Holden and Phoebe

Another

2010-10-23T20:16:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it - they had ANOTHER ONE?!?!

Grandma!

2009-06-21T20:27:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo, another meat eater in the house, AND one who shares!!!

Yee Haw!

2009-05-10T21:10:00.001-04:00

We had a great weekend at Topsail Beach! Sun and surf were just was this old dawg needed... and check out Phoebe... she got in the water on purpose.

Snow Day!

2009-01-20T18:59:00.001-05:00

Soggy

2009-01-06T21:20:00.004-05:00

Geez, when is all this rain going to stop? We like lying around and all, but this is getting a bit old!

Picture of Tolerance

2008-12-09T19:29:00.004-05:00

They better give me treats for this!

Are You Looking at Me?

2008-10-10T22:17:00.001-04:00

He eats Cheerios now. It's the best!

Finally!

2008-08-20T20:45:00.003-04:00

We are so excited that Hudson is starting to eat solid foods! We get to help with clean up! This is why dogs love kids!!!!

Time Flies

2008-08-09T14:17:00.003-04:00

Phoebe and I apologize for being remiss in updating our blog. We don't know where the time goes tending to little Hudson. It's tough work checking on him all the time, keeping him company when he nurses, and licking drool off his face. Oy, it wears an old dog out!

Who Says...

2008-07-19T20:27:00.002-04:00

... you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Tonight I impressed Mom and Dad with my ability to hop up on this ottoman, even though it moves back and forth. Baby Hudson seemed to enjoy my stunt, too. He laughed and then kicked me while Dad took this photo.

On the Job

2008-06-23T19:56:00.004-04:00

They have me babysitting again. I hope there are extra treats tonight!

Sheesh!

2008-05-17T21:20:00.004-04:00

If it wasn't enough that I had to keep an eye on Hudson while we were driving back from the beach, Phoebe decided to use me as a pillow.

Now We're Talking

2008-05-13T23:18:00.006-04:00

Phoebe and I are loving life! We're spending the week at Topsail Beach. Dad has to do work during the day and Mom is always checking on Hudson, so we dogs have taken it upon ourselves to make sure some of the Younger clan does some serious vacationing.

When we're not going for walks or chilling out on the deck, we're taking good solid naps. Hudson likes to join us for these...

Whew!

2008-04-20T20:47:00.000-04:00

It's tough work taking care of a newborn!

A Dog's Work is Never Done

2008-04-12T15:16:00.001-04:00

Joy, now they have me babysitting!

Home Decorating

2008-04-10T15:45:00.002-04:00

I've decided to be a hearth decoration - what do you think?

The Upside

2008-03-23T11:24:00.001-04:00

Hudson may steal Mom and Dad's attentions from us, but at least we're going for lots more walks these days!

Overseeing Things

2008-03-20T21:55:00.002-04:00

We suppose he's not so bad.

New Member of the Pack

2008-03-16T17:56:00.002-04:00

Phoebe and I returned from a few days visiting with Gracie and Otis to discover that Mom and Dad went out and got a new little human. Talk about a surprise! The little guy's name is Hudson, although Dad has already mistakenly called him Holden. (Great!) He's actually not too bad... he doesn't scream as much as some little humans we've met and Phoebe thinks he smells really good. I'm just glad he's not interfering with us getting our treats!

Moby

2008-02-19T20:51:00.002-05:00

Dad has gone off the deep end.

BFF

2008-01-31T20:11:00.000-05:00

It only took a little over a year, but Holden has finally agreed to be my best buddy. He doesn't growl at me much, plays with me all the time, and even lets me sleep right next to him. He's the best!

In other news, I have finally figured out how to get around on the slippery bamboo floors our evil parents put in. As you can see, I have resumed my daily job of taking all the toys out of my toy box. Mom sure is slow putting them all back these days!

Snow Day

2008-01-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it SNOWED - wahoo! We were all hoping for more, but we'll take what we can get. By all, I mean Mom, Dad, Phoebe, and me, plus Gracie and Otis. G & O are staying with us while their parents are in the Galapagos. Mom got all us dogs worn out on walks before the snow started, and then we all hunkered down when the flurries started. Later on, Dad built a big fire and Mom roasted marshmallows for us. I know, we have it tough, eh?

Happy the Diving Dog

2008-01-02T20:53:00.000-05:00

We just returned from a fun week at Gracie and Otis' house - we love playing with them! While we were there, Mom and Dad went to the Bahamas. They told us about a cool dog they met there named Happy, and showed us this video of him. It was so cool, we thought we'd share it with you!

