
Dang, it must be nice to be fearless and live for the moment?

We always have fun together

2008-07-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we met up with our cousins, The Dogfathers. Anytime we get together we always have a good time. I'll let you in on our fun morning.

"Is that who I think it is?"
"Yeeeeesssss.....it's my cousins.....hello uncle Bobby!"
"Tag--you're it" my dad said. Bruno charged at him to catch him.
I caught up with him as I always do.

But then we got distracted.
"Are you two getting into trouble again? I'm telling!" Gino says.
"Dad, I swear, we weren't doing anything bad. We was just smelling what another dog left behind. Promise." Bruno explains.
Our dad's believed us and we didn't get into any trouble, so we started our walk.
We met a golden on the way. My momma wasn't happy with me when we walked by and I lunged at him. What? He called Bruno a funny name. I wasn't going to stand for that! It's not like I touched him or anything!
The Big Boys posed for a picture and I'm not sure which one I like best. I think we all look quite handsome in both shots. What do you think? Lindsay and Gino weren't a part of our portrait because they're not cool like we are. Ha!
Off to the river...

By the time we reached the river, we were so hot I'm pretty sure we sizzled. I walked right up to the river and soaked my paws.
"Get in already!" Gino yells.
I am in. This is as far as I go! I replied.
"aaahhh....that felt good! Do you see the steam coming off my fur?"
Lindsay whispered a little something to Gino.

Before I knew what was happening, he and Bruno were in a race to see who could get the branch in the water.

OMG...the suspense! Who's gong to win?!

Gino won, that's who! Damn, this little guy is a fast swimmer!

"If I didn't see it with my own two pug eyes, I wouldn't have believed it either!"
Bruno wasn't happy to be defeated by his little bro, so he quickly found a log and created a diversion.
"Look everyone...I have a cigar. Do you see it? It's a cigar. Ha ha ha"
As you can imagine, it didn't really work. Got to give him credit for trying.

"C'mon already! Break time is over! Let's get back to walking 'cause I have very important things to do when I get home." Vinnie exclaimed

So we continued our walk...

"eeewww...daddy, whatcha got in the baggie?" Bruno asked.

Ok Ok...until the next time we meet up with our cousins, it's been fun!

Humans have play date's too

2008-07-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend my momma went with her friend Michelle and son Aiden to visit the Buhler boys for a play date. I told her it was ok to guest post on my blog but that she shouldn't make a habit of it. Momma, maybe it's time you start your own blog to share non doggie stuff with the world? I did it...you can, too!

Playgrounds have come a long way since I was a child. That stinky sand filled with not-so-good surprises underneath the swings and slides are a distant memory-replaced with clean bark. Playgrounds today are built with plastic fisher-price type slides, not steel like I remember my thighs and calves burning while rubbing on the way down. That's when I learned it's best not to go on a slide while wearing shorts--you go down a whole lot faster in long pants. And new playgrounds have sections with rubber areas for skateboarding, biking, scooters, rollerblades?, anything that can ease the danger of falling I suppose. It made me want to jump on a board and test it out....but....I would look pretty darn silly for being such a *big* kid. Who am I kidding!?! "Who's that old lady?" all the kids would ask.

This is the cool rubber area I'm talking about. Aiden is riding his scooter and loving every minute of it.

He also adds special gas powered sound effects while he rides it. Yeah, I know...he rocks the coolest hair do for a 4 year old!
Jake is quite the dude on his board!

Tony Hawk in the making...no really, he has a TH board. Can you tell he takes his craft very seriously?
There comes a time during childhood when you realize a buddy can get in the way of your fancy moves. The look on your face when you do, PRICELESS!
Ricky bruised his bone while playing golf at golf camp. Nothing serious, he just has to take it easy for a couple weeks. He was a sport to pose with his momma.
And quite the big brother, too. Here he is looking after his little brother, Lukas on the swing.

Still, he couldn't resist and had to get on his board. Adults could learn a thing or two from this--don't let a little bruised arm (or ego in our case) bring you down. Pick yourself up and try again! I admire the resilience in children.
And then there was Lukas. This little guy is Greg's (Lukas' dad) mini me. Blows me away how much he looks like his dad.
Lukas, like his brothers is fearless. He decided he wanted to go on the slide, so he started climbing.
He was quite proud of his accomplishment.
Not too sure if he liked the ride on the way down.
It was worth it!
What's this? A cat by the slides? This kind hearted girl likes to come watch her human girls play. I thought it was the sweetest thing! Reminds me of how Bella is my shadow here at home.
She was extremely friendly because she let Aiden pet her and even pick her up. What a sweet girl!
And the play date finale ends with the boys playing with this one guys rocket thing. The rocket was two pieces and the thing you see Jake jumping on shot air through it to blow the rocket upwards. The kids had a blast trying to get coordinated enough to jump on it just right to make it shoot up. This was Jake's awesome success. Don't you love the intensity in his facial expression and especially how he holds his arms to land just right!
The boys played so well together for meeting for the first time. No shyness or awkward moments--they became instant friends and even shared their toys. They look forward to another play date next week to celebrate Lukas' 2nd birthday. Stay tuned.

beach cruisin'

2008-06-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

I knew we'd go back to my beloved Bodega Bay. My parents celebrated their wedding anniversary by taking us on a trip back to Bodega Bay. They've wanted to return to explore the many beaches (Dog friendly beaches--what's the use of going to human only beaches? How boring!) and tourist attractions after getting a brief taste the last time we visited.

It's hard to believe that Linus was at my parents wedding years ago. He wasn't actually in the ceremony but the photographer captured him doing what he does best, laying out in my grandparent's bay window deer watching. My momma thinks he looks handsome, I can't believe how skinny he was. Geez...uuummm....don't know how to say this Linus. But. Well. Umm...you're kind of a big boy now. It wouldn't hurt if ya chased that red beam for ten minutes a day or cut down on the kibble. Dog help me! I hope he doesn't retaliate by doing a number one on my bed. Love ya, Linus :) You do look very regal!

