A Terrier-ific Meeting

Wow….ya just won’t believe what we did this past Tuesday…….come on now….....try ta guess anyway…….put yer thinkin’ cap on ‘n give it a twirl……spin yer bully stick ‘n see where it stops…….did ya figure it out now????

Oh well….guess I’ll have ta tell ya then. We, as in me… Dewey Dewster, my Mom… Asta Marie ‘n the red headed step-child…. Toby, met the famous canine healthcare professional, Lacie….nurse extraordnaire , ‘n her big terrier brother BabyStan complete with his huge jaws. Oh yeah…. ‘n Mumsie came along fer the ride too…..well…..Ok…. she drove ‘em ta the park cause Lacie didn’t have ‘er own car…’n maybe her drivers license was revoked fer some minor infraction too.

We got ta go with Gram ‘n Pap cause we don’t have our own kar like Koobie….’n we don’t have a driver license either….’n we like ta leave the drivin’ ta them so we can watch out fer other doggies that might be out and about while we’re on the way.

We were so excited ta meet them cause while we don’t live that far away…we just never got ta make their acquaintance before. Why, Toby even got ta ride in the car fer the first time without bein’ in his crate cause he hasn’t been getting’ car sick lately…..’n that’s progress, I tell ya…..progress.

Now, Scruffy didn’t get ta come cause Mumsie woulda really had a hard time controllin’ the 3 of ‘em…….I heard he was heartbroken cause they left ‘em at home by ‘emself. But maybe we can meet 'em another time cause I was sorry he didn't get ta come.

We met in North Park. It's a county park not too far away 'n they have a place ta walk yer doggies 'n port-a-johns 'n fountains placed along the way so ya can get a drink 'n use the facilities ta get rid of it too. We walked a bit after the introductions were over....'n stopped by the funny tree along the way ta take some pictures. Except if ya get all of us in the picture....ya loose the funny stuff on the tree.

It was pretty hot that day so we stopped ta get a drink 'o water at one 'o the fountains where there was a bowl ta drink outta. My Mom was pretty hot 'n she always knows the way ta cool off quick....yep....ya guessed it....she climbed inta the bowl 'o water. That was a small bowl too.....
Then she got curled around ta get her whole body inta the water.

If ya really wanta get cool... ya gotta get yer face right in there too.....way ta go Mom.....

After ya get a bit cool... ya can come up fer air....'n drip off a bit.....

This is one of the best pictures of the group 'o us cause we are all lookin' forward at the same time. Ya ever try ta get 5 doggies ta look the correct way at the same time?????
Then there's just the 3 of us on the picnic table......Gram just took a bunch 'o hair off me 'n Mom so we look pretty well groomed fer a change......
Then there's Lacie, my love (or is she?) 'n BabyStan....now does he look like a baby ta ya at all ??? Why he's bigger than all of us put together fer sure....... Mumsie asked Gram ta bring her groomin' tools ta show 'er what they looked like....'n Gram got poor Lacie 'n took all the hair off her ears.......bet she wished she stayed at home instead of Scruffy....
Now, Gram got her video camera out 'n took a bit 'o us checkin' each other out. I call it Lovin' Lacie......cause I was really in love with 'er....til we met...that is.....see why..........

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Can ya believe my sweet Lacie acted like that fer real ???? Maybe she was just mad cause Gram took all that hair off her ears....don't know why.....cause she didn't need it.......

I almost think she doesn't like us at all.....er, well maybe it was that time 'o the month. What do ya think ?????

It was time ta go home but before we left, I had ta give Mumsie one 'o my big wet kisses. I, Dewey Dewster, am a lover fer sure..... Now can ya see why I'm known as such a sensitive guy....'n Mumsie had the softest nose I ever kissed......

Gee......we sure hope we get ta go on another walk with the terrific terriers 'n Mumsie too. Next time we hope ta meet Scruffy ......

This is Dewey Dewster reportin' on a very special meetin'.......

