Presents from GooberStan

A place that I hope to visit someday, it looks like a spot I'd like an awful lot of SERIOUS fun...

But in the meantime a bit of GooberStan was right here in sweltering hot Los Angeles! I'm a bit late in posting about the FANTASTIC box that arrived from that great, fuzzy place because of some technical issues with my secretary (that's mom). She will, of course, apologize profusely for the oversight.

Hell, in the meantime, I'm busy enjoying this cool box 'o stuff - not just one but TWO bandanas (a camo and a skull one, I feel SO BADASS), treats, bully sticks, a tennis ball-and-holder, a kitty note pad (LOVE this), a patch that says Dale (this made mom l-a-u-g-h...), a c-r-a-z-y squeaky fish (that I'm not allowed to play with at night... apparently I get a little carried away and the sound alerts the humans while they're sleeping), a stuffed octopus (this is officially my newest favorite stuffy - right after the chicken-on-a-rope that I got from Charlie & Opy and the tennis-ball-attached toy I got from Faya, and the squeaky carrot I got from Maggie & Mitch - as you can see it's already got some fine Los Angeles dirt all over it).

I hope you noticed that mom and I tried to put in as many cute Dale-nose-shots as possible - just for you!!!!

Then the piece-de-resistance, a Stanley magnet, or as we've been calling it, The Stangnet. It's on our refrigerator at mom's eye height, so she can see it every time she reaches for more cold, frosty iced tea (which she will invariably spit out of her nose when she laughs - it's really quite endearing).

Thought you’d also like to see what the box that the Firehouse Dogs poster came in… ah, my dreamgirl…

THANK YOU BUDDY - LOVE YA LOTS!!!!

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Firehouse Dog... The Sequel

First, there was a movie with a cute dog. Everyone thought he was an Airedale, but his lack of the distinctive black saddle made Airedale owners everywhere know that while he was awfully cute, and he certainly was an (Irish) Terrier, he was no Airedale. So there simply HAD to be a sequel, this time with not one mighty Dale, but two...

Starring the two cutest Airedales ever to fall in love over the internet... Bogart & Sunshade.

This is the poster that my dreamgirl Sunshade sent me... while I still don't have the pictures of me licking and kicking the box it came in (mom says later today and also the pictures of me with my new super package from Stanley), this is the poster. It's sooooooo cool!!!! Mom says we're going to have it framed so I can always see my dreamgirl...

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

OH MY DOG

Last night I got 2 incredible packages... one from my dreamgirl Sunshade, and one from my Aire-bud Stanley...

Mom is going to try to get some better photos of all of the exciting stuff that was inside, it was really difficult to take pictures here at night so the first ones came out kind of crappy.

But the world NEEDS to see the super-cool new stuff I got, so she's promised to get some GOOD photos in the morning. I've gotta show all of my friends my new presents!!!!

Who knew that a birthday can go on for this long... COOOOOOOOOLARAMA!!!

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Chewtoy Vick

This is FANTASTIC:

Take some trading cards picturing a disgraced NFL superstar. Add some dog slobber and teethmarks. What do you get? The most valuable Michael Vick cards — by far — on eBay, that's what.

Collector Rochelle Steffen of Cape Girardeau, Mo., gave every Vick card she owned to her dogs and let them go to town on the images of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback who is scheduled to plead guilty to a federal dogfighting charge Monday.

Once Monte, her 6-year-old Weimaraner, and Roxie, her Great Dane puppy, were done worrying them, nearly two dozen $1-$10 cards were crumpled, crimped, chewed, torn and generally in a sorry state. Some even had corners missing.

As of Thursday evening, the highest bid on the lot of 22 cards had risen to $455 and more than 2,000 people had viewed the posting. Seventy-seven people already have bid on the auction, which ends Sunday.

The next-most expensive Vick cards — well-preserved specimens from his rookie year — were going for less than half the price of the gnawed ones.

"If I would have had some of his super-duper ones, they would have been right in the mix too," Steffen said Thursday.

She plans to donate the winning bid money to the humane society of the bidder's choice.

Since Vick was indicted on federal dogfighting charges last month, former fans have donated Vick jerseys to dog shelters, while others have tried to cash in by selling Vick T-shirts and chew toys for dogs.

"I'm not angry toward him; my anger is toward anyone who would do this to animals," said Steffen, a college student and artist who wrote a note accompanying her auction to explain it was artistic expression.

"I mean no harm to anyone involved with this auction," she wrote.

Vick said through a lawyer this week he will plead guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.

Steffen's cards join a collection of newly released items on sale. T-shirts are being sold online with slogans that say "Ignorance Breeds Ignorance. Neuter Mike Vick," and "ConVICKt" and others that show dogs urinating on footballs and jerseys.

The St. Paul Saints, a minor league baseball team known for campy promotions, gave out Vick chew toys Tuesday to the first 15,000 fans with some game proceeds going to the Humane Society. Fans got the St. Paul pig mascot with a No. 7 printed on the back and a tag around its neck with Vick's picture.