Chaos

2007-12-22T09:28:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what chaos means, but Mom seems to be using the word a lot. Holden says it has something to do with how things have been the last week with Gracie and Otis staying with us. I guess it means something like fun, because I've been having a blast. Otis and I wrestle all the time, with little breaks to recover now and then. We wrestle on the bamboo floors (slippery!), on the carpet, on the couch... sometimes all of them at once! When we're not wrestling, we sometimes play with Holden and Gracie, but they don't put up with us for too long. We've also been going for loads of walks. It's been cold out lately, and that gets us all jazzed up. We love winter!

Mom used that chaos word again a few minutes ago, when she took these photos. She said, "I will title these, Post Chaos."

The Normal Life

2007-12-01T09:22:00.001-05:00

As you can see, things in the Younger household have returned to normal. Yesterday, we spent the day with Grandma G. I really enjoyed her recliner and Phoebe was pleased to find her hedgehog was still there.

This morning, we played hide and seek on Mom and Dad's bed, and now we're getting ready to go on a hike with the Sullivan kids. More later!

Homecoming

2007-11-17T10:33:00.000-05:00

Omigosh, I am SO excited that Holden is back home! He looks really silly with that blue thing around his neck and he smells kinda funny, but otherwise he's my same old big brother - he already growled at me for messing with him.

We're so glad to have him here and he seems pretty pleased about it, too!

Thanks, NC State!

2007-11-16T22:29:00.000-05:00

This is me with Jennifer, the 4th year vet student who took care of me while I was at NC State for my surgery. She was sooo nice and gave me lots of TLC and plenty of treats. Mom says that knowing Jennifer was watching over me made her feel a bunch better about leaving me at the hospital.

Good News

2007-11-14T18:03:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, Mom says to tell you that Holden's surgery went really well today. She just talked to Dr. Chanoit and he was able to remove Holden's enlarged parathyroid gland and flush the stones out of his bladder. Holden is in recovery right now and is doing fine. I was hoping that meant my big brother would be coming home, but Mom says they need to keep a close eye on his blood calcium levels, so he won't be discharged until Friday or Saturday. :( I miss him a lot and keep looking out the window for him. Nothing wrong with being hopeful, right? Mom and Dad have taken pity on my poor, lonely state and tomorrow they are going to let me spend the day with my boyfriend, Otis. Thank goodness, because being stuck at home with Mom while she recovers from her icky cold is B-O-R-I-N-G. I need someone to pounce on!

Update

2007-11-06T20:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all of you who've asked how I'm doing! Mom took me over to the NC State vet school this morning and I spent the day having a bunch of tests done. An ultrasound showed one of my parathyroid glands is enlarged and I also have some stones in my bladder. I'm going to have a surgery to fix me up (they'll remove the parathyroid and the stones) and the vets say I should recover well. They were soooo nice to me (even though they didn't give me any treats) and paid me all sorts of attention. One of the vets said she wanted to take me home with her! I just might have to become a State fan!

More from Topsail

2007-11-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

We had another great day at Topsail Beach. You can view all of the photos from the weekend here. Thanks to the Beebe's for joining us - we had a blast!

Live from Topsail

2007-11-03T16:40:00.000-04:00

This is how we spent our morning with Sugar Beebe...we love Topsail Beach!

Hyperparathyroidism

2007-10-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the well-wishes. Mom got my follow-up blood test results today and it turns out I have something called hyperparathyroidism. She says vets are doing lots of research into the disease these days and we are really lucky that our vet referred us to the Internal Medicine department at the NC State veterinary school for treatment. Next week, I get to go over there and start the process of getting fixed up. I hope they give out liver treats like the nice vets at Carrboro Plaza!

Anniversary

2007-10-27T10:18:00.000-04:00

To celebrate Phoebe's 1st adoption anniverary and my 10th, Mom bought a NY strip steak for us (hormone-free, from Whole Foods, of course). Dad cooked it on the grill and then we chowed down. Now this is how to celebrate an anniversary!

A Note from Mom...

2007-10-24T19:17:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow will mark 10 years since the day Holden walked into my life. I had hoped to help the pups blog about our annual anniversary celebration, which usually involves me preparing some sort of meaty treat. We will continue this tradition; however, the day will be marked by some worries because we just learned his latest vet tests showed elevated levels of blood calcium. It could be anything from nothing to a thyroid condition to the dreaded C word. As is my nature, I worry. Everyone keeps telling me how the love I will have for this baby growing inside me will exceed any love I have ever experienced in my life. I believe this, and it's a bit intimidating, because the love I have for this little brown pound puppy is so strong that it nearly breaks my heart to even think about what it will be like to lose him someday.

