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Dog Diary

The ride of life with a dog
  • Surf Dog Diaries - dog blog
  • The ride of life with a dog
  • HANG 20 - DOG BEACH, CA
  • HANG 20 - DOG RIVER, OR
  • ABOUT US
  • BarbAyers.com
  • GIVING BACK
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Dogs ride the ups and downs with us. Real life Surf Dog Diaries

Meet writer dogs. Rider dogs. Best dog friends. Surf the couch, the www, or a wave. Wave back at us!

It's all about the ride. The ride of life with a dog.

Canine vs. Feline. Doodle and Tia - two parties on the bedspread of life. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Canine vs. Feline. Doodle and Tia - two parties on the bedspread of life. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Cat and dog politics: neither side winning - or needing to. Maybe we could learn something here.

Barbara Ayers July 13, 2019

Left and right. Red and blue. Us and them... the baggage of humans.

Dogs don’t do politics. That’s what we love about them.

They don't take sides. They don’t care about human psycho babble.

They do care about whose in charge.

They don’t debate. Or criticize.

They're too busy chasing life, chasing tails, romping trails. Getting blow dried on the road trip of life.

They aren’t hung up on news or Twitter, CNN or Fox News.

Facebook is irrelevant to them.

They love you unconditionally, even when you don't deserve it.

They may be smarter than humans, despite what scientists say. Because they're way more intuitive.

You think you can hide your feelings, but they just know. And they love you anyway.

They don’t press your buttons. They stand by you until you get outside yourself. For some of us, that could take a lifetime.

Dogs don’t do Twitter. Well, maybe they do. This is dog Twitter:

“Soft warm body pressed up against yours – no words necessary.”

You think you can stay away long hours on trips out of town when the dog sitter takes over. You think they won’t notice. They reward you with a bounce up and down welcome home ceremony. And the top-secret mini poo pile, just this side of the dog door. It’s just a tiny pile - just a small statement. That says so much.

Life downsized our pack. I went from four dogs to two. One is a fake dog. 

Doxie Doodle, surf dog #4 and Tia the calico, of Surf Dog Diaries. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Doxie Doodle, surf dog #4 and Tia the calico, of Surf Dog Diaries. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Tia the kitty would be really catty on Twitter. But she’s dropping the cat act and turning into a dog.

They are the last remaining pack members, after our basset hound friends went to heaven.

The cat and the dog are ignoring breed restrictions. Ignoring politics. They are becoming one - partners.

The cat is rising to the Alpha role. Or co-alpha.

She is first to take possession, within 30 seconds of me sitting or lying down. She always beats the doxie to my lap. She does it effortlessly. Strategically.

So in that contest, he’s #2. Doodle snuggles up alongside us. He backs in, pressing his butt up against her chest, then splaying body parts sideways, oozing in, to make contact with me. That his side slide move. His curly tail spirals around my leg.

Sometimes he carefully crawls up, noses in toward the cat’s stiletto nails, face to face…. verrrrryyyyyy carefullllllllly.

Sometimes she rubs her head against his…  like she really loves him… but none of us totally trusts that. It’s more of a head butt, really. She can be a politician.

Doodle has that wild-eyed look like, please don’t throw a sucker punch at me. But he persists. And that has, in turn, softened the cat. Sometimes it all works out.

Sometimes he smooshes in, doxie under cover, all 007 style, a tube of movement under the bedspread, inching closer, as if the cat won’t notice.

OK, so maybe just a hint of sibling rivalry.... Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

OK, so maybe just a hint of sibling rivalry.... Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Nowadays, the cat snuggles up under covers as quickly as the dog does. Maybe even with him.

But shhhhhhh - don’t tell them I said that.

She has descended from cat throne to soft, dog-like behavior.

She’s dropped the cat-itude.

She’s evolved into a dog.

Just when I was looking for a lap basset on Petfinders, the lap basset appeared.

And the Dennis the Menace doxie has become a little less Dennis. A little softer. More grown up.

I used to think there was a war going on for my attention, but now it’s more like detente. Fragile, hesitant teamwork. Like long-warring parties coming together to pass some really important legislation for the first time. Creating social change, where both sides beat the odds. Overcoming some long time Hatfield and McCoy thing. People stuck between two sides- nobody winning.