Anyhow, back to our fantastic venture to the coast. First, we checked in to our hotel to set up camp. I must say that the accommodations were quite nice. I give them two paws up for making the bed just the way I like it. I like the pillows to be fluffed behind me for added cushion in case I have a bad dream and spaz out.
Lindsay enjoyed her bully on the clean carpet. Don't worry, she didn't leave a mess.

Then we were off to cruise the beaches....

Hmmmmmm...
This isn't going to work. Waves crashing like this, not so much fun. Let's go to another beach!
This one's more like it. Yes, we actually had to walk all the way down, too. I asked if we could drive down but my momma just laughed at me.
We like running by the calm waves.
"You're it, you silly RR" Lindsay yelled as she charged at me.
She's no match for me. I have special abilities. I can run sideways faster than she can run upright. hahah!
Hey Lindsay, come here for a sec.
"What" she responds. I just wanted to tell ya...
Hahahahah.....I set you up so the wave would get ya. Hahahah....told ya, you are no match for me!
There was this boy who climbed this gigantic rock bare foot. He's sitting at the very top. My momma thought he was crazy but I think he was pretty cool. Apparently, fear is not a factor for him.
My dad tried to scare us but he's not all that scary.

We were happy to pose for a picture at our favorite beach. We had a blast cruising the coast exploring new beaches. Beach hopping is fun. We should do it more often. " Lights out...I'm exhausted"

The little dude they call 'Max'

2008-06-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Lucy came to visit and she brought her new little brother, Max. He was alright for a pup. He minded his own and didn't insist on playing with us 24/7 like other puppies...he actually gets it. Everyone kept talking about how cute he is...

I'll let you be the judge.

Years ago when Lucy was Max's age, my momma took a picture of Lucy in my dad's hand. Yep, she was that tiny once. To keep with tradition, Max took the very same picture. What do you think? Is he just as cute? Cuter? Ok...all this cute talk is starting to get annoying.
Max ran through the tall grass fields for the first time. He enjoyed how the cool wet grass felt on his paws and belly.

Grass is nice for snoozes, too...

Max likes raw meaty bones (rmb), too. He even has his own rmb mat.

He's still at that age where Lucy is his sunshine...
Turns out Max has a sense of humor.
"Don't come close, Lucy just farted."
After a long day of play, Max curled up on the couch and fell asleep. I'd like to know how he was able to catch a nap on the good couches. Totally not fair 'cause me and Lindsay aren't allowed.

"Yeah, I'd like to know, too. All I got was this lousy cushion."

This ends the tale of the little dude they call Max.

Catch 'em Up

2008-06-06T21:01:00.001-07:00

It's been a while bloggie. My momma has been pretty busy with boring stuff that she hasn't had time to help me update my blog.

Bella came to me last night and asked "what up with the blog updates? Last time you posted was in April...HELLO....it's June!" Wow, I didn't realized Bella was a fan. "Well, I actually don't care but it's entertaining to know the stupid things that go through a dog's head. Ooops, did I say that out loud?"

Let's see, where should I start? My uncle Ryan and papa Hugo helped my dad (he doesn't approve of me calling him dadda anymore...wtf?) put up some sun sails in our backyard. See...our backyard gets lots of sun.....really, lots of it!! They help keep the floor cool so we can eat our raw meaty bones outside without burning our footsies. Thank you Uncle Ryan and papa Hugo!

One weekend we went to visit my uncle Chris to escape the hundred degree heat. He took us to my favorite place in the whole world--Point Isabel!
I never appreciated sixty degree weather with high winds so much! Check me out...I have flying nun ears. ha!
Lindsay wasn't happy when a lab puppy stole her spotlight. "Damn puppies!"

Uncle Ron came to visit with two of his friends. My dad ordered a pizza for dinner. It came in the biggest box I have ever seen. Linus thought it made for a nice nap spot. Can you believe none of them shared any pizza with me?
The latest and greatest is that I'm in training. Why you ask? My dad said he wants to get me in shape. He's been taking me out in the evenings to run alongside him as he rides his bicycle. At first, I wasn't too sure about this type of work out. I mean, why can't we just run together? But I like it. He's slowly building my stamina and I think I'm doing pretty darn good! My dad wouldn't let my momma snap a picture of us but she said one day she will get her shot and he won't even know it. Sneaky!

But mainly...I've been taking it easy on my favorite chill spot otherwise known as the couch.

Usually Lindsay is my side kick. She thinks I'm hers. Yeah right!!

It doesn't take long before I get the stare. It's usually because she wants to play. Why does she pick the times when I'm trying to rest?

Nap time is over...it's full on play time!
Story of my life....

Welcome to the family , Delyeleh...

2008-04-24T23:01:00.000-07:00

No, I don't have a new sister....fur or human kid. But my cousin Dane has a new sister, Delyeleh. From what I hear, she's a beaut! Uncle Alex and auntie Michelle rescued her from their local animal shelter. Delyeleh is an 11 month old Pointer/Lab mix. Uncle Alex says Delyeleh fit into their family perfectly, like she was the missing piece to their puzzle. Auntie Michelle sent my momma some pictures of Delyeleh and Dane. Now, I want to share the love and give a proper welcome to the family.

Introducing.....Delyeleh...

My, what a pretty collar. Yeah, that's right, I said pretty! So what?!

Sleeping with a tummy full of yummy food.

Workin' on a rawhide...yummm.

Taking a nap with Dane. They are sweet together. I wonder if Delyeleh annoys Dane how Lindsay annoys me? I'll have to ask him. Sisters!