Holden has spent the last 10 years as my best buddy, seeing me through moves, breakups, job changes, marriage, and everyday ups and downs. While he's never been the smartest dog in terms of tricks or following directions (sorry, Holden, but it's true), he has an uncanny, human-like ability to sense what's going on around him and charm his way into people's hearts. For this, he has been rewarded with endless treats, dozens of backpacking trips, heated dog beds and other plushness, and incredible amounts of love. Still, I don't think I can ever come close to giving him what he's given me.

So, for this 10 year anniversary, I ask all of you readers to keep Holden in your thoughts. I made him promise me he'd stick around to share some of his special Holden-ness with the baby, and I want to hold him to that.

Uncle Aaron

2007-10-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

We love Uncle Aaron! He takes the best photos of us (and gives us treats, too). Click here and here to see the photos he took of us while we were staying at his house this past weekend - Mom and Dad were at a wedding in DC. We had so much fun with Aaron and Gracie, we didn't miss the 'rents a bit!

Sugar Rush!

2007-09-24T17:45:00.000-04:00

Wahoo! Holden and I had an awesome time with Sugar this weekend. Mom and Dad got some shots of us wrestling and recovering, plus some funny ones of Mom's second attempt to wrangle all three of us for a walk. You can check them out here.

And Sugar Makes Three

2007-09-22T11:29:00.001-04:00

We are SO excited to have Sugar visiting with us this weekend while her people are up in Asheville. Mom asked us to post this photo she took with her cell phone so there would be evidence that she was able to manage all three of us for a walk. She got lots of comments from folks on the trails about how cute we all are. Duh!

Labor Day at the Beach

2007-09-03T12:54:00.000-04:00

Grandma G invited us down to the beach this weekend - wahoo!!! Unfortunately, Mom and Dad weren't able to get pictures of us out swimming, sniffing beach smells, chasing birds, or any of that good stuff. Instead, they snagged these photos... of Phoebe's newfound pillow and of Holden enduring the second worst thing about the beach - having to go through the car wash on the way home. (It is second only to getting a bath!) Have a happy Labor Day everyone!!!!

Free at Last

2007-08-22T06:28:00.000-04:00

It took 6 whole months, but Mom and Dad finally trust me in the house without them after my, um, issues from last February. They've been letting me stay out of my crate for longer and longer over the last few weeks, and yesterday they let me hang out with Holden the whole day while they were at work. Before they left, they put all of my toys away in my big toy box. I like when they do that because it's so much fun to get them out. Here's what the house looked like when they got home...

Hey, it's better than me tearing up other stuff! Yea me!!!

G-Dog Visit

2007-08-12T09:39:00.000-04:00

Gracie's staying with us while her parents are off visiting family in Michigan. It's been hot, so we've mostly just been chilling in the house. Here's hoping it cools off so we can go for a hike!

The Good Life

2007-07-08T22:12:00.000-04:00

We just returned from a weekend at Topsail Beach with Auntie Jenn, Uncle Aaron, Gracie, Mom, and Dad. It was really hot, but otherwise it was a perfect time for us hounds. Mom posted more photos of the weekend here. Enjoy!

Mom and Dad Rock

2007-06-28T21:15:00.001-04:00

They went out for paletas tonight and brought some chicken ones back for us. YUMMY!

Out and About

2007-06-24T12:45:00.000-04:00

Yippee, Mom and Dad took Holden and me in the car with them today! First, we got to go for a walk with Mom while Dad did whatever he does at Lowe's. He told Mom he'd only be inside for a few minutes, so we wound up getting back to the car ages before he showed up. Here's a photo of Holden while we waited...

As you can see, it was pretty hot out. Mom bought us a bottled water and lots of people in the Lowe's parking lot seemed to enjoy watching us drink out of it. I don't see what all the fuss was about!

Things got much better after Lowe's. We all went to Sunday brunch at Guglhupf. Holden and I love it there! We got to play with some nice kids. Holden explained that we should be especially nice to them because they sometimes drop food on the ground. He was right! YUM!

We're Back

2007-06-18T20:06:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Sorry we haven't blogged in so long. While Mom and Dad were eating their way through Italy, Phoebe and I were off at summer camp (aka Gracie's house). We had a great time and even made a couple of appearances on Uncle Aaron's Photo of the Day blog.

Now, life is pretty much back to usual, as you can see from these photos. Mom likes to joke that the pillow on the chair has become Phoebe's booster seat. She also likes to tell everyone that I rub my head on things when I'm happy. Duh, it was just a mosquito bite!

Did Someone Say Spoiled?

