Daddy's Girl

She looks up to him.

I am pretty sure that of all the humans, Dog Dad is McGee's first favorite.

How do I know this?

She like to sleep in his dirty clothes. Sometimes I can't find her in the middle of the day and then I discover her in a pile of stinky work shirts in the corner of the bedroom, happily snoring (note to Dog Dad: it's called a hamper). She does not sleep in my clothes. I guess they smell too good. It's both cute and sad to see her sleeping on his smelly old laundry because I know that she would prefer to be cuddled up with him.

She is only happy if we are both home. If I come home and Dad's not here, McGee acts as if she is still by herself. She does this by continuing to nap. She'll open one eye to check and see if it's me and then close her eyes and go back to dreaming. I swear she knows the sound of his truck though because she's off the couch and sitting by the door before he even climbs out. As soon as he walks in the door suddenly it's party party all the time. WTF McGee? Don't I reek of fun? You make me feel like I used to feel at college parties- not very cool and like I might need another drink.


I must be as close to you as possible Dad. It is for your own protection.

She shows off for him. You wanna see me chew my antler Dad? You wanna see me pulverize my stuffed dog? You wanna wrestle? You wanna watch me itch my face all over the carpet? You wanna see me get out every toy I own? Look at my teeth. Look at my tail. Oh wait, let me get closer and put my tail in your face so you can see it all up close and personal-like. I will wag it for you and show you how it works. Right paw shake. Left paw shake. Look at my belly. Now I am stretching. I can do yoga too, you wanna see? You wanna watch me chase my tail? Hey Dad, Dad, Dad, hey, hey, hey Dad hey... etc and so forth.


She even likes the smell of his feet. That is true love.

She seems to be under the impression that he is a mountain and she herself, a fearless billy goat. Self
explanatory I think.

Though I find that I am a little hurt from time to time by her unbridled adoration for our guy, mostly I just laugh and shake my head and feel relieved that they are infatuated with each other. I did, after all, bring her home before they had even met. He told me, "If you like her, so will I." I'm so glad that they turned out to love each other and being second favorite does have it's perks.

After all, first favorite is the one who usually gets farted on.

Does your dog play favorites?

Flower Dog

When we got engaged back in February 2012, we did not have McGee. We still lived in NYC and had high hopes of getting a dog someday, but could not possibly have imagined the little gremlin who would eventually share our abode.

Fast forward to February 2013: our wedding is 5 months away at this point and we're ironing out the details. We are certain that we want McGee to be in the wedding, but what role will she play? Ring bearer? Hostess with the mostest? Food taste tester? Talent show entertainment? So many options.

We ultimately decided that she would be one of our flower girls, alongside our nieces aged 13 and 5. We dubbed her "Flower Dog" and hoped for good behavior and no pooping in the aisle. I custom ordered her a collar from Puddles and Posies made from scraps of all the ties we had already ordered for the men in the wedding party. We decided that she would walk down the aisle with our elder niece while the younger walked ahead and, in the fashion of Gretel, laid a path of doggie biscuits for McGee to follow.

I have to say that McGee, with all her endearing quirks and challenging attributes, was a source of some stress for me in the days leading to our wedding. Will she knock our niece over and drag her down the aisle? Will she joyfully scamper through the barn and then tackle me in my dress? Will she get nervous and refuse to move at all when she sees the huge assembly of people?

Turns out, none of these fears were validated. While I can't quite say that she was a perfect lady, she did her best McGee and that's saying a lot. She ignored the dog treats that our niece so carefully placed on the ground in favor of snarfling and snuffling the grass, she had to wear her usual harness along with her pretty new collar for safety's sake, and she spent the duration of the ceremony having her leash passed from one member of the wedding party to the next since she couldn't decide on where she had the best view of... who knows what.

Our special considerations for McGee were not limited to the ceremony alone. The week before the wedding she stayed with my in-laws. They have a Rottweiler of their own, so her visit to their house was a constant game of dog shuffling- one would head out the back door as the other was secreted into the front of the house, and they each had their own bedroom for night times. Poor Achilles probably wondered what the heck was going on.