Here, the two “dogs” don’t totally trust each other, but are actually trying to work together - and meet in the middle.

Figuring out that working together, they both get what they want – they just don’t exclude the other partner. They may make some critter concessions, but on the grand scale, nothing worth quibbling over.

Maybe this is a long, ugly custody battle over me, that just took a positive turn?

The cat, unlike the dog, is a much more political animal.

She’s into power and isn’t always soft and fuzzy – or is, but usually with purpose. She likes being Alpha. She likes being on top. Lap cat.

The dog just wants to be there. Lap dog. He wants to be #1. More love, more attention, more adventure. More road trips and surfing with mom.

Doodle bumbles in, tries to take over my lap, and the house, and the pack. He thought he was Alpha too.

There’s an absence of clear power without someone in charge. 

It’s the two party system. Dog vs. Cat. Neither in charge. Neither has veto power.

But they both flex themselves, when it’s really important.

Sometimes I feel like I am the prize. Sometimes, a citizen stuck between two warring political parties. A kid two parents are fighting over.

And when the dog and the cat drop their drive to be Alpha, #1 - they blend into one. One species. Curled up, yin and yang.

Everyone wins. No one’s in charge. Just the three of us as one.

Being in charge is so over rated. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other.

This wasn't possible, not for this cat and this dog, with a full pack of dogs in the house.

Elvis, my dearly departed Alpha Basset, was always in charge. He loved the cat - they were one. No war for top dog between them. Everyone got along. Elvis was king, without even trying - with all of us in the pack.

Now that Elvis is gone, Doodle the doxie wanted so badly to assume Alpha and earn all that love and trust. But he hasn’t earned the cat cred that Elvis had.

Dude, his basset brother (RIP,) gave up on Alpha long ago. He was top dog in surf dog contests. He competed - and won - against other dogs, but never his own pack.

Dude and Elvis, my two basset sons, RIP. Second and third generation surf dogs of Surf Dog Diaries. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Dude and Elvis, my two basset sons, RIP. Second and third generation surf dogs of Surf Dog Diaries. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Dude was bff’s with Elvis. Everyone was. Alpha Elvis wasn’t kingly. He was a love buddy.

Now that we’re down to two “dogs,” those two have expanded to fill the void. The calico and the doxie. They’ve expanded into me. And they've expanded into each other. Even though they’d never admit it.

Number three and number four try harder. Now together, they are #1.

Co-Alphas. Parents. Partners. The third, neutral party.

It’s a whole new era in our home in the absence of basset hounds.

The two remaining dogs may not be low rider bassets, with silly-sad faces - stand-up comedians wearing basset-hound-hearts-on-sleeves. That were accidental Alphas.

But the cat and the doxie are surprisingly able to evolve.

I wonder if I can. If we can – the human species?

Tags I love my dog, dog vs cat, photo essay, funny animal story, Dog Diary, dog blog, Surf dog diaries, dogdiary.org, dog mom Barb Ayers, Barbara Ayers, cat and dog politics, coping with pet loss, dog friends, cats and dogs, I love cats, funny cute animal story

Doxie cam - Doodle surfs the streets - we love small town USA

Barbara Ayers April 27, 2019

Today is the NW Cherry Festival parade. Here’s a doxie- eye- view of small town America from a prior year. Cowabunga, dude!

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Tags Surf Dog Diaries, surf dogs, Doodle the doxie, dog person, dog friends, dog book, cute animal story, GoPro dog video, Gorge surf dog, Columbia River Gorge, Hood River OR, Historic Columbia River Highway, heartfelt story, I heart dogs, I love dogs, I love kids, dog lover, dog diary, www.dogdiary.org, Dogdiary.org, surf dog mom Barb Ayers, Barbara Ayers, doxie wawa, surfing doxie, doxie wa wa, basset hound, coping with pet loss, surf basset, Elvis the basset, Dog Beach, dog blog, The Dalles Chamber of Commerce, the ride of life with a dog, diaries by dogs, kids and dogs, Mosier OR, NW Cherry Festival
Yes, that's ice on our steps. Tiki dude and me, Rusty, recycled toaster dog, at the home office of DogDiary.org. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Yes, that's ice on our steps. Tiki dude and me, Rusty, recycled toaster dog, at the home office of DogDiary.org. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Snowmeggadon: will it never end? Yard art speaks out

Barbara Ayers February 24, 2019
Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

 

Dear Dog Diary:

Recycle dog Rusty here.