2007-05-13T11:15:00.000-04:00

Ah, the tough life of a Younger dog. After a busy week that included class (Phoebe), a vet check-up (me), getting caught in a huge thunderstorm while running with Mom (Phoebe), and begging for bratwurst from Dad (me), we're spending a lazy Sunday snoozing around the house. While I prefer the cushiness of a bed (either human or dog works fine), Phoebes prefers to lay on something hard and cold (linoleum, wood flooring) or to find a spot where she can be propped up against something (as in the photo below). Like I said, it's a tough life.

Adopt My Buddy

2007-05-04T08:57:00.000-04:00

Any of you readers out there looking to adopt a sweet pup? This is Shuka, who is living with my teacher, Jane, until she finds her forever home. I get to visit with Shuka when I have class at Jane's, but first Mom and Dad make me sit down and stop being a spaz. It's worth it to get the chance to play with such a cool pup. You can learn loads more about Shuka on her blog. If you want to meet her, you can contact Jane at jane3dog@yahoo.com. Holden and I would be thrilled if we could help her out!

Sandy Noses

2007-04-30T06:42:00.000-04:00

This is a photo of our good buddy, Gracie, taking a trot along Topsail Beach. G-dog got to spend the weekend with Phoebe and me while her parents went to Asheville to celebrate their anniversary. Unfortunately, there aren't any other shots of the three of us romping on the beach, which is how we spent a good half of the weekend. That's because our humans were too busy being sick (Mom), helping keep an eye on us (Grandma G), and taking photos of the visiting Sullivan kids (Dad).

The other half of the weekend, we spent chilling out on the deck to recharge after playing on the beach. Mom was able to get some documentation of this...

It's tough work being a beach dog!

Frosty Paws

2007-04-22T16:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Frosty Paws,

My brother, Holden, and I are writing to see if you are in the need of any dogs to fill the role of spokesdog or product tester. As you can see from these photos, we are big fans of your tasty frozen treats (especially after a long walk on a sunny day). We would be happy to work without pay, provided we get as many Frosty Paws as our hearts desire. If this sounds fair, have your humans get in touch with our humans.

Love,

Phoebe

Ho Hum

2007-04-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

Ah, it's been a lazy, rainy Sunday. After a couple of weekends of traveling, Phoebe and I don't have anything exciting to report of late. Today has been especially quiet around the house. Thankfully, Mom and Dad were able to squeeze in a run with us during a break in the rain. Here we are enjoying some well-deserved post-run R&R...

We hope you are all well! Let us know - we love it when you leave us comments!

Beach Dogz

2007-04-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

Holden and I are loving Springtime!!! After going to the mountains last weekend, mom and dad took us to Grandma G's beach house on Topsail Island this weekend. We had a crazy good time!

After we arrived on Friday, we went for a sunset walk around The Point. I got to run off-leash and wrestled in the sand with Holden. Wahoo!

On Saturday, we got stuck in the house all morning while mom and dad did some triathlon in Wilmington. That sucked. But when they got back, we went for a long walk along the ocean. Then, H-dog and I napped with mom for a couple of hours while dad did some fixing up around the house. When the three of us woke up, we all went for another walk around the The Point. That's when dad took these pictures of us. As you can see, we had a GREAT time running around.

This morning, we went for one last walk around The Point. Dad tricked me into going for my first ever swim. I followed him as he waded out to a sand bar in the sound and I wound up in water way over my head when I ran off in the opposite direction. I had no idea I could swim!! Holden - the big show-off - followed right behind me and wasn't the least bit scared! (Not that I was or anything.)

I'd like to say our beach weekend had a happy ending, but mom and dad were soooo mean to us. They gave Holden and me a B-A-T-H before the drive home. This is a picture of us drying off on the deck. I suppose it was a small price to pay for such a fun weekend.

Me too!

2007-03-29T06:30:00.000-04:00

Ha, Holden isn't the only one to make Uncle Aaron's Photo of the Day!

Ode to Rimadyl

2007-03-26T07:31:00.000-04:00

Last year Mom was worried my backpacking days might be short-lived because of my arthritis. Thanks to some Rimadyl and Phoebe carrying our doggie backpack, this old dawg had an excellent time with the Venture Crew at Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area this past weekend. Here are a few trip highlights...

Wahoo, freedom!!!

Getting treats, one of the best things about backpacking

I love getting to be the pre-rinser

Ah, a perfect sunbeam just for me

Even Phoebe got worn out with all the hiking

Mom has dubbed Phoebes, Trail Dog In Training (T.D.I.T.)

Photographic Evidence

2007-03-19T15:24:00.000-04:00

Many of you have asked Mom and me whether Phoebe really sleeps in the bathroom curled around the toilet bowl. Like we would have made that up! Mom wasn't feeling well this morning and stayed home from work, giving her the opportunity to sneak this photo of the little oddball, taken stealthy from Mom's cell phone while she was in bed. (Usually Phoebe darts up when one of the humans goes to get the digital camera.)