Welcome, Delyeleh! I hope to meet you soon. Maybe I'll get over the fact that you're still a puppy and we can play. My momma says that she can't wait to meet you so she can take pictures of you.

Happy Beginnings!

Hey Maile!

2008-04-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Every year for our birthday, the siblings get together for a play date. We try to meet up somewhere in between too. This album has some outtakes from previous birthday outings together. Unfortunately, this year we couldn't get together right on our birthday because our families were too busy. Yesterday marked our third year birthday hike. We didn't hear from Miles parents, so, he wasn't there:( Hopefully we'll hear from them and my momma will coordinate another hike.

While we waited for Maile to come, me and Lindsay thought we'd get the wiggles out by racing each other.

Look momma, our ears look like a Dobe's...

I sat patiently.

Lindsay found something really smelly in the grass and wouldn't let the scent go. I don't know...maybe something died?

Hello Maile! It's been a while! At first I didn't recognize her and she didn't recognize me but once we sniffed each other, all the good memories came flying back. "You smell funny!" Maile noted. It must have been the green tripe I ate earlier? It's an acquired taste and smell.

We stopped along an area where the river is calm. Maile looked out before her and seriously thought about stepping in."Nah!"

"I don't wanna get wet. Move outta my way Lindsay!"
"Let's get back to our hike..I like walking."

"It's been fun Bison and Lindsay, let's get together again real soon-ya hear?"

The Buhler boys visit

2008-04-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (I seem to be a day behind in all of my posts...oh well.) my momma's cousin, Cyndi came to visit with her boys, Ricky, Jake, and Lucas. It's the first time they came to my house. At first my momma was nervous because she wasn't sure how I would handle three kids in my home. I really don't know why.....geez...I love kids :) We waited outside for Cyndi and the kids. My momma made me sit while the kids and Cyndi, one by one, gave me some yummy treats. It was love at first sight! I'm a sucker for treats!

Right away Jake became fond of Linus. Once he discovered Linus was semi-easy to pick up...
...he wanted his picture taken with him on the couch. Linus didn't want to sit around on the couch he wanted some of the action me and Lindsay were having outside.
So, Jake and Linus watched us as we romped around the back yard. They wanted to be out with us and I wanted to be inside on my bed.
"Let's join the dogs outside" cousin Cyndi said. Lucas was a bit shy because he just awoke from a nap only to discover he was in a new place with all sorts of animals around him. Lucas wasn't particularly fond of me but I could tell he was very curious because he cased my every move. See how he's watching me walk away?
Jake found my ridge to be quite interesting...as most kids do. No, I don't gel it every morning!

Now, let's have a smile... Hmmmm....he's so good at posing for pics. Wonder where he got that from? Could it be his momma, Cyndi?
We all decided to go inside to watch a movie. In the middle of the movie we hear a scream coming from my parents bedroom. My momma and cousin Cyndi run to check it out. It was baby Lucas!! He crawled up onto my parents bed to be with Bella and Linus. He screamed because he was excited to be so close to them. I guess the baby does like cats after all.
Jake wanted his picture taken with Bella, too.

Let's not forget about Linus.
Linus wanted to see what was going on in the living room. Lucas realized Linus was the perfect height for petting but Linus was too fast.
I don't understand where all this fascination with the cats came from?

Lindsay said, "count me in on the fun" as she sat on Ricky's legs.
If you hadn't noticed already, Jake is the ham between his brothers. He absolutely loves taking pictures, so he didn't want to pass on the opportunity to take a picture with my sista.

We had fun during the Buhler boys visit. It was a good mental exercise for us because we were pooped afterwards.

In paradise with my cousins

2008-04-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took The Dogfathers to Paradise Beach. We thought they would love it as much as we did so we piled in our car and drove to the beach. It seemed like forever before we finally arrived!

My dadda decided he wanted to be adventurous so we started walking in a different direction to explore another part of the beach.

Notice my muscular body as I walk? Ha! I can only dream of my muscles looking this way relaxed..

Here we are getting started on our quest to find the perfect spot for Bruno to go log diving. You'll see what I mean in just a minute. Me and Bruno were the only ones off lead--that's because we are privileged! Oh, and in case you were wondering, my dadda and uncle Ryan did call each other to coordinate what they were going to wear so they could be matching. So what? They do it all the time!
"I see a mini trail," my dadda says "let's check it out!"

Bruno found a log right away and got right down to some serious swimming.

Vinnie was disgusted that his brother could pick up a log off the ground because he had no idea where it's been.
Mee and Lindsay watched as uncle Ry threw logs out and Bruno retrieved them with grace.

Then...we see little Gino with a branch in his mouth bringing it to the rocky shore. This little guy has heart!
Bruno didn't like the little logs uncle Ryan was tossing so he asked him to get the tree he spotted on the ground. Look how happy Bruno is anticipating the launch of his new and improved toy. Gino wasn't happy with all the attention Bruno was getting so he decided he needed to do something about it and he needed to do it fast!

If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn't believe that a little guy could have so much strength.
Look at what the pug dragged in...
"Let's go check out another spot" Bruno asks.
We're off...
Bruno carried a rock in his mouth on the way. He wanted uncle Ryan to try to take it from him... Notice that look of "nah nah naaaah na nahhhhhhh!" on Bruno's face. Yeah, I thought it was pretty funny, too.
"Ok...this spot blows!"

But I made Bruno aware that the pugs seemed to like it.
Gave them a chance to wrestle each other...
Even Lindsay was romping around enjoying the tranquil waters and their shallow depths.
In utter desperation to have fun, Bruno resorted to digging to see if he could find a log or bolder or anything big enough to play with. Still...he came up empty.

Uncle Ryan found a rock for Bruno to retrieve but he was less than satisfied with it's size. "C'mon...you can't be serious?"

