Up on the roof! A 7-foot doxie. Windsurfing dogs. And all the Whos in Who-ville!

‘Tis the season!

Ride along with us - Surf Dog Diaries - in our annual Christmas parade in the Columbia River Gorge. Together, we’re surfing the streets in Hood River, Oregon.

Doodle and I surfin’ the streets 12/7/18. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

The 2018 Hood River Holiday parade. Photo: (c) Blane Franger

We surf dogs love our home town, tiny town - Hood River. A.k.a. Who-Wille. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Surf dogs’ 2018 Hood River Holiday parade float. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Doodle on his windsurf ride. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Back of the windsurf rig - license plates from our three stomping grounds. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Dog Beach. Dog River. Dog Mountain.

We surf dogs have lived (and surfed) in three states, searching for life’s perfect wave - Dog Beach (California,) Dog River (Oregon) and Dog Mountain (Washington).

Yes, those are real places, all important to the history of the wild, wild west. And surf dogs everywhere - man and animal.

By the way, Dog River and Dog Mountain are neighbors here, across the Columbia River where we live and surf.

Surfing the streets

We started surfing streets in parades in San Diego’s Ocean Beach back in the 1990’s, promoting our old home beach, Dog Beach.

Back then, my first surf dog, Howdy Doody and I marched with the O.B. Geriatric Precision SurfBoard Drill Team - an OB institution, and a killer-good surf club.

OB geriatrics were surfers that were 30 or older. We carried surfboards in parades.

At the time I was OB Town Council President. Howdy and I were co chairs of the OBTC Dog Beach Committee, responsible for fixing up America’s first leash free dog park.

The parade tradition carried on, after the OB Geriatric surf club retired for good, and after we moved to Oregon.

Today, doxie Doodle is the fourth generation Ayers family surf dog to ride waves, and parades, with me.

All four of my surf dogs were low riders- three bassets and a doxie. All were rescue mutts. No pedigree necessary.

Up on the roof! A 7-foot weiner dog. “Doxie Dasher - up, up and away….”

Dasher in this year’s parade. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Windsurfing right behind - 16-pound doxie Doodle...

My dog son, surf doxie Doodle. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Surfing the streets- downtown Hood River, on Oak Street. The Surf Dog Diaries crew. Left to right: Tree girl Kelsey, Barb and Doodle and dog mom Stacey Castleberry. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Who’s that green “Who” of Whoville?

Kelsey, our next door neighbor girl, dressed as the Christmas Tree in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie.

On her right shoulder is the cat that tore down the Griswold’s Christmas tree, tangled in lights.

This is small town community spirit.

Here, we all come out to celebrate the holidays - together - at the parade. Or ANY day!

Together, we are all the Whos in Who-ville.

As the parade ends, the countdown to Christmas begins… kids and adults chanting…

“10… 9… 8… 7… 6….. 5…4… 3… 2… 1!!!!”

then the lights fill the sky - and songs fill the streets and the hearts all around…

All the Whos ini Who-ville. Christmas parade, Hood River, OR. Photo: (c) Blane Franger

From Doctor Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas:

“Every Who down in Who-wille, the tall and the small,

was singing!

Without any presents at all!”

“And then the true meaning of Christmas came through…

and the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store -

maybe Christmas perhaps, means something more….”

The front window view the morning after the parade. Holiday magic on our Columbia Gorge cliffs! Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Another holiday surprise…

The Morning After the parade - our first dusting of snow -

decorating hills and homes…

across rivers and forests, the mountains and roads…

Doodle and I at the parade, lit up by snowflakes.

Photo: (c) Terri Vann, DogDiary.org

Don’t stop believing!

Snow magic - Santa magic -Grinch magic. Who-ville.

It can happen any time, any season, any day.

Give with your whole heart - just like your best friend dog does - every moment, every day.

JOY TO YOU!