My Very Own Dewey Clock

A little Bit of Gratitude

It wasn’t all that long ago that I met a brand new friend.
She’s really far across the world, but not quite to it’s end.
Now here’s a dog that has a blog ‘n lives so far away.
Rescued off the streets of India…she was just another stray.

Her given name is Oorvi, and she crawled out of the earth.
I’ve heard about her rescue, but not about her birth.
There comes a time, when the sun will shine and wash your cares away.
And because of Cameo and Mercury, Oorvi lives to play another day.

Right now she has a pampered life….’n she has a new job too.
How she manages ta do it all, I haven’t got a clue.
Now Mercury must be an artist…’n a writer too… fer sure.
And if ya haven’t stopped ta see her blog…ya need ta take the tour.

Cause Mercury, with Oorvi’s help has made a bunch of clocks.
And clear across this crazy world….a great big door unlocks.
Yer welcomed in with friendly arms…’n kindly asked ta stay.
Why, help yerself…’n sit a spell…’n pass the time ‘o day.

And to this friendly stranger…. so kind, creative, ‘n super smart.
No doubt a programming wizard.. ‘n I say this from my heart.
No other doggie could imagine…seein’ a clock lookin’ just like me.
But it’ a hit…..sit ‘n stare a bit …a rat yer sure ta see.

So to Mercury 'n Oorvi….may gratitude travel ’cross those miles.
I hope ya all have looked at it and left with lots of smiles.
And if ya like this poem… now, take it cause it yours.
Ya left the key… so willingly to open all those doors.

And so I present.....drumroll please....Dewey Dewster lookalike clock complete with ratitude. Created by Mercury....mother to Oorvi, the little doggie who has a new lease on life. Pass yer cursor over the cloak 'n see the rat appear....I have no doubt he's teasin' me but I don't really care.

Thank you Mercury...you are brilliant !!!!!!

Dewey Dewster reportin' on my very own clock

The Story Behind Earthog

Hi ta all my friends,

Ya may have heard us mention and Agatha ‘n Archie talk about tryin’ ta be earthdogs….’n we've been goin’ ta earthdog practice. And ya may have seen Rudy show his earthdog skills on his blog. But ya may not know what earthdog is all about and why we even want ta be involved in it.

So Dewey Dewster has been researchin’ all about earthdog ta let ya know what we found out.

Years ago the doggie breeds of taday were bred fer a special purpose….’n small terriers and Dachshunds were bred ta help the farmers and hunters chase the vermin ta their lair and then follow them underground. These decendents of ours needed ta have the physical abilities ta fit inta the animals den and engage ‘em in their own territory but they had ta have the brains ‘n courage ta accept the challenges in goin’ underground. Cause everyone knows we doggies sure don’t live down there. It’s dark ‘n dirty ‘n sometimes pretty muddy….’n when ya invade someone else’s house…they get pretty mad ‘n testy.

So way back in 1971 (way before I was even a glimmer in my Dad’s eye....'n my Dad wasn't even a thought), groups of terrier and Dachshund lovers were tryin’ out the task of actual hunting with their dogs. But it wasn’t until 1988 that a group of “go to ground” enthusiasts assembled in California ta put together an earthdog program that the AKC could embrace.

“To ground” trials were developed with 3 different levels of hunting tests for small terriers and Dachshunds and by 1993 several clubs across the states had tested a prototype and convinced the AKC that the program would be a viable one. The title for the qualifying dogs would be “Earthdog”. And in October of 1994 the program was put into effect.

Taday, there are 3 titles that ya can strive ta compete fer….Junior Earthdog, Senior Earthdog and Master Earthdog. And today the breeds that qualify for the trials are:

AKC Recognized Breeds

• Australian Terrier
• Bedlington Terrier
• Border Terrier
• Cairn Terrier
• Dachshund
• Dandie Dinmont Terrier
• Glen of Imaal Terrier
• Lakeland Terrier (now that’s Toby)
• Manchester Terrier
• Miniature Bull Terrier
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Norfolk Terrier
• Norwich Terrier
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Scottish Terrier
• Sealyham Terrier
• Silky Terrier
• Skye Terrier
• Smooth Fox Terrier
• Welsh Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Wire Fox Terrier (hey that’s us)

Foundation Stock Service Breeds

• Cesky Terrier
• Rat Terrier
• Russell Terrier

Since I, Dewey Dewster, have been researchin’ this, I thought that ya had ta pass the Junior Earthdog test under 2 different clubs and 2 different judges. But we found out taday that ya just need 2 different judges. So, since the club here is havin' 2 days of tests in August....me 'n Mom may be able ta get our Junior earthdog title this year.