"OMG...he is!!"
"Thank you for taking us to Paradise Beach....we had a good time exploring new places with you."

Meat is Meat

2008-04-01T12:02:00.001-07:00

Lindsay here to bring some life into this blog! I thought Bison's readers would be interested to know what a wimp he can be...

It all started yesterday when my momma brought our raw meaty bones out for breakfast. Bison confessed that he didn't like Emu anymore. Something about him being a chicken and turkey kind of guy. Yeah, I'd say so too...he is a chicken and a turkey!

I can't believe you don't like Emu anymore, I told him. I guess you don't have a refined palette like the sophisticated Lindsay! Yep, the sista with the mostest!
Whatta surprise, Bison was pissed off with my choice of words. "I'm the sophisticated one! I'm not a scrappy JRT that eats whatever comes her way!!"

"Don't ever call me scrappy!! Just 'cause I can beat you down in two seconds doesn't mean I'm scrappy. I'm just skilled at my craft of being the best dog I can be. You could learn a thing or two from me, you know?"Let me show you how it's done!
Who cares if this Emu neck is bigger than my head, I can handle it. Yumm....you're soooo missing out!!

Beach Envy

2008-03-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

My momma said we didn't have beaches in the valley, but today we went to Paradise Beach in Sacramento. We walked over the levee, through some green brush and all sorts of mini trails till we found the beach.

There was sand and sea shells every where. A real beach near my home!

When we got to the beach we watched a black lab walk on water.
Lindsay wanted to get right in to cool off.

I had to taste it to make sure it wasn't salt water. I'm HAPPY to report it wasn't...yummy fresh water. Fresh until I turn around to see...

Lindsay relieving herself two steps away from me!! Apparently my momma didn't tell Lindsay the "no pee" in the pool rule.

Now for some serious swimming. My dadda gets Lindsay in position, notice her arms already doing the doggie paddle.

Doink!

"Damn it...I can't believe he threw me in!"

Better Lindsay than me, I don't like swimming--my ridge is allergic to water!

"Ok...that was fun and all but DON'T ever do that again! I have a whole lotta river water in my ear. Now, I can't hear a thing. Oh yeah, that's right I never could."
This beach is a doggie paradise! I wanna come back again but I hope we still go to those other beaches we've visited. You know, the ones with the nasty tasting water and big waves, those beaches are fun.
Whoa, that's a drop! I love hanging out with my dadda...

Duerma con los angelitos

2008-03-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

Bison's momma here....posting non Bison or dog related stuff.

My nana, Andrea used to tell me this every night before I went to bed. Translation: Sleep with the angels. I can't believe it's going to be almost ten years since her passing. I miss her very much and think of her everyday.

I Started this post nearly two weeks ago but as life is such, other things arose which caused me to put it to the side. In the meantime, Bobby's grandfather (Tata) on his mothers side passed Monday morning. Earlier this month, Bobby's Uncle passed (Dave) on his fathers side. My grandmother (Mama) passed on Palm Sunday (one week earlier) on my mother's side. Yes, that's a total of three deaths between our families in this month alone! This month has been an emotional roller coaster. Mama was the reason I started this post. I wanted to reflect on the memories I had with her and sort through my thoughts. I figured it would be therapeutic and a chance for me to raid my photo albums of pictures I took of her.

We returned from Tata's funeral last night. I was both emotionally and physically exhausted. So much that I stayed home from work today. I haven't had the chance to mourn Mama or get enough sleep for that matter. Today I had the opportunity to sleep, sleep, sleep, and sleep!

On with the tribute of our grandparents...

Now it's my turn to tell Mama to sleep with the angels.
Mama had a way to make us laugh by acting silly, being blunt, telling the best dirty jokes ever, and sharing comical stories from her childhood. She definitely was a woman with character and charisma. Here she is sporting my mom's Elvira costume wig for my 21st birthday Halloween party. I remember turning around and seeing this lady with really long black hair staring at me from afar. When I realized it was Mama with my mom's Elvira wig, I couldn't stop laughing. You know, the laughing where you're almost crying? She really knew how to make us laugh.

One of the times she stayed with us (while I lived with my parents) I asked her if I could snap some pictures of her. She gladly accepted the offer and went to put on her vibrant red blouse and red lipstick. Red and fuscia were her favorite colors. Probably because they were vibrant like her. Looking back, she was in charge of the photo shoot. She told me where I should take her picture and posed appropriately. And rightfully so, look at the beautiful shots I got of her. These pictures depict Mama in the best light possible. They represent the memory I will always hold of her.

The one on the rock was genius...what a regal look on her face.
I love the touch these playful sunglasses offer to this photo. This is my favorite picture of her.

Mama is sitting next to her daughter, my Tia Menche and her husband, Jose. The event was our bridal shower in 2002 at my parents home. Mama lived her life with my tia and my cousins. They were fortunate enough to hear the life lessons she expressed in the stories she told them daily and Mama was blessed to have their unconditional love in return. I can't remember when this picture was taken. I know we were at my parents home and Mama was probably cooking us something yummy because we were in the kitchen. She was a whiz in the kitchen. My favorites were her frijoles negros (black beans), chilaquillas (different cheeses sandwiched by a tortilla, dipped in egg batter, then fried), and arroz con leche (rice pudding).

Here we are celebrating my birthday at a restaurant for dinner. Typical for my eyes to be closed! Hmmm...now that I inspect this picture a little bit more, I'm liking the hair cut. I'll have to revisit that style some time again:) Mama was lucky enough to have met her Great Grand children and be a part of their lives for many years. What I think was extraordinary about her is that she made a constant effort to be a part of all of our lives by attending events that were important to us or just spending time with us by visiting for days or weeks at a time. Gracias Mama, we loved your presence! And here are my two cousins, Anita on the left and Priscilla on the right. Or should I say, Mama's angels!! My cousins grew up with Mama in their home...I would venture to say they looked at her as a second mother. When Mama needed Anita and Priscilla the most, they were there to take her to doctors appointments, cook for her, groom her, and keep her company. This is my favorite picture of the trio because it shows the close bond my cousins had with Mama and their genuine love for one another. I love my cousins, they have my utmost respect as family and human beings. We should all be lucky enough to have people like them in our lives not to mention in our families. I consider myself lucky.