The Atlanta Humane Society also has reported former Vick fans mailing in jerseys — often accompanied by financial contributions and letters of outrage over the charges. Those former fans have suggested the Falcons jerseys become animal bedding or rags to help scrub up the messes that dogs leave behind. Other branches of the Humane Society have said they'll take donated Vick items to resell on eBay.

Steffen said she hopes to bring more attention to the abuse of animals involved in dogfighting activities.

"The money donated to local shelters makes this whole idea of selling the cards worthwhile," she said.

Read original article HERE

This made my mom SMILE :)

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

HANDSOME

I just got tagged by my Aire-bud Hercules… there’s a new game in town, the Middle Name Game:

Here’s how it goes:

1. Post the rules before you give the facts. (Listen up Pups, these are the Rules!!)

2. List one fact that is somehow relevant to you and your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3. When you are tagged you need to write your post using your middle name and facts about it.

4. At the end of your post choose one dog to tag for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to let each puppy know she/he has been tagged. (It’s ok if you don’t do this, just tag who you want to tag!).

********

So, many of you know that my official AKC name is BOGART HANDSOME DEVIL. So I guess I have a little more work to do coming up with all of the letters in my middle name…

H is for Handsome, as in Handsome Devil

A is for Airedale Terrierist, ahem, Terrier

N is for Naughty, of which I am on a daily basis

D is for Dog Food, in which I have no interest

S is for Stinker, as in Little Stinker (one of mom’s favorite pet names for me)

O is for the Only canine in a household full of cats!

M is for Meeeeeeeee, and that’s what it’s all about

E is for Everyday of sunshine that I bring to my family

What does it spell? HANDSOME, of course. Mom came up with the Handsome Devil part, and dad originally thought of the Bogart part. I kinda like my name, I think it suits me…

So I’m gonna tag Maggie & Mitch, Putter, Sunshade, Jaffa, Mojo, Lillie, GooberStan, Faya, & Allegra - (forgive me if any of you guys have already been tagged, yes I threw in one extra just in case! - it’s an all-Airedale game for me this time

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

From My Dreamgirl...

So a package arrived for me today... all the way from Canada... what could it be? It's not STILL my birthday, is it???

It smells awfully darned good... kind of like... MISS SUNSHADE!!!

Sunshade, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my presents!!! The treats are super yummy, (mom claimed the stuffed Airedale so I wouldn't destroy it), and the Bogie photo tag is FANTASTIC!!! And those green tripe treats, well, I've NEVER tasted anything so delicious in my entire life! Mom says that yes they stink, but as long as I like 'em...

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Birthday Burger... Finally

Yes, it took mom almost a WHOLE WEEK to get off her butt and take me to Rally's for my birthday burger. I was prepared to be underwhelmed, and quite frankly, ticked off, but then she did something so wonderful, so mom-like, that I couldn't go through with my initial plan to ignore her pathetic attempt at burger reconciliation.

She picked me up - just like when I was a baby.

Allow me to explain - it's freaking hot here in Los Angeles. And it has been for ages. But especially in the last week it's been really, really - did I mention REALLY? - hot. So hot that we cannot go for midday walkies anywhere in the city, only in the park. I am a delicate flower, with delicate paws (yes they're huge, but they're sensitive, damnit). Walking on the asphalt causes me to cry out like a puppy because it HURTS! Yes, it's THAT HOT here.

So when we got to Rally's we had to stand at the outside counter for awhile while the person inside was talking on their cell phone (!) instead of rustling up my tasty birthday burger. Harumph! Mom could see that I was uncomfy and she was annoyed with the lack of attention being paid to us by the person inside, and damnit, her BABY was hurtin'! So, $5 bill in hand, she picked me up (all 65 pounds of me!) and held me while she waited for the Rally's guy to notice us. It was HILARIOUS - there were other people waiting too and they were laughing when mom decided to take matters into her own hands in order to get me my burger. You should have seen the expression on the guy's face when he came to the window (and yes, mom was perspiring a bit from holding me up so high on such a hot day) and saw sweaty mom, me, and the $5 bill. Without missing a beat, mom ordered my Rally burger - plain, no sauce - and some fries for herself, and it was burger time.

We ran over to the covered eating area (she didn't have to carry me for that which was a GOOD thing...) and it was time for my birthday burger. Mom sang Happy Birthday to me which I enjoyed. Don't tell her that I was staring through her while she was singing and just looking longingly at the burger, lets pretend that I was looking lovingly at HER... And then I chomped that burger down in my traditional fashion.

Yummy yummy, good times.

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Murphy - Brown Lab

Meet my new pal Murphy. We met in the funniest way today...

Mom and I went to Pasadena and thought we'd have a romp in the park. So she pulled over the Bogie-mobile and when we got out we were in front of a flower store. All mom saw was a flower store but I saw something m-o-r-e... I saw Murphy inside and she saw me so we had a little love-and-sniff-fest through the glass door. I thought I'd never see her again until...

While mom and I were in the park (and thankfully, after I'd already done my "business" and mom had put it in the trashcan), Murphy and her dad came over too! Running toward me like we'd known each other for years, it was that pretty brown girl from the flower shop. One sniff of each other's butts and we knew we'd be friends.