The other strange thing Phoebe does in the bathroom is step up on the scale. She must have seen Mom or Dad do it and likes to give it a try. Too bad she can't figure out how to turn it on - she'd be thrilled to learn she's doubled in size since arriving at the Younger household (19 lb --> 38 lb).

Mr. Luke and Gretchen

2007-03-17T17:46:00.000-04:00

Omigosh, Holden and I had SO much fun today! Mom and Dad took us over to Chapel Hill to visit with Mr. Luke and Gretchen and their humans, Mike and Denise. I hadn't met any of them before, but Holden goes way back with all of them.

First, we went for a walk in their neighborhood - all sorts of new smells!! Then, we played in their HUGE backyard. Mr. Luke even forgot he's 16 years old and wrestled with me for a bit. Gretchen was happier just barking at me, which is probably a good thing, because I'm not sure what I would have done if all 100+ pounds of her pounced on me.

After playing, we chilled out inside while the humans caught up. They figured out that Gretchen also went to school with Jane when she was my age. While they talked, I checked out all of Mr. Luke and Gretchen's toys and even managed to score one to take home with us! I let Denise snuggle with me (you get such requests when you are this gosh darned cute), and then we headed back to Durham. What a great afternoon! Holden and I both scarfed down our dinner and now he's sacked out. I think I just might have to join him... got to recharge to keep Mom and Dad up all night, ya know!

It's Not Easy Being So Handsome

2007-03-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

Check it out - I got to be the star in Uncle Aaron's Photo of the Day on Tuesday.

Daddy's Girl

2007-03-01T19:41:00.000-05:00

Since Holden already has the position of Momma's Boy, I've decided to be Daddy's Girl. This works out well since I've got him wrapped around my paws. In this photo, I took advantage of Dad being on the floor to put on his soccer shoes. I hopped in his lap and reminded him just how cute and cuddly I am. This is particularly useful behavior after acts of naughtiness (e.g., Rush CD and DVD shredding). How can you stay mad at this face?

I Have Potential

2007-02-28T06:24:00.000-05:00

If I'd known getting in trouble would get me sent to school, I would have done it even sooner. I love school! Last night, Dad took me for my first class with Jane. The humans gave me treats for coming to them when they called my name, looking at them, sitting, and staying. Not a bad deal! And Jane says I have "potential" -- whatever that means.

Books, and Newspaper, and DVDs, Oh My!

2007-02-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

Man, oh man, Phoebe got herself in T-R-O-U-B-L-E this weekend!!! First, she tore up one of dad's college textbooks while he was out cycling on Saturday afternoon. I figured she got the message after he scolded her for that, but boy was I wrong!

Phoebe went bonkers while mom and dad were at a concert later that night. She tore up a bunch of stuff in the living room, including mom and dad's DVDs. I don't think Phoebe realized how much those Rush DVDs meant to dad, because he was so mad, he could barely speak. Mom's collection got hit pretty bad, too, including some stuff from her beloved U2.

So, Phoebe's days of freedom are over. She's back in her crate today, and will be until she can prove she's not a threat to herself and the house. Oh well, at least I can finally get some good rest while mom and dad are off at work. It's nice to be the Good Dog.

Marshmallows

2007-02-10T08:44:00.000-05:00

Phoebe and I love marshmallows.

Whenever mom walks over to the fireplace and picks up the marshmallow roaster, we can barely contain our enthusiasm. Phoebe turns circles before she settles in to beg, while the smell of yummy gooey marshmallows makes me drool.

Mom said to tell you that she knows sugar is bad for dogs, but we are just so gosh darned cute, she can't help herself. Thank goodness!

Little Ole Me?

2007-02-04T09:39:00.000-05:00

(Pardon the blurry photo... dad has the digital camera at Topsail Beach this weekend... all we dogs are left with is a cell phone camera that doesn't even have a flash.)

[Heavy sigh.] I'm spending the morning in my latest hiding spot. Mom's mad at me for shredding one of the house plants this morning. I just can't win. Mom is forever talking about how I need to let her get some sleep, so I spent the night downstairs. I didn't even go up to wake her until 6:45 am!! I had to occupy myself with something while I let her sleep in. Dad had been pruning the plant the other week, so I figured I'd help out a bit myself. Geez!

But enough about that... Holden and I want to take this opportunity to send a big shout out to Grandma Unger in the Bronx, who's celebrating her birthday today. Happy b-day, Grandma U!

You are Getting Sleepy...