In the week before the wedding, Dog Dad and I had an additional half dozen people sleeping at our house and it was delightfully heart warming to see sweet McGee switching from person to person so that everyone could have an equal opportunity to love on her. She cozied up to anyone who would make room on the couch (or the blow up mattress) and we were relieved to see our dog's true personality shining through. McGee is a dog who is difficult to get to know unless she's in an environment where she is at ease. Since my family lives far away, most of them had never had the opportunity to spend quality time with the real McGee and they were all super smitten by the time their visit was over.

We also took what may seem an extreme step to some and asked all of our guests to leave their dogs at home. This may sound like a no brainer for a wedding, but since our party was a weekend of camping and the vast majority of our loved ones love dogs, it was actually a difficult thing to ask. We knew that this would be our one chance (maybe ever) to secure a completely McGee friendly environment, and just as much as the weekend was for us to enjoy, we wanted her to enjoy herself as well and have the most stress free experience possible. This meant a dog free zone for her to spend time relaxing and soaking up attention from all her aunties and uncles without the constant hyper-vigilance that it means for us when other pups are around.

All in all, I think we had great success introducing our girl to our community. She surprised me by showing up at our reception in the company of my sister and having her leash passed around among several of our other dog-doting guests. I felt so lucky to be surrounded by people who cared enough to take the time to understand our dog's special needs and give her the same care and affection that we try to give her every day.

I am so glad that we made the decision to include McGee in our wedding ceremony. Dog or not, she is the center of our little family and the day just wouldn't have been complete without her there. In 50 years when we reminisce about what made our union special, we will undoubtedly look at the photos and recall our McGee. She will be long gone by then, but we will smile and remember her velvety ears and think of how much we loved her on the day we promised to love each other forever.

A special thank you to Taylor Dunham Photography for the beautiful shots!

Christmas Has Gone to the Dogs

On Dog Dad's side of the family there are kids. Lots of kids. Little kids, older kids, kids who live nearby, kids who live far away. Kids everywhere.

 

On my side of the family there are also lots of kids.

 

Of the 4 legged variety.

 

Our holiday gatherings don't really revolve around Santa and decorating cookies as much as they tend to center on juggling multiple households full of furry friends. Did someone remember to let Dad's dogs out? Mom's dogs have been alone for more than three hours, we better go make the mashed potatoes at her house! Let's go over and visit Uncle G so we can say hi to the dogs. You get the idea. We really love dogs.

 

The not so great part about this is that, while the humans all love to be together, the animals do not feel the same way. All together, we're talking about 9 dogs, 2 guinea pigs and 1 cat in the immediate family. Add to the equation that the dogs range in size from three to nearly 100 pounds and you've got a great animated film on your hands but in real life: chaos.

 

I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce you to the cast of our Christmas:

Sweet Ben

He wins the award for most expressive ears but has a hard time trusting the world.

 

Shimshak

He's named after my grandparent's bar. He is a fetching machine who also answers to the nickname Shak Attack.

 

Ibsen

Yes, named after the Norwegian playwright. Why? I don't know. He looks like a possum to me.

 

Reno & Sam

The sweetest girls you've ever met.

 

Thisbe

This dog needs a job working for Cirque du Soleil. I swear she's powered by AA batteries.

 

Phinnaeus Bing

He likes to sleep in unexpected places.

 

Arlo Carlos

We affectionately refer to Arl Carl as The Sausage Dog.

 

Recent additions to the clan include a cat named Cujo and two guinea pigs whose names I have forgotten. I'm pretty sure the pigs are coming home for Christmas too.

 

Poor McGee will be traveling to her Nana and Poppy's house for the holiday where she'll only have one other dog to contend with rather than eight. If only they were reindeer, then we could just put a shiny red nose on McGee and call it a day.

 

Dog Dad and I will miss our McGee terribly over the holiday, but we are excited to see all the other pups (and their humans).

 

How does your furry family spend the holiday season?