Barb & Doodle Ayers

Surf Dog Diaries

Keep Your Home Odor-Free: Best Tips for Pet Owners

While we wouldn’t say that cleanliness and pets are related to one another, to think that having an animal inside your home will make it dirty is a huge mistake.

They might not have the same standards as we do when it comes to neatness, but pets care about us and if you train them right and take certain steps, you can certainly keep your living space very tidy.

If odors and filth are your biggest grievances and you want to find a way to make your rooms smell of fresh flowers rather than wet fur, take a look at some of our tips that will help you keep your home nice and clean.

Start by finding a good vacuum and lint roller

Fur is probably the first thing you’ll want to tackle if you have a pet that sheds a lot and tends to leave hairs seemingly everywhere.

A good vacuum can really make a big difference, and you want to get the kind of model that you can easily whip out every few days or once a week to deal with all the fur. Look for a vacuum that uses a canister that’s easy to empty instead of utilizing bulky bags, and try to find something light and cordless with enough suction power to clean both rugs and furniture.

Another thing you want to invest in is a lint roller—have several of these lying around so you could quickly brush away fallen hairs before heading out.

Get an air purifier

It’s important to air out your house by opening the windows in the morning and in the evening, but instead of using fresheners that could potentially be toxic and harmful both for human and animal health, rely on a purifier. Placing a good air purifier in your living room will neutralize odors and even help filter dander and other allergy-causing particles. Get something that has quality filters to make sure it runs with efficiency and you’ll make your life a lot easier.

Bathe and brush your pet

It’s very hard to keep your home clean when your pet is dirty, so make sure never to neglect their own hygiene. Smaller pets can be washed in a sink or a basin, and some will need to be washed in a bathtub. How frequently you need to bathe them will depend on several factors: their coat length and thickness, whether they spend time outside or not, whether they have a skin condition, their grooming habits, and their activity levels. Furless animals such as tortoises don’t need washing unless it’s to deal with a skin condition, the same goes for very tiny pets such as guinea pigs or hamsters.

The rule of thumb is to generally wash your pet when they start to smell, but it’s best you consult the vet so they could give you more specifics. Besides washing, you should also brush cats and dogs regularly to keep their coat shiny and prevent fur from getting all over the place.

Pick up the right litter

If you have a cat, quality litter is another thing to have in your home to help you neutralize odors. Find the kind of cat litter that will be easy to scoop and won’t track all over your floors, and clean it out regularly.

Wash the toys

Pet toys are a great way to keep the animal entertained, but they do catch scents and can end up stinking to high heavens if you don’t wash them. You don’t have to do it often, but do give them at least an occasional rinse. The same goes for food bowls.

Invest in throw blankets

Rather than having to wash and scrub the whole couch, it’s easier to use throw blankets to keep your furniture safe. You can also spread them over your sofas and even your bed in case you allow your pet to climb it. Throw blankets can easily be put into the washing machine, so find some stylish ones to match your décor.

Have an old towel handy

When your dog pads inside after a walk and a roll in the mud, you want to have a towel there to wipe their paws before they drag the dirt all over your carpet. Keeping them clean this way is a good way to make sure they stay healthy and it’s a good opportunity to check for ticks on their skin.

A towel is also handy for other pets, too—top wipe them down after a bath, or to help clean up any accidents.

Feed them well

Bad pet food is one of the biggest culprits for nasty odors. Feed them only with high-quality foods, avoid giving them table scraps, and make sure to check how your pet responds to a certain diet before pushing them to keep eating it.

They’re worth it

A little dirt is a very small price to pay given everything our pets do for us. Use these tips to keep your home fresh and clean, and enjoy being a responsible pet parent.

Dog day Black Friday.

Smell of wood burning stove and melting vanilla candles.

Post turkey day tryptophan narcosis.

Rainy grey Oregon day.

Whacha gonna do?

Absolutely nothing.

There will be no malls or big boxes.

No crowds, no credit cards and no traffic.

It's all about sharing a couch and Hello Kitty jammies.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!

With love, from our living room to yours.

Barb, Doodle & Tia Ayers