When my Tio Gerardo (on the left of me) passed almost four years ago, Mama was devastated. Now she can reunite with her son in the afterlife. May she dance with him again.
Duerma con los angelitos, mamita

On Monday afternoon I drove down to the Bay Area to scan pictures of Tata's life for a slide show at his funeral reception yesterday. I thought the slide show my cousin Roseanna put together for Mama ended on a happier note because we left remembering how she lived instead of her death. I wanted to do the same for Tata. It's really a win win because now I have pictures of Bobby's family to make albums with. A project I intend on starting this week, actually. The slide show consisted of something like 104 pictures, an excellent turnout. I think the hardest part was narrowing them down.

Tata was a World War II Veteran. Here is a portrait of him while he served our country. Tata was buried with Military Honors. His wife (Nanay) was given a United States Flag for his service to our country. This was the first time I saw the ceremony performed in person, it was beautiful! This picture was taken at our bridal shower in 2002. Starting from the left Tata, Nanay, and Anna (Bobby's momma).

Again at our bridal shower, Bobby and I pose with Nanay and Tata in my parents front yard. Here I am with my eyes closed again. Geez, I seem to blink right when the shutter is closing.
Here are Tata and Nanay at their 50th wedding anniversary. How amazing is hearing about a couple that is wedded to one another for so many years. Quite impressive. This year would have marked 60 years of marriage.
Bobby's cousin, Lori captured this beautiful portrait of Tata at our wedding in 2002. This is how I will always remember Tata.

Losing family members is always difficult for those of us left behind because we mourn our loss. Life is precious. If there is anything that I've learned from this sad month, it's that we should make time to spend with family now. We get so caught up in life and things we have to do that we forget to live. I'm glad I documented moments with our families by trailing my camera around because now that's all we have left. Pictures and memories.

Rest in Peace Mama and Tata. We love you and miss you.

Tug o Tug

2008-03-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

Our cousins, The Dogfathers, gave us one of their mafioso tugs for our playing pleasure. We want to give them 4 paws up for it's excellent craftsmanship and fine attention to color detail. Mostly, it's tug o fun!! Me and my sista love to play tug o tug together but we also like to play tug with my momma.

To show you how much we enjoyed our new toy, my momma took a short video of me and my sista tugging. I discovered a fool proof plan to guarantee me a win. While tugging, I slowly move my jaw towards the opponents end. Pretty soon I'm at their end of the tug leaving my opponent little or no room to hold their end of the tug. They have no chance but to let go. Victory for me!! Ha ha...now that's strategy! I use my fool proof technique in this video, see if you can spot it. Pay attention because I'm sneaky fast!

For those of you interested in getting a tug of your very own for those fur kids dear to your hearts, visit the canine mafioso website. I'll add the link to the links section in case you want to gift a tug for a friend or family dog later.

Birthday's seem to end faster than they come

2008-03-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my third birthday this past Saturday, March 1. I can't believe I'm already three!! Yes, it's taken me some time to update my blog with pictures of this fantastic day but I've been busy. What can I say? I'm a ridgie with important engagements on my daily agenda. No one warms the couch like my big butt can.

My parents had to work (as usual) but when they got home we all went to my favorite park for a walk in my birthday honor. First we played catch me if you can. I know I can catch my parents but I don't lead them on to think so. It's waaaay too much fun to run around and be silly.

Ha ha ha....our shadows look bigger than we are. Shadows are cool!Then, I saw the cutest squirrel run up a tree. Squirrelly...please come down. I only want to say hello. Don't you want to wish me a happy birthday? Lindsay went crazy when she saw it. She let out this huge skreetch and started screaming out of excitement. I suppose she wanted to say hi, too?

We stopped on the walkway and I posed for a birthday portrait. Look...even the powerful sun wished me a happy third birthday!! The sun hearts me...check out the bottom left part of the picture on my leg. I heart you, too, wonderful sun!

Some people ask me what this thing on my back is. It's funny 'cause they think I'm mad or that my momma somehow created a mohawk on my back. No...silly people...it's a "ridge". That's why my breed is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. We ended the day with lots of yummy treats. Next year I want a birthday cake!

And the Production Begins...

2008-02-19T19:22:00.000-08:00

Every two months my parents put on a big production. No, not a show tune! That would certainly be a sight to see though! They prepare meals for Lindsay and me. Why, you ask? Well, first of all I'd like to think of myself as special. Special in the sense that they go out of their way to give us the very best nutritious foods. My momma says it's two sided, while we get to eat healthy and yummy food now, they benefit by having microscopic poop's and less vet visits (thank dog!) as we get older. So, we all win! In case you don't already know, we are on a diet of raw meat and bones. We kicked that bag of kibble to the curb May of 2007 and never looked back.

Sunday was one of those production days. It took my parents a whopping 2 hours to prepare our meals for the next two months. Not bad, eh?

First, they got everything set up. Cutting block my dadda's boss gave him and some plastic tubs to hold the meat already cut up.

Then, my momma separates plastic containers for Lindsay and me. Each container will hold boneless meat for two days. Each of us gets our very own table...told ya we were special!

Inside a clean sink, my dadda opens all packages for one species at a time. In this case, he had packages of pork butt (ymmmm..).

He gets right to it and starts cutting meat into chunks--like stew meat.