2007-01-31T12:18:00.001-05:00

Mom, dad, and I are all celebrating this week... Phoebe has finally started to sleep through the night. She still makes the occasional 4am bedside appearance to give us kisses and verify that we're really asleep, but it's becoming less and less common. Thank goodness! An old dawg like me needs his beauty sleep. And I must admit, even I've noticed the dark circles under mom's eyes.

Now here's the strange thing... given the option of sleeping on her own brand-new LL Bean dog bed or even snuggling with the 'rents, Phoebe chooses to sleep in the bathroom, curled around the toilet bowl. Why any dog would choose cold porcelain and linoleum over plush fleece is beyond me! But I'm not complaining - I'm now dividing my time between her dog bed and mine. I like to mix things up a bit.

Freedom

2007-01-25T21:09:00.000-05:00

Wahoo! I was liberated from my crate today! Mom zipped off to a meeting after our run this morning and dad was in charge of taking care of Holden and me before he left for work. When it was the usual time for him to put me in my crate, he found me taking a post-run nap on the couch. I looked up at him with my bestest cute eyes and, ta da, it worked - he decided to grant me freedom for the whole day!

I figured I should ease into naughtiness to avoid losing the privilege... all I did was make a small piddle in the dining room (dad shouldn't have left me with a bowlful of water - duh!) and I ate a bit of an old speaker cable that wasn't attached to anything. I haven't decided what I'll do tomorrow... :)

Down Side of the Dog Park

2007-01-15T20:13:00.000-05:00

I love the dog park. I can run around with my friends, chase balls and frisbees, dig holes, and splash in mud puddles. Plus, we get to walk 30 minutes each way to get there and back. It's doggie heaven! Of course, I knew there had to be a down side and tonight I learned what it was...

A BATH! I HATE A BATH! Don't the humans appreciate how good I smell after the dog park? So what if I leave little piles of silt every time I lay down in the house. Duh, isn't that what vacuums are for?!? The injustice of it all!!!!

Auntie Wendy

2007-01-13T16:47:00.000-05:00

Today I got to meet my Auntie Wendy from Maine, the one who sends me mail. Despite being a cat person, she was willing to take me for a walk with mom and Auntie Jenn, and she gave me good belly scratches. Mom says I'm spoiled. I say I deserve all the attention.

Ups and Downs

2007-01-09T09:28:00.000-05:00

I almost named this post, "Ode to the Front Loading Washer," because mom must have said "thank goodness" for it a dozen times last night. It was an interesting evening in the Younger household. First, mom and dad left Phoebe out of her crate to hang out with me while they ran an errand for about a half hour. When they came back and found Phoebe still looking out the window for them, we both got loads of praise. Hers was for not tearing the house apart and mine was for being such a good supervisor. While I happily took my treat and went back to business as usual, Phoebe decided to balance out the good-bad scale. Once everyone was happily cozy for the night - me on my heated dog bed and mom and dad under the covers, Phoebe hopped up on the bed with the humans and promptly peed. She's only had one accident since Thanksgiving, so I'm actually wondering if she did it on purpose. Either way, mom and dad were not happy about having to put the down comforter in the wash at 11pm, though they did express thanks at not having to go to a commercial laundry to do it. That Phoebes, she sure does keep things hopping around here. It's nice to be the good dog!

All Is Quiet on New Year's Day

2007-01-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Whew, we are exhausted from partying last night! It was Phoebe's first New Year's Eve and she almost slept through it, but the humans kept prodding her, saying, "Phoebe, no sleeping!!!" Thankfully I had some unnoticed dognaps in the corner.

Today we are recovering from our big night by hanging around the house and watching doggie TV. Not familar with that? These photos will explain.

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

Three Dog Night (and Day)

2006-12-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Guest reporter Gracie here. My mom and dad went off to Michigan and New Jersey for the holidays and left me with the grumpy old dawg and crazy puppy. I'm holding up OK, I suppose. Phoebe and I briefly called a truce yesterday, but decided this morning to call it off. Since then, we've been wrestling all over the house and backyard, and fighting over a nylabone. Holden occassionally joins in to tag-team Phoebe, and I appreciate that he's got my back.

The humans have promised us a long walk in Duke Forest tomorrow. I suppose that will suffice for a Christmas gift, but mom and dad better bring me back something good from their trip!

Share the Holidays!

2006-12-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

Check it out - my photo made it onto the Durham APS holiday card! (That's me on the bottom, third in from the left.) The inside of the card says, "We all know the importance of being Home for the Holidays and nobody understands that more than the animals at the Animal Protection Society of Durham." Holden and I would love it if you made a donation to them or your local animal shelter this holiday season!!

Happy Festivus!