Since it was a public park and apparently I don't listen (thanks a lot mom) I had to stay on leash but I still got to have an incredibly good time running around with Murphy. She's super fun to play with...

All that running around in the hot Pasadena sun got us both tired, so while the humans were talking we thought we'd just rest. I got up nice and close to Murphy so we could cuddle a little.

(ain't she sweet?)

I'm ready to play again with Murphy ANY TIME - and now that I know where she "works" I can stop by the next time mom and I are in Pasadena to say hi!!!

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Chef Dad

Well apparently dad is going away again - only for a few days this time - so since he knows that mom isn't much of a cook and he wants to ensure that I stay a nice, strong boy, he decided that he'd have to rustle up some grub for me in advance.

Photos by dad today - that's unusual

Apparently only the largest pot in the house will do. Yes, the one that takes up almost ALL of your cabinet space and doesn't get used that often. It's probably full of cobwebs and other pots, but since we're cooking for a few days in advance, we had to go BIG.

First dad cuts up the beef heart and liver into little chunks (I'm a little chunk kind of guy) and boils 'em up into a kind of soup.

Then he adds my FAVORITE part - pasta!!! I'm a huge fan of the wide noodle.

Make sure that everything is cooked through...

Then I got a chance to sample some of dad's work - it was pretty darned good - I gave my paw of approval.

Notice though if you will, that there is a large amount of the dry cat food missing from the bowl next to me. Yes, I ate that too. In fact, I ate that before, during, and after eating my own food. Cat food is THE BOMB...

Here's some of the finished product in separate baggies in the freezer for mom. I'm sure if there is some way to screw this up she will find it, but I've been assured that it's relatively idiot-proof so even she (as a vegetarian) will be able to easily serve me some more yummy chow while dad is gone.

Miss you dad!!! Please come home before the GOOD food runs out!!!

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine

Happy Birthday to MEEEE

Ohmygosh, this is the best birthday EVER!!!

It started out with my favoritest breakfast - CAT FOOD. Trust me on this one. It's so much yummier than dog food, and I got a whole can of my own.

Mom brought out my cake -- not a big cake this year (after last year's "cake coma" where I consumed a huge bone-shaped cake, passed out from all of the goodness, then went over to my Dale friend's house and in true rock-star style immediately puked out all of the cake which my Dale friends happily then proceeded to eat... good times) just a "pup cake" with a special birthday candle. Mom and I made a wish then blew out the candle... gimme that pup cake. I'm more of a frosting kind of guy rather than an eat-the-whole-thing man so I finished off the frosting first. I'll have the rest of the cake part later (maybe).

Then it's on to the best part - THE PRESENTS!!! I got some packages in the last few days but mom wouldn't let me even sniff 'em, she wanted me to be surprised. Well boy was I ever...

Asta (up over) & her mom made me a SUPER NEATO card, isn't this adorable? Thanks so much Asta, this made me s-m-i-l-e....

I got the COOLEST card from my friends Maggie & Mitch - my mom LOVES this photo!!! It made her laugh so hard that iced tea came out of her nose (this seems to happen to her a LOT these days). Thanks guys, I love my Dale buddies!!!!

It was difficult to decide which present to open first as they all smelled soooooo good... my first present was from Butchy and Snickers - a great bundle of goodies and my VERY FIRST bully rings! Now I see what all the fuss is about guys, these are the BOMB. And a packet of Yummy Chummies which have wild Alaska Salmon in 'em, those look YUMMY. Thanks and big Aire Kisses to my WFT pals!!!!

Next was a parcel all the way from my buddies Charlie & Opy in Australia!!!! They sent me a stuffed toy that I can easily see will be my newest favoritest stuffy.

I also got a spanking new bone-shaped tag that says BOGART and on the back it says D.W.B. #1!!!!! THIS GOT ME ALL EXCITED!!! I don't know how many of my doggie pals know this, but I was the first doggie to join Dogs With Blogs a loooooong time ago and this is SUPER COOLARAMA - THANKS SO MUCH guys, I will wear this with GREAT PRIDE!!!

Notice my swanky new Swiss bandana... (it's hard to see in the photo, but this is the back of my new Bogart tag that says D.W.B. #1)

My final gift was from the prettiest Aire-girl in Europe - Faya!!! Her package came all the way from Switzerland! I got some YUMMY doggie sausages, a DELICIOUS bone, another new stuffy toy with a tennis ball attached (ah sweet Faya, you KNOW ME), and my VERY FIRST bandana!!!! I've always seen all of the other doggies wearing them but I've never had one of my own and now I can wear my Switzerland bandana with PRIDE!!!!! Sweet Faya thank you SOOOOOO MUCH, I'm gnawing on one of my sausages now as I type while wearing my new bandana!!!!

Whew it's been SO MUCH FUN and it's still early... I'm hoping for some burger action later today, then it would be PERFECTION!!!

BIG AIRE KISSES to ALL of my doggie, kitty, & hamster friends all over the world!!!

I LOVE YOU GUYS

Love,

Bogart

To Aire is Divine