Nothing goes to waste because my dadda takes all the meat off the bones. My momma says these bones are too hard for us to eat. Sometimes she saves them as recreational bones to give us something to do.
My momma puts all the cut up meats into the containers. She's gotten pretty good at eyeballing the amounts we need. I of course, had to make sure she wasn't jipping me out of my servings of pork. Ok...everything looks good so far....

All filled up and ready to be sealed.

Hallelujah...it's done!

All packed up in the freezer, ready to grab for mealtime. Thank you momma and dadda...I love my raw meaty bones!

Valentine's woe's

2008-02-15T07:47:00.001-08:00

My Valentine's Day was filled with steamed jumbo prawns dipped in this red yummy sauce, smoked Gouda cheese with crackers and topped off with chocolate.

Oh, wait....that wasn't mee eating all that yummy food. I watched with envy as my parents ate, so selfish not to share even one bite! I really wanted to try that chocolate stuff but my parents said it would be the death of me. I think they didn't want to share.

All I got was this lousy bully stick. C'mon!

Although, Lindsay seemed to enjoy it. She likes pretty much anything now...I have more refined tastes.

Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's :)

Lunch Break

2008-02-07T13:39:00.000-08:00

Today my momma woke us up from a nap 'cause she came to visit us during her lunch break. We still had sleep in our eye when she took us out. Don't get me wrong, we were happy she came.

She said she needed to see our funny mugs to make her smile. So, we played it up a bit and tried to look vicious towards each other. Did it work? We look mean, huh?

Ok...time to eat before she has to go back to that dreaded place she calls w-o-r-k!

Ahhh, the joys of not being attached to a leash

2008-02-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

The new fence is finally up and Lindsay is celebrating by romping around the yard..

She does laps as if she's training for a race or something.

Uh Oh...Lindsay found a vulnerable spot where the fence meets the dirt. Dadda...you better get right to patching up the gap or else Lindsay will be greeting the neighbor one morning.

Check out that smile.

Study or Sleep?

2008-01-29T20:05:00.000-08:00

My momma started school yesterday. Today when she got home from work, she let me hang out with her while she did some homework. I wanted to help her study, I thought I could teach her a thing or two about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, but it got boring....and... well...I fell asleep. Hey, what can I say? The bed in the office is pretty comfy. It's my momma's fault, really!

The birthday girl

2008-01-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Lindsay turned the big 3! You know what that means? My birthday is soon to follow-I'll be 3 soon, too. Ok, time really is flying by!

She wasn't too happy about the fact that it was raining outside. Not that she cares, the open field is the open field rain or shine for Lindsay. But for me, my momma, and dadda....not so much! We like it dry! "Pleeeeeeaaassssseeee stop raining!"

She enjoyed her birthday treats while I painstakingly watched her chew every bite.
"Loooooook....it stopped raining, the sun came out to wish me a happy birthday!"
I wasn't too happy about going out since the ground was saturated with water. Plus, shortly after we walked out it started to rain again. C'mon....let's go back inside where it's warm and dry!Oh brother, she's going to start acting goofy...

Running laps in the yard.

Getting air when she runs so fast. Dawgsta, she has all but one paw on the ground!
Then...this is where the birthday went sour. As you can see, our fence isn't fixed yet. My dadda has it propped up by all sorts of sticks and chairs. The fence people are in such high demand after that nasty storm, we have to wait a whole month till they come out to replace it. Thank dog they're coming this Saturday!! Well, Lindsay discovered a little gap between the two fence segments and squeezed through into the neighbors yard. Within the time my momma went back in the house to put her camera down and walked to the fence to have Lindsay come back, she was gone!!! Gone, I tell ya, GONE!! My momma went back into the house and frantically asked my dadda to come out and hold the fence so she could go into the neighbors yard to find Lindsay. He did. Lindsay wasn't in the neighbors yard!!! OMG...where the heck did she go? My momma noticed a small hole in the neighbors fence the size of our cat door leading to the street. (Lindsay fact: she is small enough to fit through the cat door and most small spaces.) My parents run outside to search for her. My dadda was getting ready to jump in his truck and drive around the area when my momma spots Lindsay smelling the neighbors flowers in their front lawn. Thank goodness she's safe! What a scare Lindsay gave us. Well, so much for freedom in her very own backyard. At least until that fence is secure.
My momma was happy to end the day with both of us safe and sound inside the house. I was happy to be inside on my favorite section of the couch with my sista.

Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?

2008-01-25T20:36:00.001-08:00

Here she is in her stylish pink detective attire. She's sniffing out trouble high and low, ok, maybe just low and kicking it to the backyard! Yep, I gotta deal with "Ms. Carmen Sandiego" whenever she wears that coat.

Snow Day

2008-01-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

No...it's not really a snow day. But it could have been if we had snow in Sacramento.

First, I want to thank those of you who participated in the poll. Looks like most of you feel the same and don't really keep their New Year's Resolutions. Maybe we should make small resolutions every month that we can actually stick to? Just a thought.

Today was one of those days when all you want to do is stay inside. The weather was yucky and cold. Not my idea of good outdoor fun.

Bella heard a loud noise.

She ran to the romper room to check it out...

Oh, here's that snow I was talking about. Nah...it's actually HAIL!!! I knew it was extra cold today! You may be wondering where we were when this all went down?

Taking a nap with our dadda, of course! Now I know why Bella loves to sleep under the covers, it's so toasty under there.

My parents friends came over this afternoon. We couldn't stay out to greet them because one of them isn't comfortable around dogs. Especially dogs as big as me. That's ok. Like my momma says, "the secret about how gentle I am isn't out yet." :) I know if he gave me a chance, he would learn to love me--guaranteed! They brought their newborn baby Xavier with them. If my momma hadn't taken a picture I wouldn't believe her when she said a baby was in the house because I didn't hear him cry, not once! What a cuttie pattutie!