2006-12-17T22:06:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated Festivus with Auntie Jenn, Uncle Aaron, and Gracie. Phoebe and Gracie exchanged some grievances, the three of us wrestled, and a great time was had by all. You can view the rest of the Festivus photos here.

NC State Fan

2006-12-09T07:36:00.000-05:00

Hmm, perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to choose allegiances between my mom and dad's alma maters. Mom seemed a bit miffed about her sweatshirt. In my opinion, if she was such a Northwestern fan, she wouldn't have left it on the floor.

Funny Wendy

2006-11-30T21:51:00.000-05:00

I've got mail! Auntie Wendy from Maine sent me my first ever piece of mail. It had "Phoebe Unger Young" on the envelope and the comic above inside. Guess she saw Holden's post about the "durable" toy. Dad doesn't call me Ginsu for nothing!

Phoebe's Thanksgiving

2006-11-26T12:13:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving rocked! I got to meet Grandma and Grandpa Unger and their dog, Dega, who likes to play as much as I do.

We all spent the holiday at Grandma Grace's beach house on Topsail Island. It was so much fun to play down there! Mom and Dad let me run off-leash at the Point, and I made a bunch of new friends - Zaxby, Colby, and Davis.

I accidentally got all wet when I fell into a tide pool while chasing a bird, but that was the only bad thing about the whole trip. I can't wait to go back to the beach!!!

Holden's Thanksgiving

2006-11-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

R&R at last! Mom called it right when she decided that it would be way too crazy for this old dawg at Thanksgiving with hyper Phoebe and Grandma and Grandpa Unger's rotty-shepherd mix, Dega. Instead of trekking down to Topsail Beach with the Unger-Youngs, I avoided all the chaos and spend a relaxing few days with Auntie Jenn, Uncle Aaron, and Gracie. Snooze, walk, snack, repeat. It was a good time. I did get to visit with the family, though. They picked me up on their way to the Virginia International Raceway, where Grandpa got to ride in a race car with Uncle Jeff. Mom went for a few laps, too. In the photo above, I'm serving as their pit crew. Who knew a race track could be so dog friendly? Maybe Uncle Jeff will take us back!

Toys

2006-11-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

I can't decide if I'm mad or thankful about Phoebe's ability to tatter toys in minutes. At first I was sad to see her destroy some of my favorites, like my George W doll, but then I realized that every time she shreds something, we get more stuff. Seems like we're at PetSmart a couple of times a week.
These photos show us enjoying some of our newest toys.
Dad was particularly impressed with Phoebe's latest act of destruction.
The product description used the word "durable." Perhaps we could fund our toys by getting Phoebe a job as a product tester?

Rainy Sunday

2006-11-12T14:19:00.000-05:00

Here you go, everyone... proof that I do chill out every now and again. Today has been rainy and icky, and mom keeps postponing the walk she promised Holden and me to do things like clean. Arg! For a while I played with all of my toys, but now I've decided to take Holden's advice and snooze the afternoon away. The old guy does know a few things.

Chilling Out

2006-11-05T18:12:00.000-05:00

After a couple days of chasing after two visiting kids, Phoebe and I spent the afternoon getting some well-deserved R&R. Here we are enjoying the back deck together.

Phoebe has taken over my doggie chaise lounge, but I'm perfectly content resting on the ground.

Whew, those kids wore us out!

We're Famous!

2006-10-31T11:20:00.000-05:00

Check it out - we're on the Durham APS webpage!

http://www.apsofdurham.org/happy_endings/phoebe.html

Phoebe's Naughty List v2

2006-10-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

Only one thing to put on today's naughty list. While hanging out on the deck, I noticed some rotten wood at the base of the french doors, and gave it a little chew. It was nice and crumbly, and I made quick work of gutting the entire rotted area. I then turned my attention to the wood on the deck itself, but it wouldn't budge, so I gave up and napped for a bit. When dad came out to bring me inside, he totally freaked out about the french doors. Something about how he could forget about doing any repairs and would now have to replace them for sure. And then he sprayed this nasty, bitter tasting stuff all over the deck. Geez!

Presents!

2006-10-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Wahoo, I love these present things! Look at all the great loot we've been getting. This is one of the toys that came in the awesome goody basket Ms. Christa sent to me...

And these are the bandanas that Nic (Ms. Linda's pooch) sent to Holden and me...

Presents ROCK! Thanks everybody! Love, Phoebe

And It Was Good!

2006-10-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

Just in case you were wondering, dad brought home a ribeye steak for me. It was most excellent.

Nine Years

2006-10-26T18:19:00.000-04:00

Today marks the 9th anniversary of the day that mom adopted me. As you can see from these pictures, we've both aged quite a bit. Thankfully, mom's taken good care of me and the vet says that I'm doing well for my age. Personally, I don't think I look a day over 6.

