OK NOW WHERE IS MY PHONE!!!

I was really beginning to think Bella's habit of trying to eat anything inedible was coming to an end.  I was proven terribly wrong the other day.  I've given up on stopping the ingestion of part of her blanket a couple times a week.  I found these really cute $3.00 blankets that she adores.  Each one lasts about a month between the shredding, drooling and tearing.  Once she starts tearing off little tidbits and chews on them for more than a minute, momma takes the blanket away for a day and she drags the other 3 around the house showing me she'll behave and only lay on them.  We are on blanket #8 as of this morning.  Brianna's bathrobe happens to be about the right texture and I noticed this morning there were a couple of claw marks through it.  I'm guessimating Brianna left the robe on the couch last night and Bella mistook it for her own.  We will have to find another purple robe ASAP! 

As I sit here and type I see that I'm going to have to take the leapord print blanket away next.  Bella is two feet away growling and whining at the blanket while she chews on a piece.  This is her telling the blanket it's seen its last sunrise.  Which brings me back to my story.  I managed to get my phone back before it too was ingested.

I am infamous for losing my phone; my poor husband Matthew, and best friend Lori can attest to this.  I can go two days with no phone before I realize I misplaced it.  Usually it is in one of the vehicles under the seat, down the couch or underneath the bed, sometimes even in a laundry basket in the laundry room.  I am so bad at keeping track of it.  Well the other day, I was really conscious of my phone because I was waiting for an important call and I knew I left it on the table in the living room.  The table happens to be shorter than Bella so she can grab whatever she wants off of it.  Usually there isn't much there so we are safe.  She's never taken a phone so far so I thought nothing of leaving it there.  It is so wrong to underestimate this dog. 

Bella is lying on the floor and I notice she's chewing very quietly but I haven't given her a treat.  It looks like she's having some difficulty so I go over and just as I'm about to pry open her drooly jowls, the phone starts to ring and "YOU GUESSED IT".  There is my phone in her mouth.  It scared the dickens out of the pup and instead of dropping it she makes a mad dash for the hallway and "surprize"... right up the stairs.  I am halling butt after this gazelle of a dog and by the time I get to the top step she is down the hall, facing me with her head to the ground and her butt in the air challenging me to come and get her.  She's growling and her tail is whacking into the wall on each side in  quite an exuberant manner.  I can see it in her eyes "Catch me if you can".  Silly me, I take the bait every time but I really needed to get that phone.  I don't think she can swallow a whole phone, but after the $2000.00 potpouri incident I didn't want to take any chances.  Of course, I dive for the dog, the dog runs over my back and bounds down the steps in three leaps.  I swear she has deer in her bloodline somewhere.  As I head down the steps; cautiously two at a time, I have an epiphany.  I pick up the house phone and dial my cell. 

If you could have seen how fast this dog stopped, I swear she left skid marks on the rug.  She looks at me and her eyes are so wide she looks like a caricature.  All of a sudden, she starts shaking her head rapidly and growling while she jumps up on her hind legs.  With one big snap of her head the phone comes sailing out and as I duck it slams into the wall behind me.  This is reminiscent of when my sister flung scissors at my head when we were unruly teenagers putting away the groceries... but that's another story.  MY POOR PHONE.  I was positive it was destroyed.  Bella and I both walk slowly over to the phone wondering what we are going to find when suddenly it starts beeping.  I had a text message!!  YEAH!  My phone is still working.  There is drool dripping down the wall and as I pick up the phone from the carpet, it slips out of my hand because, lets just say slimey is an understatement for anything this dog drops from her jowls.  After toweling off the phone, it is good as new.. Well almost.  On closer inspection, there are some teeth marks in the rubber backing, there are a few scratches across the front so texting could be a bit challenging, but it's still in one piece. 

I better warn my husband when he gets home this weekend.  He and the boy have been playing PS3 quite a bit lately; some new game "Twisted Metal".  I don't think those controllers are much bigger than my phone...  HHHMMM  I dont' really care for video games anyway.  Maybe we'll just see what happens the next time they leave those controllers on that little living room table.