Think we can out run my dadda?

2008-01-18T22:18:00.002-08:00

While we were at the park today my momma got off the path because she saw an amazing tree she wanted to take a picture of. Naturally me and Lindsay watched as she snapped away.

Lindsay actually stood still long enough for my momma to snap of picture her.

My dadda thought it would be funny if we played "catch me if you can".

We ran as fast as we possibly could to reach him.

There is always time to be silly, even when we're on a mission to catch our dadda.

Ha! Knew we'd catch up to him....Thanks dadda, that was fun!

Miles and Miles of Walkway

2008-01-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Discovery Park for the first time. My pawents told me it was a big park, but dawgsta, I didn't realize it was 302 acres of park. Geez! We walked four miles and something tells me there was a whole lot more miles left for us to walk. My momma said the American River Parkway (ARP) is 31 miles long...yep...miles and miles left to go. Lots of cyclists zooming around us. Guess the ARP is the place to ride a bicycle. I was surprised Lindsay didn't care about them passing us by after a while. Finally, she's desensitized to them!

The American River is behind us. My momma was trying to get a picture of us together... quite a challenge with Lindsay. I wasn't up for picture taking today.

"Wait, what's that over there?" Lindsay says. Oh boy, we're never going to get this picture right! Let's start our walk already!

"Wait...first, check out this tree to the right. It's barely holding on. All you see is roots." Lindsay noticed.

There were lots of creepy looking trees, hence the black and white drama to the following shots. This tree in particular looked like something was living in it. It appeared burned from the inside.

Split tree, make up your mind. Are you one or two trees?

Lots of weird trees in this park, this one in particular looked like a bad hair day. I wasn't sure if there was even a tree trunk within all that mess.

This pass through had tree's on both sides of us leaning over touching one another. My momma thought it would make a nice picture. There is a pass through on Fair Oaks in Carmichael that my momma has always wanted to take a picture of. Since, there is no way that will happen because of the heavy traffic flow, this will do.

Time to head home. I like this picture, it looks like the heaven's are shining on me and my dadda. Ok, its' just the sun hitting the camera lens...

I'm free to roam... for a little bit

2008-01-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

This evening we went out for a walk. My momma noticed an open field with no one in sight and decided it would be the perfect place to let us run off lead. Well, if you remember my story about how Lindsay cannot be off lead, you're probably wondering how she managed to make it happen. It all started with my dadda and his bright idea to attach Lindsay to me. He got one of our leashes and attached them to each of our collars. Sounds like an ingenious idea, right? This gives you an idea of how we were attached.

At first, everything was fine. We were walking in unison with one another.

Then, my momma decided to walk across the field and call us to her. Seems harmless enough. Well, we were so excited that we ran full force towards her.

I was on my momma's left and Lindsay was to her right with the leash between us. Before we knew what happened we were already beside her. The leash got a hold of my momma's legs and made her fall to the ground. Whoops...we made her trip! Not such a bright idea after all. At least we made my dadda laugh. Lesson learned. I'm not meant to walk Lindsay, only my momma and dadda are.

We were lucky enough to catch another sunset...the red color was spectacular. Next mission is to see the sun rise. Hopefully we can wake up early enough one of these days.

Quit faking on me

2008-01-07T19:59:00.001-08:00

Ever since that storm a few days ago, my momma's been faking on me.

Yeah....she gets the leash out, puts it on my sista but not me.

Then, instead of going out the front door or through the garage like we always do, she goes to the backyard!! Huh? I don't get it! Why does Lindsay need a leash to go in the backyard?

It's making her act goofy...

Ah ha! Now I understand why! Our fence was knocked down during the storm. And..well, we can't have Lindsay running through the neighbors yard and ruining her prize roses, now can we? They really are beautiful. I hope my momma and dadda get it fixed soon cause I can't take many more of these fake outings. Pretty soon that leash won't excite me like it used to.

Naw...that will never happen....

New in 2008

2008-01-01T19:51:00.001-08:00

Let's ring in the new year in style. Someone so graciously wished all of us who walked the beach yesterday a happy new year. I thought that was nice of them. In return, I wish that your new year be filled with lots of romps around the beach, hikes at your favorite parks, nice strolls in your neighborhood, plenty of meet ups with your favorite friends, and lots and lots of yummy foods.

There is a lot of talk about New Year's resolutions. What's that about? Have you ever stuck to one? I want to take a pole to find out how many of you actually keep your new year promise for change. To the right, I created a pole...please participate by voting. You'll automatically know what the results are.
I thought about eating healthy this year but my momma already took care of that last May. We eat really clean now. Well, if I had to pick something I guess it would be to keep having fun. Yeah, that's a good one! I know I'll stick to that.

Lindsay has a life resolution she would like to stick to. What is it?

"My life resolution is to never tear up a bed ever again! I promise, yesterday was the last time. It doesn't count cause it was last year. "

"I was just so bored on the drive back home and the bed was already torn from the time I got to it a year ago. Sorry....I couldn't help myself. It won't happen again!"

We wish you the best in 2008!

Beautiful Bodega Bay

2007-12-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today we ended 2007 on a good note. I spent the day running on the beach in Bodega Bay with my momma, dadda, and sista! It was the best New Year's Eve yet! Because I have a very good recall, my parents can trust me off lead. My sista on the other hand, not so reliable. Lindsay is deaf, they can't use their voices to call her to them nor will she pay attention to hand signals in such a stimulating environment with so many new things and smells like a beach. That's no excuse for her not having a good recall, right? Well, sort of. Lindsay also has a very high prey drive. Any small animal trucking along, she closes in on it and runs after it like no tomorrow...at that moment nothing else matters. So, for her safety and that of other animals, my parents decided it's best for her to always be on lead unless we're in an enclosed area. Too bad, 'cause she's missing out on running around and goofing off like this:

And this. Whoa...I had all paws in the air...I didn't know I could do that! My sista wasn't happy with me gallivanting on the beach. She thought I was rubbing it in that I was off lead but she wasn't.