In a former life, I was a toaster. And scrap metal.

We Oregonians are way into reuse and recycling - so now I have a new life. As yard art.

Tiki Dude and I are surfing, or should I say, suffering, snow in the yard. Lots and lots of snow. In the Columbia River Gorge - surf dog central - normally.

Here are a few pix before, during, and now.

It’s Snowmeggadon 2019 - the biggest winter in decades.

Tiki Dude and Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Tiki Dude and Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Tiki Dude and Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Tiki Dude and Rusty. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

We thought two years ago, Snowmeggadon 2017 was bad. Snowpocalapse! It snowed for three months straight! There may be something to this global warming thing. Because winters are not normal anymore.

Ask any person about shoveling snow, every day, for three months and see how they react.

This Snowmeggadon hasn’t lasted as long (yet) - only three weeks so far, with no sign of stopping- but the dumps are way higher, way deeper every day. You can’t go anywhere, do anything, move. You’re just stuck.

It’s late February! It’s supposed to be over!

So, we just hang out. Yard art for Surf Dog Diaries.

Watching, as the girl runs around, shoveling snow. Again.

The dog and cat guarding the house, inside, warmed by the fire. Not motivated.

Snow day! Tia and Doodle, author animals, inside. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, Dogdiary.org

Snow day! Tia and Doodle, author animals, inside. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, Dogdiary.org

Now she’s scraping the roof – there’s a thing called snow load - too much snow can cave your roof.

For sure this is too much snow.

Tiki Dude and I thought we’d pitch in and do the Dog Blog.

I’m trying my best here to be cheerful but Tiki’s smile is a little scowly lately.

He’s keeping a stiff upper lip….

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Ooh! Sunshine came out for a moment!!! Here’s my happy ear flap up - crumb tray out look….

Hey, would you believe – I have a defrost button!?! We may have to try it out this winter.

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

I checked on surfboard dude in the driveway and here’s what he had to say…

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Nada.

Guess he’s the strong, silent type.

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the BBQ boyz?

They’re pretty silent, too.

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

 

 

 Momma quail yard art is almost visible again. She’s just peeking out.

Her kids, still buried under snow.

Thankfully, our actual quail neighbors still commute through the yard – their food is buried, too. So the girl puts out seed every day for them.

And defrosts the hummingbird feeder.

 

On the front porch are the prayer flags. They flitter and float. They’re a little more lively than the rest of us.

Of course, a roof overhead can’t hurt.

Then again, they are hanging with icicles.

Prayer flags, front porch. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Prayer flags, front porch. Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Here are cars.

Now they’re yard art, too.

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, www.DogDiary.org


Snow day! It’s super fun at first.

But then you want it to go away after about a week. Like normal.

Day after day, snow and snow and snow, just wears you down.

My tail’s drooping a little here.

I may be a little rustier than usual.

We’d appreciate a normal winter, is all.

Can you help us with that, Diary?

Rusty

Tags dog thoughts, dog friends, Dog diary, surf dog diaries, Barb Ayers, Barbara Ayers, author dog, winter storm, snowmeggadon, snowpocalypse, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon snowmeggadon, dog stories, dog mom Barb Ayers, dog friend, coping with pet loss, Dog Beach in Ocean Beach, dog river, Hood River OR, Pacific Northwest, small town, changing seasons, my best friend, my secret diary, secret life of pets, secret life of dogs, www.dogdiary.org, photo essay, Oregon snowpocalypse, snow day, dog blog
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Surf Dog Diaries  |  Barb Ayers, San Diego, CA and Mosier OR.  |   All content and images (c) Barb Ayers, copyrighted, all rights reserved