The Trouble with Travel

This Thanksgiving, we were lucky to be able to travel as a family to Florida to visit my grandparents for the holiday. While McGee is not crazy about car rides (especially 14 hour car rides), we were so happy to be able to take her with us. We were able to find a pet friendly hotel near my grandma and grandpa's home and, although she did get lonely when we had to leave her in the room, having McGee with us during the holidays really helps bring stress levels down.

You might be thinking, "Oh, that's cute. She has her dog there to snuggle and it makes her feel more relaxed after a day of Black Friday shopping."

Well, actually no, that's not it at all. First and foremost, it's my dog who needs the snuggling to reduce her stress level. Secondly, I think Black Friday is a horror show, but that's for a different post on an altogether separate blog.

You see, the thing about my little dogfriend is that she poses many problems for us when it comes to traveling during the holiday season. Or any season. I struggle so much with the idea of leaving her anywhere that I am more likely to pass on a trip than to take a risk when it comes to her care and keeping while I am away.



Enjoying a break from her accommodations.

What am I worried about? Well, for a dog like McGee, staying with strangers is not an option. She won't eat or sleep, she's afraid of strange places and people unless she has Dog Dad or me their to encourage her to be brave, and she certainly can't stay with anybody who owns another dog.

Or a cat.
Or a ferret.
Guinea pig.
Rabbit.
Bird.
Maybe a fish would work out ok as long as it was on a high shelf.

And let me ask this: what are the odds that someone who owns only a fish will know what to do with a leash reactive, scared of strangers, insomniac dog? I'm sure that magical person exists someplace in the world, but if they are in my neck of the woods I either haven't met them yet or, more likely, can't afford their help. We've worked so hard to help McGee become a more well adjusted dog, I'd hate for all our work to be inadvertently undone.

There is the option of kenneling her in a boarding facility, but The McGee is so quick to morph into a doggie version of Eeyore that I shudder at the thought of leaving her all alone in a kennel run for days on end, even with the most loving of attendants checking on her. And again, unless they've got a true dog whisperer on staff, the likelihood of her getting playgroup time is pretty slim.



Last day at the hotel. Clearly the novelty has worn off.

Last year at Christmas time, we drove to Wisconsin and brought our McGee with us. It was a brilliant idea, until we realized that every single family home comes with it's own set of dogs. McGee found herself sequestered to an upstairs bedroom where, though visited often and cozy as a bear in a den, she spent many lonely hours wishing for company while everyone else played games and snuggled with my mom's menagerie of tiny dogs.

It's a difficult situation when spending time with loved ones means a plethora of incompatible canine companions. Before we had a dog, I dreamt of taking my future pet home and watching him frolic in the snow with my uncle's Labradors or snooze on the couch with my dad's two little monsters. I hoped for family dog walks in the park and an understanding between the dogs that because their humans are all kin, they should love one another too.

Unfortunately, I have come to understand very clearly that dog brains do not work this way and pushing for my dog to develop any relationship faster than her comfort will allow is selfish on my part. But still, she is undoubtedly my family, and while I love my human relatives and treasure the time I spend with them, I am still racked with guilt when my loyal dog cannot share some of the happiest days of the year at my side.

This Thanksgiving, I was just so thankful to have my McGee close at hand.

How do you manage your pets and the pets of your extended family during the holiday season?

15 Signs That I Am Obsessed With McGee

I'm sure you all have seen 15 Signs That You Are Obsessed With Your Dog floating around the internet. Well, I decided to put myself to the test and find out if I am, in fact, obsessed with McGee. Let's see here...

 

1. I talk to McGee when no one is around. Check.

Obviously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. I'm actually pretty sure McGee is a person. Check.

I just know she's thinking people thoughts inside her dog mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. I have so many nicknames for McGee. Check.

Geeter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. No dog can ever be as cute as McGee. Check.

Not possible.

5. I justify it when McGee denies my affections. Check.

She's just angry because I made her wear the hat...

6. I refer to McGee as a member of my family. Check.

Yup, family for sure.