Hmmmm...maybe I was.

It's a duel: Me against my sista!

You'll never catch me!

Darn, she got me by the ear and wouldn't let go. How does she always seem to win? "C'mon guys...let's see what's at the end of the beach, ' my dadda says.
We found lots of foot prints from other dogs. We sniffed around to see if we recognized any of them. We didn't.

My momma wanted to sit and watch the beautiful sun setting. She said it's her favorite time of the day. If only we could watch the sun set everyday.
She's right, it is beautiful!

Lindsay says she likes watching the waves crash on the shore. My dadda was fussing with the camera and took a picture of us. I was surprised 'cause usually my momma doesn't like to be in pictures. She'd much rather be behind the camera. Wish I had a chance to do that. So, for all of you who hound (pun intended) my momma for pictures of us with her in it...here you go. Who knows when the opportunity will come again..

"Ok...enough watching, lets go jump in! Woo hoo...it's COLD!"

Note to self, beach water is salty! Yuck!

Time to head home.

My visit to the Bay

2007-12-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

This post is coming a little late. During my visit to the bay I tried accessing my blog to post but my abuela's (that's Spanish for grandma) internet was kinda goofy. It would kick me off and not let me upload pictures to my blog. I grew tired fussing around with wires, modems, and routers that I decided to wait til I got home to complete my thoughts and add visuals. Then, year end must do's rolled around. I had to help my momma clean out our closets so she could take stuff her and my dadda don't use anymore and donate them to Goodwill. Then, she had to return to work with a nasty cold. She suspects my abuelo's gave it to her during our visit. Whatta gift, huh?! I'd much rather get cookies or jerky than a nasty cold that drains your energy.

Anyhoo... on with my adventure last Sunday, the day before Christmas Eve:

I went with my momma to the Bay to visit my abuelo's (a little repetitive, but in case you forgot I thought I'd emphasize the fact...ha ha hah). My momma has a mission to learn how to make her abuela's infamous tamales from Guatemala. Her abuela isn't with us any longer so she is learning from no one better than her papa (that is Spanish for dad). He is the only one amongst five siblings who took interest in learning this complicated recipe. My momma is taking notes and pictures to document the whole tamale making process. Hopefully every year here after she will continue the tradition and make tamales for the family. Geez...I hope she will throw one down my way, too. My dadda couldn't come because he had to work, so, Lindsay volunteered to stay with him to keep him company. I thought that was nice of her.

Ok, I have to vent about the ride down! There was so much traffic for a Sunday morning!! When we got to the bay bridge, we came to a complete stop. There were a sea of cars in front, back, and to the sides of me. Having been in the car for nearly three hours, enough was enough....what is the hold up already?

We finally reached our first destination to visit my dadda's parents and my uncle Ron. My momma secretly plotted with uncle Ron to help her get my dadda's Christmas gift. I think this time he will truly be surprised. She always tries to surprise him but my dadda is way too smart and always figures out what my momma is trying to surprise him with. I stayed with my grandparents while my momma and uncle Ron went to the human stores to get my dadda a jacket he's been wanting.
Here is grandpa Ralph with cousin Kody.

And my uncle Ron and grandma Anna posing with me in front of their house.

Then we went to visit my momma's padres (that is Spanish for parents), actually, our final destination. My momma got right to tamale making. Here she is documenting how my abuelo makes the special sauce.

While they were working, I had free roam of this big two story house. I kept running up and down the stairs to see if I could beat my last record. I think my fastest rate was 1.2 seconds flat! Yeah, these long legs helped me bypass some steps...my abuela was amazed with my talents.

I think it's pretty neat how I'm running up and down the very stairs my momma used to when she was a kid.

My uncle Chris came to visit me, but he forgot to bring my Christmas gift! Maybe he'll bring it the next time I come visit? When my momma told us she wanted us to pose for a picture, uncle Chris told me to make a funny face. He's so silly! I wanted to call him tio Christos but he forbade me! He said he prefers uncle over tio....I wonder why?

"Ok, momma....I'm tired! I've had a long day. It's time for bed now, I closed the door already...lets go mimmis!"

"That's better, but something is missing."

"Ah, yes! I like to be covered in down blanket please."

The next day (Christmas Eve) they got right back to making tamales. My momma wasn't kidding when she said this tamale making stuff was complicated, not to mention, lots of work! I wanted to stay clear while they zoomed around the kitchen, so, I took refuge on the most comfortable recliner ever!

Finally, they finished! I was pooped from watching.

Then it was time for my Christmas Eve venture. My momma and abuelo took me to Fort Funston. My momma and dadda used to go there all the time when they lived in the bay. I can see why...it's oodles of fun!!
"Wait. Momma, I think I see another RR coming my way."

"Dawgsta! It was a Great Dane! Great, I can't believe I confused a RR for a GD...don't tell anybody!"

My momma swears she's a photog with her point and shoot camera. I am a good subject though, so I gotta give her credit cause she does have an eye for beauty (hee hee).

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a dog gon good New Year!

~Bison and the fam

Case of the lazies

2007-12-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we got the case of the lazies 'cause all we did is hang out on the couch while we watched my momma clean house. We wanted to stay out of her way, so, naturally the best place to hang out was the couch.

We started our day by watching my favorite doggie show on animal planet. My momma is lucky we are civilized because some of the things I see other dogs do on that show make me cringe. eek....I would never think of being naughty like that.
"No change channel, ppppllllleeeaaaaasssseeeee"

Then, we napped....

And, napped some more...

Ok, all that sleep gave us some energy to be silly...