Nose to Nose: February 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

the answer to an age-old question

How much is that doggie in the window? (arf, arf)
The one with the waggley tail
How much is that doggie in the window? (arf, arf)
I do hope that doggie's for sale

With the help of Street View from Google Earth, we're able to get a glimpse of what Penny does all day when we're not around. It's pretty much that same thing she does when we are around: she mans her watchtower at the front window.

As for how much is that doggie in the window? A penny, naturally.

army crawl

Charlotte has lately found great pleasure in trying to invade Penny's bed...

Saturday, February 25, 2012

zum zähne ausbeissen... jetzt wirklich!

Daddy hat am Valentinstag den ersten entdeckt!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

special delivery

Charlotte has now been with us outside the belly as long as she was inside... Hard to believe we had this special delivery quite some time ago and that she is 9 months already!

Monday, February 20, 2012

the pugilist

Weighing in at a svelte 17 pounds, Charlotte Sophie has carved out quite a niche in the welterweight division. She's feathery-light on her feet and just-so jittery that she keeps opponents guessing which way she'll bob-and-weave. Blessed with a right that hits like a meat-hook, her left-hand has remained largely undeveloped; she relies on it mainly for short jabs and the occasional instigating hair-pull. Charlotte's dedication to her craft is unquestioned: while in Germany for a recent tour, she cleverly employed a fever to drop weight classes in order to engage Dev (round 11 shown above) in a Sunday afternoon bout in London. If there's one weakness in her repertoire, it's that she's prone to lapses in concentration. She often looks like she prefers to toy with her prey -- winding her left arm like a windmill is a common diversion -- instead of methodically going about her business.

how to be an ingrate: a short guide

We recently traveled to Germany and England for two weeks. Penny, unfortunately, was left behind. She holed up in the plush digs of our friends' house. They also have a dog and a baby, so Penny should, in theory, have felt right at home. And make herself comfy she did.

Step 1: Be sure to let the host dog (Lucy) know that you don't think she's sufficiently protective of the pack. Whenever you hear something stirring outside, alert the troops, including the unfazed Lucy. Lead-by-example with how a guard doggie should behave.

Step 2: Take plenty of baths in the ocean, so that you're not only sandy but wet when returning from your afternoon stroll on the beach. (If you click the picture you can see Penny avoiding the overtures of a male suitor by plunging into the waves.)

Step 3: Colonize. Colonize. Colonize. As is clear, Penny proved remarkably adept at invading Lucy's space. (Yes, this is a picture of them sleeping.) Before anyone thinks we're negligent parents, just dumping Penny off on unsuspecting friends without any of her creature comforts, think again. Penny is not the hobo she appears to be. Her bed and blanket are just off-screen; she just prefers to cozy up with Lucy. Lucy's preferences are, apparently, irrelevant.

All-in-all, Penny had a wonderful staycation. So much so that we were unsure if she'd want to return to her usual pack, where she only gets two walks per day and a fraction of the belly rubs. And, of course, where there is no Lucy (most days).