7. I stare at McGee while she sleeps because it's so cute. Check.

Can't. Stop. Staring.

8. People think I talk about McGee too much. Check.

Cover your eyes Mr. T. She's blogging about me again.

9. I let McGee walk all over me. Check.

Who can say no to this face?

10. I take McGee on vacation with me. Check.

Where to McGee?

11. I don't hang out with people because I don't want McGee to be alone. Check.

Nobody likes to be all alone.

12. I am as excited to feed McGee as she is to eat. Check.

I'm actually making the same face as her while I take the photo.

13. I find it necessary to celebrate McGee's birthday every year. Check.

But Dog Dad got her the cookie.

14. I imagine what it would be like if McGee and I were on Adventure Time. Well...

Not really. But we have lots of real life adventures.

15. I provide McGee with the love and loyalty that she provides me. Check.

Duh.

It seems that 14 out of 15 criteria indicate that I am officially obsessed with my dog. I guess my blog should have clued me in.


Thank Goodness for Gigantor

Mr. T and McGee right after they met.

One of the more baffling aspects of our little McGee's feisty personality is that, while most dogs put her in a frenzy, she is in dog love with one big fellow: Mr. T. Granted their love sometimes seems a bit one-sided, but I'm going to go ahead and call it dog love even if it sometimes seems like Mr. T does the majority of the loving and McGee plays hard to get. We have spent lots of time reflecting and speculating about this strange situation: why does The McGee love Mr. T and ONLY Mr. T? Here are some of the potential reasons we've come up with:

1. He's automatically part of the pack. When we went to the shelter to pick our little doggie up, T came along. We wanted to be sure that the two of them got along since we spend so much time with T's family (according to family, McGee and T are the dog equivalent of cousins). They were introduced off leash in a play yard and neither showed any sign of aggression. If anything, the reaction we got from McGee was, "You're not very interesting, I'm going back to my dirt hole now."

She likes to sleep in his armpit. He likes to let her.

2. Mr. T is ginormous. Multiply McGee's weight by three and add 40 pounds and that's how big he is. Our mini pittie can easily stand beneath him as though she is inside a dog house made of... dog. Maybe she just instinctively knows that she's too wee to really get the best of him.

3. Or maybe she just knows she's in charge. Mr. T is a marshmallow and McGee is undoubtedly THE BOSS.

4.  Love. T is just about the mushiest, most lovable 190 pounds of animal I've ever met. His mission in life is TO BE LOVED AND TO GIVE LOVE TO OTHERS AT ALL COSTS. Never mind the gallons of slobber that send his favorite people running for rolls of paper toweling, forget about the fact that he cannot fit in any one person's lap, and who cares if you're a tiny (to him) McGee dog trying to pin him to the ground and sit on his head and fart, he will love you just the same and pine for you when you are out of his sight. That's just how he rolls. McGee may have resigned herself to the fact that she cannot escape his unconditional love.

5. She really wants dog friends and Gigantor is the only one who can put up with her antics. There's no denying it, our pup has got no social skills. Seeing her trying to interact with other dogs is similar to when Stitch interacts with humans for the first time: bad news and hilarity, until you realize you just want to cry and yell and WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK ENGLISH FOR THE LOVE OF MONKEYS YOU DOG BRAINED DOG-O-SAURUS REX!!! T's big advantage again here is his sheer size. All he has to do is stay standing and turn his body in circles and McGee has to run laps to keep up. Not to mention how high she has to jump if she wants to be eye to eye with him. Usually it takes approximately 5-10 minutes for playtime to graduate to nap time.


Bed Swap. These two sure nap a lot...

We thank our lucky stars every day for our enormous Mr. T. Without him, McGee would be a lonely, friendless dog indeed. And while T and McGee are no Romeo and Juliet (I'm thinking more Beauty and the Beast with some irony and subversive swapping of gender roles), it is a love story that I am very grateful exists.

Does your dog have dog friends? How do you set your dog up for successful relationships with other dogs?