Mom just told me that dad is at the grocery store picking up my traditional anniversary present - free range flesh! (Considering mom is a vegetarian, I do appreciate the effort.) I was relieved to hear her say the meat was on its way, because I was a bit worried that she and dad thought PHOEBE was going to count as my gift this year. Now don't get me wrong, she's an OK pup despite being such a spaz, and I do take great joy in watching her get in trouble with the 'rents. But having to share my human affection with another dog is certainly not my idea of a gift. So bring on the meat!!! ~Holden

Phoebe's Naughty List

2006-10-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 1st installment of my naughty list. I suppose some of you have heard from mom and dad that I've been up to no good. They think I haven't been listening, but I've heard the things they've been saying... "little terror," "devil spawned," "gold star my @##!" I think they're exaggerating, but I'll leave it to you, gentle reader, to decide. In this post, I'll document my daily naughty deeds and you can determine if they're really that bad. Love, Phoebe

Naughty List For Thursday, October 26, 2006
(1) Ate through dad's stereo bass cord (took me less than 1 minute - impressive!)
(2) Tore off piece of lattice work from under the deck while playing in the backyard
(3) Knocked over candles while jumping up on the fireplace hearth (duh, what were they doing there anyway?)

Backpacking

2006-10-23T20:01:00.000-04:00

Whew, what a weekend! Mom and dad took Phoebe and me on a backpacking trip to the NC mountains with the Venturing Crew that mom volunteers with. It was a great time, although I'm kinda sore today (darned arthritis!) and I must have gotten into some burs or something that left some itchy bumps on my head and neck (drat!). It's a small price to pay, though, for some quality time in the woods!! Phoebe had so much fun she could barely stand it. Here you'll find each of our top 7 (that's dog for top 10) favorite things about the trip as well as a couple of photos of us looking dashing in the backcountry. You can view all of our trip photos here. ~Holden

Holden's Backpacking Top Seven
(1) Helping clean up around the campsite (i.e., licking out the kids' oatmeal bowls)
(2) Drinking out of cool mountain creeks
(3) Getting to hang out in mom and dad's new hammock
(4) Being worshipped by four teens
(5) Getting loose from dad and scooting down a 10-foot bank to swim in a creek
(6) A good nap in the car on the way home
(7) Watching Phoebe get a bath - ha, ha!

Phoebe's Backpacking Top Seven
(1) Getting to share Holden's bed with him on the drive to and from the mountains
(2) Sleeping in the tent with mom, dad, and Holden (have I mentioned how much I love Holden?)
(3) Waking dad up at 4am to give him kisses
(4) Getting a bath when we got home - PSYCH, that sucked!
(5) Eating peanut butter for the first time
(6) Chewing on twigs, rocks, leaves, and all sorts of other stuff
(7) Smelling lots of new smells - the mountains ROCK!

Homecoming

2006-10-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo, I've been sprung!!! Today ROCKED! First, my new mom and dad took me in the car, which sucked, but it was worth it because I got to visit with the nice folks at Park Vet. Then, I finally got to see this HOME place everyone has been talking about!

Home is awesome, mostly because Holden is there. He may be old, but he still has puppy crazies. I love him the best, but the humans are pretty nice, too.

Oh, and did I mention there are TOYS? Tons of them. I love the moose that's almost as big as me.

Tomorrow I hear I have to go in the nasty car again, but then we are going to do something called camping, which sounds like it might be cool. Holden and I will let you know how it goes on Monday.

Love, Phoebe

Rainy Day

2006-10-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

I thought you might be interested in how I'm filling my time waiting for Phoebe to arrive. Today was an icky, wet day - it never stopped raining. That didn't stop me from getting mom to take me for a walk this evening, nor did I reconsider making my usual efforts to extend the walk as long as possible. Everything smells so wonderful in the rain! Once we got back, I quickly escaped mom's towel drying, ran up the stairs, and ignored dad's request to not hop up on the bed with him. Then, I suckered dad into drying me off with a hair dryer while I played with my toys. Ah, it's a tough life.

Woofs!

2006-10-14T14:20:00.000-04:00

Thanks for stopping by Phoebe and my little port on the web. Our mom and dad always seem to have a camera in their hands, so we'll share some of our most flattering photos here. We'll also keep you posted on our latest adventures.

Today I tried to visit with my new little sis at the Durham APS, but she's got some kennel cough thing and I'm not supposed to hang out with her for a few more days. So you'll have to stay tuned to hear about her homecoming and whether I decide to be a good big brother or show this little girl who's boss. It'll probably be both. ~ Holden