I wanna tell ya my Mom goes ballistic when she gets ta the rats in that tunnel....ya can hear her barkin' way back in the line of doggies waitin' their turn...'n that just riles up the ones that are waitin' all the more. And ta think she didn't want ta go in the tunnel the first time we were there.....she started shakin' when we got close ta the practice site cause she remembered it from the last time 'n couldn't wait ta get to 'em.....That's my MOM !!!!!!

So what’s the test all about?
The Junior Earthdog Test consists of two parts;

1. Approach to the quarry
2. Working the quarry

To qualify ya have ta pass both parts of the test.

The junior earthdog tunnel is 9 by 9 inches and has an entrance at one end and the quarry (the rats) at the other end. It has ta be 30 feet long with three 90 degree turns and no additional entrances, exits or dead ends.

There is a release point that yer handler takes ya up to and at the judges command ya are released ta the ground. The handler does not pass the release point but may give a command at the release. Gram says “get the mouse” even though we are chasin’ rats cause we think everything in the vermin department is a mouse, except a snake…but I digress…...

Once yer released, ya have 30 seconds ta enter the tunnel and reach the quarry (again, the rats). If ya do that... ya pass that portion of the test….. Approach to the Quarry.

Ya then have 30 seconds ta start workin’ the quarry by diggin’ , barkin’ or growlin’ ta signal that ya really want ta get ‘em. Ya have ta do that fer 60 seconds. Then ya pass that part of the test…..Workin’ the Quarry. Ya then have ta be removed from the tunnel without destroyin’ it…there is an escape lid at the end that lifts up ta remove us wildly workin’ the quarry doggies. The judge will tell ya before ya leave if ya passed the test.

So now that ya have a bit of background on Earthdog, what do ya think? This is a really swell way fer doggie owners ta bond with their dogs ‘n a good way fer dogs ta feel that they can do somethin’ other than rippin’ up toys. Cause in the old days dogs were workers ‘n contributed ta the family just the same as their owners did. Now if yer worryin' about those rats....don't....cause they're in cages and there is a wooden dowel barrier at the end of the tunnel between where we are and where the rats are.

So, if it’s Sunday mornin’ ‘n yer reading this, we are at earthdog practice tryin’ ta hone our skills so we can pass the earthdog test that will be this August.

And the club that we have found ta teach us all this is the Western Pa. Earthdog Club or W.P.E.C. and their motto is Earthdogs do it with ratitude. Now their havin’ a fund raiser in the next month..... ‘n they were askin’ fer donations from everyone ta use fer a silent auction. They said ta go through yer attics ‘n basements ‘n ta bring flea market items fer them ta use fer the auction.

But Gram had an idea ta make some of her polymer clay doggies cause she figured that the members would really like ta see their dogs in an earthdog setting.... ‘n would buy ‘em ta get that money fer the club.

Gram usually makes wire fox terriers…can ya guess why ? But she tried ta make some of the breeds that we saw at the earthdog club practice ‘n meetings. They are ready ta box up fer the trip but she took a few pictures of what she made so ya could see ‘em. Can ya guess what breeds the little doggies are? There are 2 photo of each of the 4 creations.

They are not her best creations 'n the rats were a peck o trouble cause they needed ta be so small but all in all she is happy with 'em....'n it was good practice fer makin' different breeds in the future. Hope ya enjoy lookin' at 'em and we hope the club members like 'em too.

And we hope ya all are enjoyin' a restful Sunday.....

This is Dewey Dewster reportin' on the History of earthdog......