What Happened to my Whacky DOG!!!

My poor Bella has not had a very pleasant time of it the past week or so.  First the Pats gave away the Superbowl; Can we say "How do Gronkowski, Welker and Branch all drop the ball in the same game?"  Oh well, there is always next year right.  To make matters worse I never did get my hands on a Giants Jersey for Bella to chew up during the game but she kept herself busy chewing on a pair of slippers in our room away from our guests. And no they weren't my Pink Pig Slippers  "Thanks to all who came to our Superbowl Party"  I thought it was a smash and boy was I SMASHED!!!  Anyway back to the topic of this entry.  Our home has been Sick People Central. 

First Brianna was not feeling well and as four year olds do, sneezing and coughing all over everyone.  Most of the time she uses her manners but after being up night after night the poor kid's arm was probably tired from covering her mouth.  Matthew came down with her symptoms next, then Sean, and last of all Me.  Bella has been mommy's nurse for four days now.  This pup has not left my side.  She hasn't gotten much sleep due to my coughing and sneezing, moaning and complaining (I do not take being sick well). She has finally starting whining a bit herself but has been quite a good little trooper up to this point.  I noticed every time I cough or clear my throat the dog has begun rolling her eyes.  She's thinking "Enough is enough already". 

She's really been on her best behavior.  The only inanimate and inedible objects she's eaten lately are one of her chew toys; which according to Petco is safe for her to ingest, a small piece of one of her many blankets she drags around to her nap stations periodically, and she did get one of Brianna's socks because I couldnt' get off the couch quick enough to grab it.  I swear I saw a smile on that dog's face as I tried miserably to lift my head off the pillow and command she drop the sock.  She devoured it not even 4 feet in front of me and I could not do a thing about it.  Besides that, chasing and biting the cat has been at a rare minimum.  The daring dane has only gotten up to inspect the food on the counter a couple times in the past few days.  I'm assuming dry toast is not appealing to her.  Barking at every little thing has stopped because she can't figure out why I shriek in agony and bury my head under the couch pillows when she barks lately.  She cocks her head sideways and looks at me wondering why there are tears streaming from my bloodshot eyes.  It's because my ears are ready to burst and the migraine or sinus pain is unbearable with a whisper; nevermind a deep bark that can wake the dead!!!   Over the past couple of days she has resorted to lying next to me and putting a paw on top of my head as if to remind me I cannot simply die.  I need to get up and put ice cubes in her dish or fill her food bowl.  She is actually prancing in front of the front door to go out and do her business rather than bark in my face.  It's definitely a plus from pre-illness.  More than once, I mistook her need to urinate as a prelude to tearing my throat out.  Needless to say she never would but when nature calls, the Devil Dog is Alive!!!

This being sick thing may be good afterall.  Maybe I can trick Bella into continuing her moderately good behavior for a bit longer while I recover from my tuberculosis like symptoms!!!!!  (They say its allergies not the flu  HAA!!!)  Then again, I kinda miss not knowing what the big girl is going to do next.  The kids are actually asking what I did to the dog?  I think they are afraid I may do something similar to them?  Not really sure but while I convalesce I will enjoy the normalcy of my whacky loveable dog.  I just fear retribution is going to be hell.  Then again, it will just give me more to write about.  OK, time to go take more meds!!!!!!!!!   If any of you have similar experiences with your whacky loveable pups send me a comment.  Be back with you all soon :)

How Much Do We Love our Bella???

Hello again friends.  This post is dedicated primarily to those of my readers who have a loving dog in their life who is like their kid.  A pup's love is as unconditional as a child's love.  No matter what kind of home they live in, how they are treated, or how many times they get put in "time out", a dog will always come for a treat, will always miss you when you're gone, and wait patiently by the door for you to come home.  My Bella can be a handful but today she reminded me of that unconditional love and how much of a child she is. 

Often times, I'm still figuring out how to plan my day since staying home with the kids.  Bella tries to give me ideas in her own little way.  This dog will drag a shirt out of the laundry basket which tells me I need to do a batch of clothes.  Bella will pull a coat off the back of a chair showing me it's time to go for a ride in the truck.  Other times, she will pull pillows and blankets off the couch letting me know they are in her way because she wants to lie down.  Today she was simply being a little kid..

I was cleaning up after breakfast and Bella was barking up a storm.  When I entered the living room, she was lying down on the couch under her blanket barking for no apparent reason.  I went over and asked her what was the matter.  I knew she'd had her treat, gone out to do her business, and she had already played with her tennis ball.  I sat down next to her and rubbed her head asking "What's the matter my girl?"  She stretched out, laid across my lap and promptly went to sleep.  She just wanted me to be with her for her nap. I just sat there patting her head and talking to her quietly about what a good dog she was.  I stayed with her for about half an hour and then decided it was time to get back to my daily task list.

While I was sitting there I found myself thinking of when my son was small.  We used to sit and cuddle on the couch and I would tell him how proud I was of him, what a good boy he was, etc.  Sitting with Bella today was like sharing a special moment with your kids.  My son Sean turned 15 today and I was thinking about how fast he's growing up and how much he's "grown" away from mommy now that he's a teenager.  I guess I was missing those times.  Bella knew just what to do to make mommy feel better.  Sometimes a dog just knows when a parent needs to be reminded of their child's unconditional love.
 
Thanks for reading...come back soon :)

Bella's Chasing Her Tail Again

I never realized how lethal a dog's tail could be.  Lady Bella has a whip attached to her butt!  It is very funny to see a dog as big as my girl spinning in circles to catch her tail.  Since she has grown and the tail has also, all she needs to do now is turn her head slightly and take a chomp.  Unlike some dogs who chase their tails, Bella doesn't really have to work at it to get ahold of that thing.  She will wake up sometimes and her tail looks more appetizing than her tug toy so she puts it in her mouth and the race is on.  Once she has ahold, watch out. 

When she was smaller, I don't believe she realized the white tip is attached.  If she caught a glimpse of it she would growl and attack.  It was a foreign object that needed to be destroyed.  We were all very puzzled watching her when this occurred because the initial bite seemed quite painful but instead of saying to herself  "oh maybe I don't want to do that" she would growl and yelp taking a more vicious run at it.  She would sit there biting it repeatedly, showing this tail who was boss.  She has grown out of that finally. 

Now the tail is her first line of defense.  She uses it for evasive maneuvers while trying to avoid capture.  As mischievous as Bella is suffice it to say, she is in time out quite often.  She has learned by accident once she is in a spin, no one is brave enough to try and grab her.  The tail is no longer an enemy but her ally against the dreaded pen.  She does not like going in her pen anymore for any reason whatsoever.  I noticed today how deliberate this tail spin is.  She was chasing our cat Suzie today in an attempt to bite her tail too.  The cat does not like this game.  Of course I don't allow it  either which bothers Bella.  I was on the move to stop her which means we play "ring around the rosie" around the kitchen island until I catch Bella or I fall down when she screams by like a racecar with legs instead of wheels.  Today I got whipped like a ragdoll.  As she flew by, I grabbed for her collar and she went for her tail immediately going into a full tilt 360.  After being pulled off my feet and slammed into the side of the island she realized I'd let go and stopped the spin only to smack me right in the face with that tail!  OUCH...Talk about adding insult to injury. 

Keep in mind the reason for this matchup was to rescue the damn cat.  I stood up having decided the dog can do what she wants for the next five minutes until my head stops spinning.  I look up to see  Suzie sitting on the island watching this scene.  The cat is cleaning her paw and Bella comes over and licks her furry little face.  I wonder sometimes what those two are planning next.

Turning Bella into a Pats Fan

As stated on my Facebook page recently, Bella is not a football fan.  I'm starting to think it's not really anything to do with football but the fact that when football is on no one pays attention to her.  This is not acceptable human behavior.  Last night my hubby and son were playing Madden on PS3.  Bella wasn't interested at first but once she tried getting their attention, a few times to no avail she came to get mommy to help her with this task. 

I guess pulling me off the bar stool in the kitchen was her way of saying "back me up here".  I explained to her when the boys are playing Madden; leave them alone.  She didn't get it.  She went back to the living room and tried blocking their view by jumping around in front of the TV and growling at their feet.  Since the TV is an 83" monstrosity, that didn't work very well.  They simply ignored her and continued taking jabs at each other about the others lack of sporting prowess and the dog continued ranting and raving.

Being a female I figured, I'd clue her in.  Once there is a game on of any sort;, whether it be a video game, rerun of last week's highlights on ESPN, a team they don't really follow, or an actual Patriots game, there is no amount of moaning, crying, pouting, stomping, yelling and screaming.  OOPS; I meant barking or growling that is going to get their attention until the game is over or at least a reprieve meaning a commercial.  Good luck puppy dog - If a tantrum doesn't work for mommy it isn't going to work for you!!! 

Now the question is, what do we do for the Superbowl!!! Maybe we will put her in a Giants jersey and call it a day... At least she'll have something to chew on while the rest of us watch the game.

Bella vs The Pink Pig Slippers

Most of my friends know that I am an animal lover.  In fact, for those who don't know I used to be the proud mommy of a pot belly pig named "Little Porker".  He was the best "dog" we ever had.  Considering Bella's notorious bad behavior, he still holds that title.  When I bought Little Porker he was only 15lbs.  By the time I was forced to adopt him out, he was 165 lbs and not  very comfortable in a two bedroom apartment.  I had major withdrawal symptoms after I had to give my baby away so I started collectiong pigs after he was gone.  I have stuffed animals, some kitchen gadgets including the cutest cannisters and some really adorable slippers. 

This is the problem.  Every time I wear my favorite piggy slippers Bella goes crazy.  I took a break from the Patriots/Ravens to give Matthew; my husband, some peace.  Bella has been barking nonstop since she spied the slippers on my feet.  She's been lunging, growling, barking and trying to steal the slippers from me.  I have two options, remove the slippers and put on socks as Matthew suggests or block the dog's view of the slippers so she doesn't notice them.  Only problem with that option is, she isn't really a dumb dog.  She knows the slippers are hiding under that blanket...The outcome will be determined by who is more stubborn:  Will I keep the slippers on and fight with the dog for the rest of the game or are me and the dog going to get thrown out of the living room by my hubby???   I'm betting on Matthew throwing us out of the living room...   GO PATRIOTS  All I know is I'm not taking off my slippers... :)

This pup will never learn...

I'm beginning to think Bella is either looking for attention or thinks I need more exercise. 

I am convinced my dog has a sock fetish.  We have had to close the laundry room door since she could peer over the baskets.  She steals a sock or two every day.  Today I retrieved 3 socks from those drooly jowls.  Between dish towels placed neatly or socks haphazardly tossed around the house by a 4 year old and 14 year old, it is impossible to help this dog kick her habit.  Even with the laundry room inaccessible there is bounty aplenty.

While my mother in law was visiting over the summer Bella actually went rummaging in her suitcase to find a sock that was "just right".  I don't know if she tires of her chew toys, likes the feel of cotton or just likes to see mommy do laps around the kitchen island, through the dining room and into the living room on my quest to save the sock.  It's a daily course I've become accustomed to.  I've thought of setting up an obstacle course along the way to make it more challenging for both of us.  A very subtle track is being formed in the carpet.  I wonder if I should simply buy Bella some socks of her own?  Then again, she'd find something else to keep herself amused.  I wonder if it would be easier to have 3 year old triplets.  No that's not a good idea - many more socks to deal with then.